Calling USCIS

[Judy & Eugene 16]

How to prepare for your call?

Before calling the NCSC please have available

- your receipt number:

- alien registration number:

- type of application filed:

- date filed:

- Online case status:

- Processing times applying to your case type

- Check your priority date (if applicable)

- Have all relevant correspondence with USCIS (NOA1)

How to talk to a live person at USCIS?

Contact the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283.

Call early in the morning (8.00 am)

Option 1: Then dial 1, 2, 6, 2, 4 (exact sequence). Use these options every time you are prompted.

(You can also try - 1 - 2 - 1 - Case Number - 1 - 3 - 3 or 4)

Option 2: Call USCIS and Do not press anything (don't choose a language). They will think you have a rotary phone and will transfer you directly to a live person.

Option 3: Don't don’t choose the number for “case status”, but do different ones instead (for example “RFE”; “expedite your case”, …)

Option 4: Military Help Line: 1-877-CIS-4MIL (1-877-247-4645); Members of the military and their families may call to receive assistance with immigration-related questions.

If they speak Spanish just say English please. Now you can ask what you want.

What to ask them?

During your call we recommend that you take note of the following information:

About them:

- The name of the NCSC representative:

- The id number of the NCSC representative:

- The date and time of the call:

- Any service request referral number, if a service referral on a pending case is taken:

About our case:

- When calling, ask them for a service request.

In case they refuse or tell you that they cannot answer your question, then ask to be transferred to a Tier 2 ISO (Immigration Service Officer) supervisor, who will have more privileges to access detailed information about your case. Once you get an ISO, be very polite, and take notes for your records. Ask them for their badge number. That way you can reference each conversation by date and the badge number of the ISO.

Also ask them to review case status - THEY can - it's on their screen.

If the NCSC doesn’t issue a service request, please make sure the NCSC representative tells you the reason why he did not issue the request. (This information you'll need to follow up)

- Some of the standard questions:

1) Name check Status?

2) Background Check Status?

3) Has it been assigned to an officer?

4) When can I expect to get some updates on my case?

5) Can you help me with a ball park date on when my case will be assigned to an officer?

6) What dates are they currently working on?

Of course, we are aware of the standard response we get.

http://www.dhs.gov/x...37986181.shtm#5

The NCSC operates on a two-tier model.

Tier 1 Customer Service Representatives (CSRs):

Can

• Relay basic immigration information to customers through scripts provided by USCIS

• Answer questions about USCIS forms

• Transfer calls to Tier 2 in certain circumstances

Cannot

• Answer specific questions about a case with the exception of information available through Case Status Online

• Transfer calls to local offices or service centers where cases are pending

• Provide legal advice

Tier 2 Immigration Service Officers (ISOs):

Can

• Review USCIS systems on your case

• Request that notices be re-issued

• Provide information that you may receive at an Infopass appointment

• Provide specialized assistance to dependents or active members of the U.S. Armed Forces

• Provide information on pending and adjudicated cases.

Cannot

• Review already issued Requests for Evidence (RFEs)

• Directly issue duplicate notices, receipt notices, RFE notices

• Transfer calls to local offices or service centers

• Provide legal advice

Service Requests

Both Tiers 1 and 2 can create a “service request” which is sent to service centers and local offices on matters such as expedite requests, change of address, appointment rescheduling, case processing delays which exceed the posted times, and other matters that may be unique to a specific case.

[RICARDO4EVA2 194]

Dont forget the 21 questions they ask before assisting you....

[RICARDO4EVA2 194]

Dont forget the 21 questions they ask before assisting you....

[yasieyasie 0]

Dont forget the 21 questions they ask before assisting you....

This was very helpful. I will try it tomorrow and see how it goes.

Yasie

[bigdog 376]

Great post I will try this.

[joonphon 7]

Woah.. this is great! I was looking for this kind of post!!!!

Now I'm going to practice and call them next week.. I got a little nervous last time I talked to a live person that wasn't being too friendly to me...

[EminTX 131]

Dont forget the 21 questions they ask before assisting you....

And that there seems to be a requirement to disconnect you at random times during the call. It took me 3 times to call and ask about an address change.

Get a cup of tea, maybe a cookie, and a hand-held brainless video game so that waiting is easier. Speaker phone will prevent elbow pain from being in the same position for 2 hours.

[foobaz123 39]

Has anyone figured out a way around their blanket refusal to research anything or do a service request because of the Magic 16June date at CSC?

[Fede&Kendra 5]

This post seems very helpful, I think if in a month I hear nothing still I will try this.... Thanks!

[malekkk 1]

very interesting info !!! thank u very much !

good luck for all members

[Alia&Jerald 5]

I called today and was able to speak to a tier 2 agent after like my 10th call between yesterday and today. The agent told me he couldnt put in a service request for my processing time being up since ...JUNE 16TH blah blah blah. Now I mentioned to him that in November I received document via mail that had nothing to do with my case, and it was a mistake on their part. He was able to put in the service request due to the mistake that occured back in November, the service request is to see what is going on with my case after that mistake. He told me to wait 2 weeks to receive a letter via mail...so here I go to wait....

[olinaoka 0]

I called today and was able to speak to a tier 2 agent after like my 10th call between yesterday and today. The agent told me he couldnt put in a service request for my processing time being up since ...JUNE 16TH blah blah blah. Now I mentioned to him that in November I received document via mail that had nothing to do with my case, and it was a mistake on their part. He was able to put in the service request due to the mistake that occured back in November, the service request is to see what is going on with my case after that mistake. He told me to wait 2 weeks to receive a letter via mail...so here I go to wait....

It has been two weeks? Have you heard anything?

[PatrickAndJess 14]

How to prepare for your call?

Before calling the NCSC please have available

- your receipt number:

- alien registration number:

- type of application filed:

- date filed:

- Online case status:

- Processing times applying to your case type

- Check your priority date (if applicable)

- Have all relevant correspondence with USCIS (NOA1)

How to talk to a live person at USCIS?

Contact the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283.

Call early in the morning (8.00 am)

Option 1: Then dial 1, 2, 6, 2, 4 (exact sequence). Use these options every time you are prompted.

(You can also try - 1 - 2 - 1 - Case Number - 1 - 3 - 3 or 4)

Option 2: Call USCIS and Do not press anything (don't choose a language). They will think you have a rotary phone and will transfer you directly to a live person.

Option 3: Don't don’t choose the number for “case status”, but do different ones instead (for example “RFE”; “expedite your case”, …)

Option 4: Military Help Line: 1-877-CIS-4MIL (1-877-247-4645); Members of the military and their families may call to receive assistance with immigration-related questions.

If they speak Spanish just say English please. Now you can ask what you want.

What to ask them?

During your call we recommend that you take note of the following information:

About them:

- The name of the NCSC representative:

- The id number of the NCSC representative:

- The date and time of the call:

- Any service request referral number, if a service referral on a pending case is taken:

About our case:

- When calling, ask them for a service request.

In case they refuse or tell you that they cannot answer your question, then ask to be transferred to a Tier 2 ISO (Immigration Service Officer) supervisor, who will have more privileges to access detailed information about your case. Once you get an ISO, be very polite, and take notes for your records. Ask them for their badge number. That way you can reference each conversation by date and the badge number of the ISO.

Also ask them to review case status - THEY can - it's on their screen.

If the NCSC doesn’t issue a service request, please make sure the NCSC representative tells you the reason why he did not issue the request. (This information you'll need to follow up)

- Some of the standard questions:

1) Name check Status?

2) Background Check Status?

3) Has it been assigned to an officer?

4) When can I expect to get some updates on my case?

5) Can you help me with a ball park date on when my case will be assigned to an officer?

6) What dates are they currently working on?

Of course, we are aware of the standard response we get.

http://www.dhs.gov/x...37986181.shtm#5

The NCSC operates on a two-tier model.

Tier 1 Customer Service Representatives (CSRs):

Can

• Relay basic immigration information to customers through scripts provided by USCIS

• Answer questions about USCIS forms

• Transfer calls to Tier 2 in certain circumstances

Cannot

• Answer specific questions about a case with the exception of information available through Case Status Online

• Transfer calls to local offices or service centers where cases are pending

• Provide legal advice

Tier 2 Immigration Service Officers (ISOs):

Can

• Review USCIS systems on your case

• Request that notices be re-issued

• Provide information that you may receive at an Infopass appointment

• Provide specialized assistance to dependents or active members of the U.S. Armed Forces

• Provide information on pending and adjudicated cases.

Cannot

• Review already issued Requests for Evidence (RFEs)

• Directly issue duplicate notices, receipt notices, RFE notices

• Transfer calls to local offices or service centers

• Provide legal advice

Service Requests

Both Tiers 1 and 2 can create a “service request” which is sent to service centers and local offices on matters such as expedite requests, change of address, appointment rescheduling, case processing delays which exceed the posted times, and other matters that may be unique to a specific case.

Thanks for such a thorough post. I thought I should report back the inconsistencies in my results from speaking with an Immigration Officer today. The officer was friendly and trying to be helpful, so there is no reason I would expect what he was telling me to be untruthful or lazy.

1. Immigration Officers do not have badge numbers. That is only the tier 1 service reps.

2. He said that they do not have the ability to answers these questions (supposedly they do not have access to these security checks):

a) Name check Status?

b) Background Check Status?

c) Has it been assigned to an officer?

d) When can I expect to get some updates on my case?

e) Can you help me with a ball park date on when my case will be assigned to an officer?

What he was able to do was to check the current up-to-date status of my case. He also was able to see that there was a report on file for my case, which indicated to him that an Immigration Officer or supervisor must have looked at the case (as they are the only ones able to make a report). I believe they can typically review what was said in the report, though in my case specifically there was an issue with him viewing the report. Beyond that, as my case is not yet 30 days past the normal processing times, all he could tell me to do was call back once the 30 days had passed to file a case service request.

[Athena June 37]

Thanks for all the great information in this thread!

[Adriene H 89]

I used to work for Verizon and during training, we were

all told it was an FCC regulation that when asked by

a customer, all call center agents absolutely must provide

our own unique numerical ID.

We did not have to reveal our real names. We could

use a different first name as an alias but the

ID must always be true.