Immigration Help Available to Those Affected by Natural Disasters

USCIS offers immigration services that may help people affected by unforeseen circumstances, including disasters such as natural disasters.

The following measures may be available on a case-by-case basis upon request:

• Changing a nonimmigrant status or extending a nonimmigrant stay for an individual currently in the United States. Failure to apply for the extension or change before expiration of your authorized period of admission may be excused if the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control;
• Re-parole of individuals previously granted parole by USCIS;
• Expedited processing of advance parole requests;
• Expedited adjudication of requests for off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship;
• Expedited adjudication of employment authorization applications, where appropriate;
• Consideration of fee waivers due to an inability to pay;
• Assistance for those who received a Request for Evidence or a Notice of Intent to Deny but were unable to submit evidence or otherwise respond in a timely manner;
• Assistance if you were unable to appear for a scheduled interview with USCIS;
• Expedited replacement of lost or damaged immigration or travel documents issued by USCIS, such as a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card); and
• Rescheduling a biometrics appointment.

Note: When making a request, please explain how the impact of a natural disaster created a need for the requested relief.

To learn how to request these measures, call the National Customer Service Center at 800-375-5283. For customers who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf/blind or have speech disabilities which require accommodation: TTY / ASCII: 800-877-8339,  voice: 866-377-8642, video relay service (VRS): 877-709-5798.

Visit Office Closings page to determine if an office is open and to learn about rescheduling appointments. In particular, if your InfoPass appointment was affected by a natural disaster, you can reschedule your appointment online or by calling the National Customer Service Center.

All Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, requirements remain in place. Those affected by natural disasters should review Form I-9 acceptable documents and receipts for more information on how to complete the form if an employee’s documents are lost, stolen, or damaged. Visit I-9 Central for more information.

Visit Special Situations page or call the National Customer Service Center for more information about how USCIS provides assistance to individuals affected by unforeseen circumstances.

Learn more about the federal government response to recent hurricanes:

• Hurricane Harvey: FEMA and DHS | Overall federal government response
• Hurricane Irma: FEMA and DHS | Overall federal government response
• Hurricane Maria: FEMA and DHS | Overall federal government response