USCIS Announces Flexibility in Responding to Requests for Evidence, and Notices of Intent to Deny
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Link: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-announces-flexibility-requests-evidence-notices-intent-deny
Pasricha & Patel
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the USCIS has announced that it is adopting a more flexible approach to those applicants and petitioners who have to respond to Requests for Further Evidence (RFEs), and Notices of Intent to Deny (NOID) that are issued between March 1, 2020 through May 1, 2020.
More specifically, the USCIS explains that for any applicants and petitioners who have received an RFE, or NOID notice dated between March 1, 2020 and May 1, 2020, there will be a 60 calendar day grace period after the response deadline set in the RFE or NOID notice itself, and USCIS will consider those responses submitted during the 60 calendar day grace period as timely submitted before USCIS takes any action on the pending matter.
USCIS further explains that it is adopting such a discretionary policy as part of several measures to protect the USCIS’s workforce and community, and also to help minimize the immigration consequences for those who are seeking immigration benefits during this crisis.
The hope is that this new policy will help ease any burden on the applicants and petitioners who may need extra time to prepare and respond to the RFE and NOID notices due to lack of accessibility to required documentation and/or information.
USCIS is continuing to announce new changes to its various practices and policies during this crisis period.
So, we do recommend our readers to continue to check on our site for any further updates and developments.