🚨🚨 USCIS ROC Updates

[Amir Jad 0]

Hi Everyone,  I am filing for I-751 and I saw this update on the USCIS website. No two-hole punch, no paper clips, or Even EXHIBITs Tabs dividers.Do you have any idea why? What can we do instead?

Thank youu

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Amir Jad

[RambaCat 643]

It's right there in the text; they scan and upload everything into a digital file - having dividers, holes, staples etc gets in the way of all of that and slows everything down.

[Fe.Ta 874]

5 minutes ago, Amir Jad said:

Hi Everyone,  I am filing for I-751 and I saw this update on the USCIS website. No two-hole punch, no paper clips, or Even EXHIBITs Tabs dividers.Do you have any idea why? What can we do instead?

Thank youu

 

If you are concerned about keeping things organized, you can always include a cover letter and then do subpages.  For example, a normal 8.5 x 11 sheet in between the evidence per category like one that reads "Financial Commingling".  Maybe this way they will know what portion starts next, etc.  Just a thought.  I am no expert and we sent it prior to these restrictions.

[Amir Jad 0]

2 minutes ago, RambaCat said:

It's right there in the text; they scan and upload everything into a digital file - having dividers, holes, staples etc gets in the way of all of that and slows everything down.

But I see people using them anyway. The case will be delayed regardless. I have a bulky file,  if I don't use exhibits it will be messy

[RambaCat 643]

5 minutes ago, Amir Jad said:

But I see people using them anyway. The case will be delayed regardless. I have a bulky file,  if I don't use exhibits it will be messy

There are a lot of people filing this year who are actually getting their cases reviewed and approved within a few months (unlike those of us who filed back in 2020/2021/2022 😅).

 

At the end of the day, you can choose to ignore USCIS guidance and potentially annoy whomever looks at your case, or you can follow USCIS guidance. Personally, I'd follow their guidance - they're just going to take your file apart anyway, and it'll end up messy on their desk.

Edited June 15, 2023 by RambaCat

[carmel34 3,622]

11 minutes ago, Amir Jad said:

I have a bulky file,  if I don't use exhibits it will be messy

Submit everything on standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper with a big clip so it is easy for USCIS to scan.  My husband's I-751 package was more than 500 pages.  He included a table of contents with all forms, documents, and exhibits listed and their page numbers.  Every one of the pages was numbered so that the officer could find anything easily using the table of contents.

 

 

[SalishSea 17,819]

4 hours ago, Amir Jad said:

Hi Everyone,  I am filing for I-751 and I saw this update on the USCIS website. No two-hole punch, no paper clips, or Even EXHIBITs Tabs dividers.Do you have any idea why? What can we do instead?

Thank youu

 

None of that is new.  USCIS has always asked for people to not include extraneous items such as paperclips and binders.  They disassemble the packets anyway, so the extra stuff just makes for more work.

[Fe.Ta 874]

39 minutes ago, SalishSea said:

None of that is new.  USCIS has always asked for people to not include extraneous items such as paperclips and binders.  They disassemble the packets anyway, so the extra stuff just makes for more work.

It is my understanding, and the "elders" can correct me @Sarge2155 @Crazy Cat, that the whole tabs thing could be something that was added in that publication of November 2022.  At least the instructions I read both in USCIS website and in VJ up until the point we submitted our ROC packet (September 2022), it was "OK" to do the hole punch at the top (at some point it was even requested),tabs for evidence, etc.  But, definitely not the paper clips, etc.

[SalishSea 17,819]

5 minutes ago, Fe.Ta said:

It is my understanding, and the "elders" can correct me @Sarge2155 @Crazy Cat, that the whole tabs thing could be something that was added in that publication of November 2022.  At least the instructions I read both in USCIS website and in VJ up until the point we submitted our ROC packet (September 2022), it was "OK" to do the hole punch at the top (at some point it was even requested),tabs for evidence, etc.  But, definitely not the paper clips, etc.

I've been around since 2016, and I've always seen USCIS recommending to not use clips, binders, etc.  I'm sure the two hole punch thing was changed because people managed to completely mangle the papers trying to punch through 500 sheets.

[Sarge2155 4,587]

50 minutes ago, Fe.Ta said:

It is my understanding, and the "elders" can correct me @Sarge2155 @Crazy Cat, that the whole tabs thing could be something that was added in that publication of November 2022.  At least the instructions I read both in USCIS website and in VJ up until the point we submitted our ROC packet (September 2022), it was "OK" to do the hole punch at the top (at some point it was even requested),tabs for evidence, etc.  But, definitely not the paper clips, etc.

This is correct I used tabs, hole punches, sticky notes acco clips galore when we filed in January 2022. Go to the January 2022 ROC thread and have a look at the packet we submitted. Fe.Ta is correct USCIS used to expressly ask for hole punches and acco clips that's  why we used them!