U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is expanding its Information Services Modernization Program to key field offices, beginning with the Detroit Field Office and the five offices in the Los Angeles District. Field offices in the Newark, Great Lakes, and San Francisco districts will implement the program during the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2019. USCIS anticipates expanding the program to all remaining field offices by the end of FY 2019.
The program ends self-scheduling of InfoPass appointments and instead encourages applicants to use USCIS online information resources to view general how-to information and check case status through the USCIS Contact Center. Under the program, applicants can obtain their case status and other immigration information without having to visit a local field office.
Based on surveys and other data, USCIS determined that most people who made in-person information service appointments through InfoPass could have received the same information by calling the USCIS Contact Center or checking the USCIS website. When it is determined that an applicant needs in-person assistance under the program, personnel at the USCIS Contact Center will help schedule an appointment without the individual having to search for available timeslots, USCIS said.
Early results indicate that the program “provides essential assistance while saving the public time and effort. The program will also allow USCIS to better align resources to reduce case processing times,” USCIS said.
The USCIS announcement is at https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-expand-information-services-modernization-program-key-locations.