COVID-19 UPDATE: USCIS To C... | Lippes Mathias LLP

COVID-19 UPDATE: USCIS To Continue to Process Applications for Employment Authorization

March 30, 2020 | Immigration Blog

With USCIS application support centers closed and workplaces closed or fully remote throughout the nation, the public may be concerned about the continuity of USCIS operations due to the COVID-19 crisis. However, all indications show that USCIS continues to process petitions, applications and requests during this time. We have continued to receive approvals over the past several weeks despite the crisis. Furthermore, where possible, USCIS appears to be making adjustments to facilitate certain types of applications that might be impacted by the unavailability of in-person services at its field offices.

Today, USCIS announced that it will reuse previously submitted biometrics in order to process valid requests to extend employment authorization, due to the temporary closure of its Application Support Centers to the public in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Applicants who had an appointment scheduled with an ASC on or after March 18th, or who have filed an I-765 application to extend their current employment authorization, will have their application processed using previously submitted biometrics.

This policy is expected to remain in effect until ASCs are open again for appointments.

Disclaimer: The information in this post is provided for general informational purposes only, and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice from our firm or the individual author, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, this post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.

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