USCIS Extends COVID-19-related Flexibilities until January 24, 2023 — Visa Lawyer Blog — October 24, 2022

We start off the week with the latest news regarding COVID-19-related flexibilities for responses to Requests for Evidence, NOIDs, and such related notices issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

What do I need to know about these new updates?

USCIS RFE/NOID Flexibility Continued for Responses to Agency Requests

USCIS has announced that it will continue its flexibility policy giving applicants and petitioners more time to respond to Requests for Evidence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, Monday, October 24, 2022, USCIS made the announcement that it will continue to grant applicants who have received a request for evidence, notice of intent to deny, or such a related document, an additional 60 calendar days after the response deadline indicated on the notice or request, to submit a response to a request or notice, provided the request or notice was issued by USCIS between March 1, 2020 through January 24, 2023. This is great news because it will allow applicants and petitioners more time to gather documents that are hard to obtain during the COVID-10 pandemic.

What documents qualify for this flexibility in responding?

Applicants who receive any of the below mentioned documents dated between March 1, 2020 and January 24, 2023 can take advantage of the additional 60 days to respond to the request or notice:

• Requests for Evidence;
• Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14);
• Notices of Intent to Deny;
• Notices of Intent to Revoke;
• Notices of Intent to Rescind;
• Notices of Intent to Terminate regional investment centers;
• Notices of Intent to Withdraw Temporary Protected Status; and
• Motions to Reopen an N-400 pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant.

In addition, USCIS will consider a Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion or Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings, if:

• The form was filed up to 90 calendar days from the issuance of a decision made by USCIS: and
• USCIS made that decision anytime from November 1, 2021, through January 24, 2023.

Additionally, USCIS announced that the reproduced signature flexibility announced in March, 2020, became permanent policy on July 25, 2022.

For more information about this guidance please click here.

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