USCIS Extends Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests

In response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) is once again extending the flexibilities it originally announced on March 30, 2020. USCIS’ 60-day deadline extension policy for responses to various agency actions has been extended to March 26, 2022, to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors who are responding to:

  • Requests for Evidence;

  • Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14);

  • Notices of Intent to Deny;

  • Notices of Intent to Revoke;

  • Notices of Intent to Rescind;

  • Notices of Intent to Terminate regional centers; and

  • Motions to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant.

USCIS notes that this flexibility applies to the above “documents if the issuance date listed on the request, notice, or decision is between March 1, 2020, and March 26, 2022, inclusive.” The agency will consider a response to the above requests and notices received within sixty calendar days after the response due date in the request or notice before taking any action.

Additionally, USCIS will consider a Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, or Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA), if:

  • The form was filed up to ninety calendar days from the issuance of a decision the agency made; and

  • USCIS made that decision anytime between Nov. 1, 2021, and March 26, 2022.

Under previously published flexibilities, USCIS will consider a Form N-336 or Form I-290B received up to sixty calendar days from the date of the decision before the agency takes any action, and if the decision was issued between March 1, 2020 and October 31, 2021.