USCIS Updates Policy Guidance Clarifying Expedite Requests

USCIS is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify how USCIS considers expedite requests related to government interests and requests related to emergencies or urgent humanitarian situations, including travel-related requests. This update also clarifies how to make an expedited request and explains how USCIS processes expedited requests.

Government Interests

This update clarifies that USCIS may expedite cases identified as urgent by federal, state, tribal, territorial, or local governments of the United States because they involve public interest, public safety, national interest, or national security interests. This update clarifies that when an expedite request is made by a federal government agency or department based on government interests, USCIS generally defer to that agency or department’s assessment.

Travel-Related Requests

USCIS issues several types of travel documents. This update clarifies that USCIS will consider expediting Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, for benefit requestors in the United States when they have a pressing or critical need to leave the United States, whether the need to travel relates to an unplanned or planned event, such as a professional, academic, or personal commitment.

When the need is related to a planned event, USCIS considers whether:

• The applicant timely filed Form I-131; and
• Processing times would prevent USCIS from issuing the travel document by the planned date of departure.   

Submission and Processing of Expedite Requests

This update also clarifies how to make an expedite request, including how requestors can use USCIS online tools with secure messaging, such as submitting their expedite request and uploading evidence to support their expedite request if they have a USCIS online account.

This update explains how USCIS process expedite requests by clarifying that USCIS will generally respond to benefit requestors who submit their request through the USCIS Contact Center to inform them when USCIS has made a decision on their expedite request. 

This guidance is effective immediately and is controlling and supersedes any related prior guidance.

For more information, see the Policy Alert (PDF, 304.25 KB), the newly updated Expedite Requests page, and the new Interested Government Agency page.