How to Submit a Case Assistance Request with the CIS Ombudsman: A Step-by-Step Guide

What is the CIS Ombudsman?

The Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) is an independent office within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that helps individuals and employers resolve issues they encounter with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). As an impartial entity, the CIS Ombudsman reviews USCIS procedures, assists in individual cases through case assistance requests, and provides recommendations to USCIS to improve its services.

What is a Case Assistance Request?

For many U.S. immigrants, case delays or errors can mean months or even years of uncertainty. This delay can significantly impact employment, family unification, and other aspects of life in the U.S.

A case assistance request is a formal request to the CIS Ombudsman to help resolve a complex USCIS case issue that standard inquiries cannot address, such as delays, errors in documentation, undelivered notices, or cases affecting military families. The CIS Ombudsman’s role is not to provide legal advice or expedite USCIS’s processing but to mediate and advocate for fair case resolution within the existing system.

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When to Submit a Case Assistance Request

Before requesting help from the CIS Ombudsman, you must have previously contacted USCIS within the last 90 days and given them at least 60 days to try to resolve your issue.

Follow these steps before you submit a case assistance request:

1. Check Your Case Status
   • Go to the USCIS website and check your case status online.
   • Use your receipt date to find your “case inquiry date” on the USCIS Check Case Processing Times page.
2. Contact USCIS for Support
   • Submit an e-Request on the USCIS website.
   • Send a secure message through your USCIS online account.
   • Use the “Ask Emma” chat feature on the USCIS website.
   • Call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283. For tips on how to contact them, refer to the USCIS Contact Center Tip Sheet.
   • If your package was delivered to a USCIS lockbox more than 30 business days ago, or your filing fee check has been cashed but you haven’t received a receipt notice, email USCIS Lockbox at lockboxsupport@uscis.dhs.gov. For more details, see the When to Contact a USCIS Lockbox Tip Sheet.
   • For refugee applicants, email USCIS at refugeeaffairsinquiries@uscis.dhs.gov from your registered email.
   • T visa, U visa, or Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) applicants can visit the FAQ page for specific USCIS contacts for your case type. You may also reach out to the Resettlement Support Center in your area for case status updates if you’re a refugee applicant.

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Issues Eligible for Case Assistance Requests

Here are some of the most common types of issues that the CIS Ombudsman can help with if you haven’t been able to resolve them directly with USCIS:

• Undelivered USCIS Notices or Decisions: This includes cases where notices like receipts, requests for evidence, appointment notifications, or denial letters have been sent but not received. It can also apply if the U.S. Postal Service returned a card or document to USCIS as undeliverable.
• Aging Out of Eligibility: In some situations, a person might reach an age that makes them ineligible for a certain immigration benefit. For more information, see the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) on USCIS’s website.
• U.S. Military Personnel: Some cases involving military members or their families qualify for assistance.
• Improper Rejections: This applies if USCIS incorrectly rejected applications or petitions due to mistakes in interpreting facts or the law.
• Typographical Errors: The CIS Ombudsman can assist with fixing typos (like incorrect names or birth dates) on documents such as Green Cards or employment authorization cards.
• Emergency or Hardship: The CIS Ombudsman can help with certain emergency or hardship cases if they meet the criteria for expedited processing by USCIS.
• Expedite Requests: The CIS Ombudsman can assist with expedite requests if they were approved by USCIS more than two months ago.
• Transfers to the Department of State: Delays in sending approved petitions to the Department of State may qualify for help.
• Form I-134A: The CIS Ombudsman can provide assistance for three specific issues related to Form I-134A cases for the Uniting for Ukraine (U4U) and Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) parole processes, including:
  • Correcting errors (like name or email typos);
  • Assisting when some family members have received travel authorization while others are still waiting; or
  • Providing a copy of the confirmation notice so that beneficiaries can set up their USCIS online account.
• USCIS Processing Delays: If your issue is a delay with USCIS processing, and your expedite request has not been approved, CIS Ombudsman can help only if:
  • You have submitted an inquiry to USCIS through one of their customer service options in the last 90 days and given USCIS at least 60 days to respond.
  • The “case inquiry date” (which can differ from the general processing times on the USCIS website) has already passed.

For more information on these types of cases, check the CIS Ombudsman’s Case Assistance Alerts.

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Issues Ineligible for Case Assistance Requests

With limited exceptions, the CIS Ombudsman cannot assist in the following scenarios:

• Case Inquiry Date: Your case hasn’t reached the “case inquiry date.” You can find this date under “When can I ask about my case?” on USCIS’s Check Case Processing Times page by selecting your form type and location.
  
  The CIS Ombudsman can assist if:
  • Your case has a statutory or regulatory processing time requirement (e.g., Form I-360 for Special Immigrant Juveniles, Form N-400 for Naturalization, or Form I-129 for L-1 visas).
  • USCIS approved your expedite request more than 60 days ago.
• Published Processing and Wait Times: There is no published processing time for your form, and less than 6 months have passed since filing.
• Form I-134A Delays, Expedites, or Decisions: Your concern is about Form I-134A processing delays, expedite requests, or overturning travel authorization decisions. USCIS does not currently allow expedite requests for Form I-134A or provide explanations for these decisions.
• Expedite Request Denied: USCIS recently denied your expedite request.
• Request for Legal Advice: The CIS Ombudsman does not provide legal advice.
• Issues Not Related to USCIS: The CIS Ombudsman’s authority is limited to USCIS-related issues.
• Active Congressional Inquiry: It has been less than 45 calendar days since a congressional representative inquired with USCIS on your behalf.

The CIS Ombudsman also cannot:

• Replace the formal appeal or motion process, or change the deadline for submitting an appeal.
• Communicate with anyone other than you (as the applicant or petitioner) or your attorney unless the CIS Ombudsman has your explicit written consent.
• Communicate with you through any other means besides U.S. mail if you’re applying for T, U, VAWA, or refugee status without an attorney or accredited representative. Your address must match USCIS’s records.
• Force USCIS to take action on a pending case.
• Correct issues caused by incorrect information from third parties, such as legal representatives or designated school officials (DSOs).

To determine if a case assistance request is right for you, check the CIS Ombudsman’s FAQ page for guidance that may address your concern.

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Who Can Submit a Case Assistance Request?

Individuals, employers, attorneys, and accredited representatives can submit a request for case assistance.

• Attorneys or accredited representatives must include Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, on file with USCIS for the form you need help with.
• Family members, congressional caseworkers, Designated School Officials (DSOs), and others can help you submit the case assistance request if you (as the applicant or petitioner) give them written consent to do so. This written consent must explicitly allow the CIS Ombudsman to discuss the specific form(s) and issue(s) with them. For more details, check the “How to Request Case Assistance” section of the FAQ page.

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How to Submit a Case Assistance Request

If you’ve already tried resolving your issue through USCIS customer service but still need help, you can submit a case assistance request to the CIS Ombudsman in one of the following ways:

1. Online
   • For the quickest processing, complete the DHS Form 7001, Request for Case Assistance online. Refer to the online tip sheet for guidance on completing the form.
   • If you encounter technical issues, you can contact the CIS Ombudsman at cisombudsman@hq.dhs.gov or call 1-855-882-8100 for support.
2. Email
   • Download the form from the CIS Ombudsman website and email it with supporting documents to cisombudsman@hq.dhs.gov.
   • Allow two to three weeks for processing.
3. Mail
   • Mail completed forms to the following address:
     
     Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman
     Department of Homeland Security
     ATTN: Case Assistance
     Mail Stop 0180
     Washington, D.C. 20528
   • Note that processing can take several weeks, even for express mail.

When submitting your request, be sure to include any supporting documents, including copies of USCIS notices, evidence of attempts to resolve the issue, and documentation supporting any errors or hardships. Form G-28 is required if you’re using an attorney or accredited representatives.

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What to Expect After Submitting a Case Assistance Request

Here’s what happens after you submit DHS Form 7001 for case assistance. To make sure you receive updates, please add cisombudsman@hq.dhs.gov to your email contacts.

1. Confirmation Email
   • You or your representative will receive a confirmation email with your CIS Ombudsman Request Number and a copy of DHS Form 7001.
   • If submitted online, you’ll usually get the confirmation within 24 hours.
   • If sent by email or mail, your request number will arrive by email or mail after it’s entered into the system, which may take 2–3 weeks.
   • For applicants with T, U, VAWA, asylee, or refugee status, the CIS Ombudsman can only communicate through mail to the address USCIS has on file. The CIS Ombudsman can also communicate with your representative if their information matches USCIS records and Form G-28 has been submitted.
   • You can use your CIS Ombudsman Request Number to check your request status.
2. Request Assignment
   • We’ll review the main reason for your assistance request as provided in Section 2 of DHS Form 7001.
   • The CIS Ombudsman’s goal is to assign priority cases (those that USCIS can address quickly) to an analyst within 14 business days. Cases involving only processing delays may take longer to be assigned.
3. Request Review
   • If more information is needed, we’ll email you and ask you to respond within 5 days.
   • You can upload requested documents on the Upload Requested Documents tab on the DHS Form 7001 page, or submit any documents not previously included.
   • The CIS Ombudsman’s team will look into USCIS records, laws, regulations, and processing times to determine if the CIS Ombudsman can assist. If the CIS Ombudsman can’t, we’ll move to Step 5 below.
4. Contacting USCIS
   If the CIS Ombudsman can assist, we’ll contact the appropriate USCIS office regarding the main issue on your form and notify you by email. The CIS Ombudsman will continue to follow up with USCIS and keep you informed until the CIS Ombudsman receives a response addressing your request.
5. Closing Your Request
   • If the issue falls outside the CIS Ombudsman’s scope, we’ll close your request.
   • Otherwise, we’ll close it once USCIS addresses the issue.

You don’t need to contact CIS Ombudsman while the agency is working on your request unless your situation changes. For instance, please email cisombudsman@hq.dhs.gov if:

• USCIS resolves your case after submitting a request. (Please include your CIS Ombudsman Request Number).
• Your address changes (update it with USCIS as well, using receipt numbers for any open applications or petitions).
• You have a new attorney for the specific form listed on your DHS Form 7001.

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Additional Tips and Resources

To get the most out of your case assistance request:

• Seek Help Only for Qualifying Issues: The CIS Ombudsman cannot help with every type of USCIS issue. Make sure your case meets the eligibility criteria.
• Review Case Assistance Alerts: The CIS Ombudsman periodically publishes alerts that might directly impact your case.
• Check Case Status Regularly: Stay informed about any status updates or delays on USCIS’s website.
• Be Prepared for Follow-Ups: If more information is needed, you’ll have a short window (typically five days) to respond with additional documents.

FAQs