Due to COVID-19, an increase in filings, and postal service problems, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has experienced some delays in lockbox processing. These delays have affected petitioners and applicants seeking benefits. Now, USCIS has announced a solution to these lockbox processing delays: If your petition/application was affected due to USCIS lockbox processing delays, you now have the opportunity to resubmit that petition/application.
Please note, the opportunity to resubmit only applies if the petition/application was filed at a USCIS lockbox. It does not apply if it was submitted to a USCIS Service Center or field office. In order to qualify for lockbox processing delay resubmission, you must meet the below requirements and resubmit the petition/application between June 10, 2021, and August 9th, 2021.
Eligibility Criteria:
- If you filed a petition/application via USCIS lockbox between October 1st, 2020, and April 1st, 2021 and it was rejected due to a filing fee payment that expired while the benefit request was awaiting processing, you are eligible to resubmit the benefit request with a new filing fee.
- Once USCIS verifies the documents and accepts that the delayed rejection was solely due to a filing fee payment that expired while the benefit request was awaiting intake, deposit, and receipt, USCIS will accept the resubmitted benefit request and deem the request to have been received on the date the initial benefit request was first submitted at a USCIS lockbox. In this case, USCIS will waive the $30 fee.
- If USCIS does not agree that the initial rejection was due to a filing fee payment that expired while the benefit request was awaiting processing, it will be rejected.
- If your petition/application got rejected from a USCIS lockbox and you are an applicant, co-applicant, beneficiary, or derivative that was affected and aged out of eligibility, you can resubmit the petition/application to request benefits. Resubmission must contain documentation proving the affected person is no longer eligible on account of age due to the time that elapsed after the benefit request was originally submitted. If USCIS accepts your resubmitted petition/application, it will deem the benefit request to have been received on the date the initial request was first submitted at a USCIS lockbox.
- If USCIS does not agree that the delayed rejection affected an applicant, co-applicant, beneficiary, or derivative who aged out of eligibility for the requested benefit, USCIS will reject the resubmitted petition/application, and you cannot seek the same benefit again.
Important Notes:
- This flexibility will not apply to form N-600K (Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322).
- Applicants/petitioners can contact USCIS directly to verify resubmission eligibility. Email [email protected] with “Delayed Intake Rejection Resubmission” in the subject line.
- When you resubmit the petition/application, make sure to include: Your Alien Registration Number (A-Number), and a copy of the original rejection notice printed on blue paper. Write in black ink “Delayed Intake Rejection Request” on top of the resubmission.
