USCIS FAQs

For information about adopting a child from overseas, visit www.uscis.gov/adoption

The USCIS London Field Office no longer accepts new I-130 filings. If you submitted your I-130 with USCIS London by the March 31, 2020 deadline, please allow 90 days for USCIS London to process your I-130. For any status updates outside of the 90 day processing time, or for other inquiries, please email us at USCIS.London@uscis.dhs.gov

The ONLY acceptable forms of payment for petitions filed with the London Field Office are:

  • USCIS Form G-1450: Authorization for Credit Card Transactions (via USCIS.gov) (please note that UK banks may question credit card transactions in U.S. dollars in the UK.  You should check with your UK or other foreign bank prior to submitting the G-1450).
  • U.S. Bank cashier’s checks;
  • U.S. Bank or U.S. Postal money order;
  • International bank draft in United States dollars
    • All checks must be made out to: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
    • Be sure to print your full name and address on the reverse side of the check so that in the unlikely event that the check is separated from the petition, the check can be matched up again with the petition.

Note:  Financial instruments must comply with U.S. transaction routing protocol (a standard nine digit routing number).  The routing and account numbers should be located along the bottom of the check in the MICR (magnetic ink character recognition) line.

Visit http://www.uscis.gov/forms/paying-immigration-fees

 

Please visit the the immigrant visa page of the U.S. Embassy London for information about the next steps in the process, and contact information for enquiries about the next steps in the process, including any processing timeframes.

If you have received an Immigrant Visa Case Number (those look like: LND2016 000 000)  please see our next FAQ, below!

If your Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130) has been approved by the USCIS London Field Office, or you have already received your immigrant visa case number (LND + four digit year YYYY + 6 digits, for example LND2016 000 000) and you have a question about the process, please check our Immigrant Visas: FAQ section.

There is no immigration law that prohibits a foreign national from entering the United States on a tourist visa while an application for an immigration benefit is pending on their behalf.  However, it is at the discretion of the Customs and Border Protection officer at the port of entry to determine whether an individual’s intentions for entering the United States are only temporary or as an ‘intending immigrant’?  If the latter, the officer can refuse entry into the United States and return the individual to the UK, which would result in jeopardizing the immigrant visa processing.

The decision whether an individual will be admissible can only be determined at the port of entry into the United States.  For more information about admission into the US, please visit http://www.cbp.gov.

Please visit the USCIS.gov webpage on Green Cards and Permanent Residence in the U.S. for a comprehensive listing of options.  For information about helping a relative become a permanent resident of the U.S., please see immediately below.

As a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, you may help a relative become a lawful permanent resident of the United States by obtaining what is often referred to as a “Green Card.” You begin the process by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. This form establishes the family relationship that exists between you and your relative.

A U.S. citizen can file a petition for the following relatives:

  • Husband or wife
  • Children, married or unmarried
  • Parents
  • Brothers or sisters

A permanent resident of the United States can file a petition for the following relatives:

  • Husband or wife
  • Unmarried children

Filing Form I-130 filing requirements, instructions and forms are available at https://www.uscis.gov/i-130.

Form I-407 is for use by a lawful permanent resident wishing to abandon permanent resident status and relinquish a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card).

As of July 1, 2019, the Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status, must be submitted to the USCIS Eastern Forms Center in Vermont. The Form I-407 will no longer be accepted by international field offices. Individuals submitting the I-407 to the Eastern Forms Center must include their Permanent Resident Card (I-551 green card), if available, along with any other travel documents issued by USCIS. Individuals should not turn in identity documents that were not issued by USCIS. Additional filing information is available on the USCIS.gov Form I-407 Web Page.

The Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status, should be mailed to the following address:

USCIS Eastern Forms Center
Attn: I-407 Unit
Post Office Box 567
Williston, VT 05495
USA

Please see the USCIS.gov website on how to obtain documents from USCIS through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) process.

Form I-131A may be filed by a lawful permanent resident who does not have a valid Permanent Resident Card (I-551) in his or her possession and requires a Transportation Boarding Foil to facilitate boarding by the airlines to return to the United States.

As of November 1, 2019, the transportation boarding foil process is handled by the Consular Section at Embassy London, not by USCIS. For more information, please see our webpage on Transportation Boarding foil – Lost or Stolen Green Cards.

Form I-131A may be filed by a lawful permanent resident who does not have a valid Permanent Resident Card (I-551) in his or her possession and requires a Transportation Boarding Foil to facilitate boarding by the airlines to return to the United States. If, however, you are a lawful permanent resident (LPR) with an expired Green Card, you may not need to file a Form I-131A.

Although regulations generally require an LPR to travel with a valid Green Card, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) policy permits a transportation carrier bound for the United States to board an LPR without carrier documentation if you:

  • Are an LPR who has an expired Green Card that was issued with a 10-year expiration date, or,
  • Are an LPR with an expired Green Card with a two-year expiration date AND you also have a Form I-797, Notice of Action, for Form I-751 or Form I-829 to remove the conditions on your permanent resident status. The Notice of Action extends the validity of the Green Card for a specified length of time, generally one year.

We encourage you to check with your airline or vessel before filing a Form I-131A. For more information on the I-131A transportation boarding foil process at Embassy London, please see our webpage on Transportation Boarding foil – Lost or Stolen Green Cards.

Please visit the USCIS website here.

Individuals wishing to formalize abandonment of Permanent Resident Status may elect to file Form I-407.

More information on the I-407 process is available on the USCIS London office homepage.

Please visit the USCIS.gov website here.

Individuals wishing to formalize abandonment of Permanent Resident Status may elect to file Form I-407. More information on the I-407 process is available on the USCIS London office homepage.

For information about humanitarian programs, please visit www.uscis.gov/humanitarian

The London Field Office does not process refugee applications. For general information and processing criteria, visit the Department of State website and the Refugee section of the USCIS website.

Humanitarian Parole:

For information about humanitarian parole and filing requirements, visit www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/humanitarian-parole

English translations of any documents written in another language are required.  Translations do not need to be notarized but must include a statement by the translator certifying that the translation is accurate and that the translator is competent to translate.

For information, forms and general requirements, please visit http://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship.

Military members and family members should visit Citizenship for Military Members and Spouses and Children of Military Members for more information.

How can I find out about obtaining citizenship for my child who regularly resides outside of the United States?

A parent or legal guardian may be able to apply for citizenship for you under section 322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act if you are under 18 years of age and temporarily present in the United States pursuant to a lawful admission, which includes a lawful admission in non-immigrant status. Please refer to the instructions for Form N-600K, Applications for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322 for more information.

Military members and family members should visit Citizenship for Military Members and Spouses and Children of Military Members for more information about the process for children of military members.

Please check the Visa Section of the U.S. Embassy London’s website for information on visas.

Please visit the immigrant visa page of the U.S. Embassy London for information about the next steps in the process, and contact information for enquiries about the next steps in the process, including any processing timeframes.

Please visit the immigrant visa page of the U.S. Embassy London for information about the next steps in the process, and contact information for enquiries about the next steps in the process, including any processing timeframes.

Please check the Visa Section of the U.S. Embassy London’s website for information about returning resident visas.

If you lost or are not in possession of the unexpired Advance Parole Document that was issued to you prior to your departure from the United States, and need a replacement document, you will need to file a new Form I-131.

In certain circumstances, the USCIS London Field Office may be able to accept a new Form I-131 filing to forward to the USCIS Humanitarian Affairs Branch for expedited processing of the I-131 for a replacement Advance Parole Document.

For more information on the humanitarian parole process, see Humanitarian or Significant Public Benefit Parole for Individuals Outside the United States on USCIS.gov.

If you would like to request permission to file the I-131 with the USCIS London Field Office for a replacement Advance Parole Document, please contact uscis.london@uscis.dhs.gov