7 Steps to an Immigration Appointment with InfoPass

If you have urgent needs or questions regarding your pending immigration case, you might need an appointment with an immigration officer. But to get an appointment, all you need to do is use InfoPass!

InfoPass is a scheduling system provided by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services that lets you make an appointment to talk to an immigration officer. It lets you pick a time that fits in your busy schedule.

Before InfoPass, it was difficult to talk to an immigration officer. Long lines would accumulate outside of immigration services offices, and there was never any guarantee of a meeting.

The convenience of InfoPass allows you to go online instead of waiting in line!

Using InfoPass to Make an Immigration Appointment

Making an immigration appointment using InfoPass is easy. Just follow these 7 simple steps:

1) Go to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services website and click on “Make an Appointment (InfoPass),” or go directly to http://infopass.uscis.gov.

2) Choose a language. InfoPass is available in 12 languages.

3) Enter your zip code and select a nearby immigration office.

4) Select the immigration appointment option that best matches with your particular inquiry.

5) Enter the personal information requested, like your name, date of birth and telephone number. If you have a case number or alien registration number, you may also have to enter those.

6) InfoPass will generate possible appointment dates and times. Select the one that fits your schedule. If you can’t find an immigration appointment time that is convenient for you, continue checking the InfoPass system periodically, since more times are added each day.

7) Once you’ve selected your date and time, an appointment confirmation will pop up. You should print this, put it somewhere safe and bring it to the immigration appointment.

Preparing for Your Immigration Appointment

You must have the proper documents in order for your appointment. If you forget a receipt or identification card, it could mean that your appointment may need to be rescheduled, so it’s important to remember everything!

This includes:

• A printout of the appointment confirmation.
• Valid government-issued identification, such as an ID card, driver’s license, passport, I-94 entry card, employment authorization card or green card.
• Any forms, receipts, approvals or denials related to your inquiry. If you have original documents in a language other than English, bring certified translations.

If you lose your immigration appointment confirmation, you can generate a replacement by accessing InfoPass and entering the requested information.

If you cannot keep your appointment, you can cancel it through InfoPass. You will not be penalized for canceling or rescheduling an appointment.

Other Ways to Answer Your Questions

Appointments with immigration officers are useful when you have difficult questions or if you have received a notice requiring you to visit an office for further case processing. However, if you have a routine inquiry, there are better ways to find answers to your immigration questions.

The immigration services website — USCIS.gov — allows you to look at laws and regulations, check on your case status, obtain current application wait times and download forms. You must also file forms if you need to renew or replace green cards, I-94 cards or work authorization cards.

Simple questions can also be directed to the National Customer Service Center hotline at 1-800-375-5283. Don’t be afraid to call — it might even eliminate your need for an immigration appointment!