2020-04-14—USCIS HQ (Benefits Policy) Committee updated its practice alert regarding the closure of USCIS international field offices in light of the announcement that USCIS plans to maintain operations at seven of its international field offices.

On August 9, 2019, USCIS announced a change to its previously reported plans to close all its international field offices by March 10, 2020. The August 9th announcement indicates that USCIS plans to maintain operations at seven international USCIS offices: Beijing and Guangzhou, China; Nairobi, Kenya; New Delhi, India; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Mexico City, Mexico; and San Salvador, El Salvador. The announcement states the last three offices were kept open by then USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli as part of the “whole-of-government approach to address the crisis at the southern border.” Previously, USCIS had indicated that it planned to close all of its international field offices by March 10, 2020.

The remaining thirteen (13) international field offices: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Portau-Prince, Haiti; Monterrey, Mexico; Lima, Peru; Seoul, South Korea; Bangkok, Thailand; Frankfurt, Germany; Accra, Ghana; Athens, Greece; Rome, Italy; Amman, Jordan; Johannesburg, South Africa; and London, United Kingdom, and the three (3) district offices are: Mexico City, Mexico (Latin America, Canada and the Caribbean [LACC] District); Bangkok, Thailand (AsiaPacific [APAC] District; and Rome, Italy (Europe, Middle East and Africa [EMEA] District) are expected to close between now and August 2020.

The closing of offices has already commenced with the USCIS Field Office in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico (June 30, 2019) and the USCIS Manila Field Office in the Philippines (July 5, 2019). These closing will continue to impact U.S. citizens and permanent residents abroad, and other immigrants in which these offices provided vital services.

For further information relating to this post, please contact Younossi Law.