You can now reschedule your USCIS appointments if you might have COVID-19
April 2, 2021
On January 28, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that there will be no penalty for rescheduling appointments due to COVID-19. USCIS made this change in response to a suggestion from ASAP members!
If you feel sick or have been in contact with someone with COVID-19, you can reschedule your USCIS appointment for a later time.
Thank you to ASAP members for helping protect the health of asylum seekers across the country!
Which appointments is USCIS talking about?
Rescheduling without penalty applies to all appointments in USCIS field offices and asylum offices. This includes, among others, asylum interviews, credible or reasonable fear interviews, and naturalization ceremonies.
The immigration court and the ICE office are not part of USCIS. You can check out some information below about rescheduling with immigration courts and ICE.
How do I know if I need to reschedule my USCIS appointment?
You should reschedule your appointment if:
- You notice that you have any COVID-19 symptoms, like a cough, fever, or fatigue
- You have been in close contact with anyone known or suspected to have COVID-19 in the last 14 days
- A health care provider, public health authority or government agency has instructed you to self-quarantine within the last 14 days
- You are awaiting the results of a COVID-19 test.
If your temperature reads 38C (100.4F) or higher, they will ask you to leave the office building. You can read more about this USCIS policy here. You can read more about COVID-19 here.
How do I reschedule my appointment with USCIS?
To reschedule your appointment with a USCIS field office, call the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283. To reschedule your appointment with an asylum office, you can follow the instructions in your interview notice.
What about immigration court hearings?
The immigration court is not part of USCIS. If you have an immigration court hearing coming up and you are feeling sick, you can try to reschedule by calling the immigration court. The court staff may be able to help change your hearing date or make a note that you are sick, but some courts may require a written request. You should call as soon as you can after you realize you are sick or have been exposed to COVID-19.
You can check whether your immigration court is open or closed on by locating it on this map. You can learn about how to check the date of your immigration court hearing here.
What about ICE or ISAP Check-Ins?
ICE and ISAP are not part of USCIS. The process for rescheduling an ICE or ISAP check in may depend on the local office. Many in-person check-ins have been cancelled due to COVID-19 since April 2020. You should contact your ICE officer, your ISAP officer, or the local ICE field office to get more information. You can find phone numbers for ICE offices in different cities here.
For more information, you can visit the USCIS Visitor Policy page and the office reopening announcement.
For more information and resources from the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) visit our website.