If you have misplaced an Approval Notice that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued in response to an I-130, family-based immigrant petition or other immigration application or you never received a notification from USCIS, regardless of records showing that a notice was sent to you, ask an immigration attorney to help you ask for a new approval notice.
The Importance of Having a Physical Copy of an Approval Notice
As part of the immigration application process, USCIS may often request that applicants submit a copy of their approval notices. For instance, after USCIS approves an initial I-130 application, if that individual is living in the U.S. and is eligible to adjust status here in the country, they will need to attach a copy of the I-130, Adjustment of Status packet before mailing it to USCIS.
If an approval notice is lost, you may obtain a new approval notice by filing a Form I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition.
Other Uses of the Form I-824 for Prospect Foreigners Migrating to the U.S.
Below are a few instances in which someone might need to file a Form I-824 with USCIS:
- To petition for a different U.S. Consulate to receive a notice of USCIS’s approval of a nonimmigrant visa application or waiver request (for example, if you traveled overseas since the initial application was filed).
- To update a designated U.S. Consulate that an adjustment of status to lawful permanent residence has been completed successfully, therefore allowing family members to apply for derivative status from abroad.
- To request that USCIS send I-130, Approval Notice to the Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC). This is primarily intended if the original plan was to adjust status in the U.S. that is applying for a U.S. green card without leaving the country, possibly because the applicant is already lawfully living there but had a change of plans and will now use the consular processing instead.
Completing and Filing the Form I-824
The Form I-824 asks for basic information which includes the applicant’s name, employer, contact information, identifying numbers, country of birth and citizenship. Supporting documents and a fee will need to be included along with the Form I-824 this way USCIS can verify the original approval. Payment of the application fee can be made by a money order, personal or cashier’s check.
Once the Form I-824 is filled out it can be sent by regular mail to USCIS lockbox as instructed in the form. A request to receive an email stating that the form has been received by USCIS can be done by completing Form G-1145 and attaching it to the front page.
Time to Get Legal Assistance
If you are unsure whether you need to submit a Form I-824 ask an immigration legal representative for help. An attorney can assist with preparing the form and keeping track of the progress of your immigration application process. Gambacorta Law Office can be reached at 1-847-786-2599 for a consultation.