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| USCIS Plans to Launch InfoPass Nationwide |
7/22/2004 |
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Press Release
July 22, 2004
USCIS PLANS TO LAUNCH INFOPASS NATIONWIDE
Online Appointment System Eliminates Need to Wait in Line for Immigration Information
New York, NY – Calling InfoPass a customer service milestone, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today formally opened the Internet-based appointment system to residents of the New York City area. USCIS also announced its commitment to implement InfoPass nationwide that would include 33 USCIS Districts by September 2004. With InfoPass, the public can go online to schedule a date and time to meet with immigration information officers, avoiding the need to wait in line. First developed in Miami, the New York District Office is now one of four key sites that currently offer this convenient and customer friendly initiative.
USCIS Director Eduardo Aguirre, who attended today’s launch, predicted that InfoPass will ultimately mean the end of the line to wait in line outside the New York District Office, which served more than 350,000 people last year.
“This is another important stride for USCIS in our commitment to offer customers first rate service,” Director Aguirre said. “InfoPass debuted last year in Miami and in a matter of weeks we saw a dramatic decrease in the lines and wait times for our clients. We’re optimistic we’ll have similar results in New York and in all of our offices.”
InfoPass is now offered in 12 languages including: Arabic, Chinese, Creole, English, French, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Russian, and Vietnamese. USCIS plans to add additional languages in the future.
Typically, customers would begin lining up at several USCIS offices sometimes before dawn to ensure they have an opportunity to speak with an immigration information officer about their case. Because of the overwhelming demand, many people must be turned away.
“Now that we have InfoPass, people who come to our busiest offices can be assured they’ll get the assistance they need,” said Mary Ann Gantner, USCIS District Director in New York. “And they can schedule their appointments for a date and time that is convenient for them.”
USCIS Customer Service Options Online
InfoPass is one of several USCIS innovations designed to make immigration services more convenient and accessible for the general public. USCIS also offers E-Filing that allows customers to go online to file for an immigration benefit. E-Filing currently supports eight of the more frequently used forms that account for over 50% of applications filed each year. By the end of 2006, E-Filing will support twelve forms that account for over 90% of the applications filed yearly.
Customers may also go online to check the status of their pending application, and build a portfolio of up to 100 cases to check. USCIS also offers customers e-mailed updates when the status of their case changes.
Customers may access all USCIS Internet-based services on www.uscis.gov.
National InfoPass Deployment Schedule for USCIS District Offices (tentative):
August 9th – Buffalo, Newark, Philadelphia
August 16th – Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Portland, ME, New Orleans
August 18th – Chicago, Houston
August 23rd – Cleveland, Detroit, San Juan, Washington D.C.
August 30th, Anchorage, Honolulu, Phoenix, Portland, OR, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle
September 8th – Denver, El Paso, Harlingen, Helena, Kansas City, Omaha, San Antonio, St. Paul
- USCIS -
On March 1, 2003, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) became one of three former INS components to join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. USCIS is charged with fundamentally transforming and improving the delivery of immigration and citizenship services, while enhancing the integrity of our nation's security.
Printable Version
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