What is a Mandamus Action?
A Mandamus Action is a type of lawsuit that can be filed in federal court when an immigration agency, such as USCIS, fails to make a decision or take action on your case within a reasonable time frame. By filing a mandamus action, you are requesting the court to compel the agency to act on your petition or application.
When Are Mandamus Actions Typically Used?
- USCIS has failed to process your application within a reasonable period.
- There is an unreasonable delay in adjudicating your immigration petition or case.
- You have exhausted other options for resolution, including contacting USCIS or filing inquiries.
This legal action can help speed up the process and compel the government to act on your case.
Your case must have been pending an “unreasonable” amount of time. The exact time frame depends on the facts of your situation, but a general rule of thumb is to wait at least 12-24 months since the last action was taken on your case.
In our experience, for most cases the government makes a decision on the case within 60 days of us filing the lawsuit. We can usually file fairly quickly, but sometimes we need to take preliminary steps before filing such as making any appropriate inquiries or complaints – to make sure your case has the best chance of success!
This is a common fear, but no! We are fortunate that the United States is a country where even the government must follow the law. The decision on your case will be the same outcome as it would have been, just hopefully much faster!
Then you remain basically in the same position as you were before and must wait for a response. However, we actually have an excellent success rate on mandamus actions so it is likely that you will get a swift decision as hoped. Our attorneys are very transparent regarding the likelihood of success and will not accept cases we do not believe we can win.
What You Need to Know About the Immigration Process
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What People are Saying
"They all worked so hard, they were patient with all my questions and concerns. They were even helpful in reminding me of any other paperwork needed for the case. Me and my husband appreciate all they did for us."
Laura Rosales
"Incredibly professional, caring, and trustworthy. I was never told anything but the truth and never led to believe anything other than our case was in the best hands possible. We had initially contacted another lawyer about legal help for our immigration case, but we were told a lot of misleading nonsense. Everyone we worked with was always upfront, honest, helpful, and very thorough. I would not hesitate to recommend Immigration for Couples to anyone I know needing help with their immigration case. The cost was not prohibitive and well worth every cent…We will be going back to them when it is time for citizenship.”
Ben Ladowski
My husband and I cannot sing enough praises for Immigration for Couples. Everyone has been so wonderful to work with. They made the process of getting my husband a green card easy and expedient. When thinking about our experience, we honestly could not have picked a better law firm to work with. We will be forever grateful.
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"Their people are friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and responsive! They made our situation their priority! I would recommend them to anyone! They are the gold standard of immigration law firms!"
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"We really enjoyed working with the firm. The process went smoothly and they were always very helpful and quick to answer any questions we had. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for an immigration lawyer. They made the process really easy."
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"Attorney Megan and Lynette and everyone in the office was outstanding. They handled my difficult case. I feel that they genuinely want to help those whose life is on the balance of these applications being approved. Very knowledgeable and professional and would highly recommend."
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"Sharp, Compassionate and Sincere. I would trust them with my life."
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"The team was great to work with and continues to be great and reachable. Always timely responses, and clear communication. Truly grateful to have them handle our case... Thank You for all you do!"
Damira
"We have had an amazing experience with this law group. I am a U.S. citizen and my husband is from Honduras and when we got engaged we knew we would want a lawyer to get us through the complicated process. Our neighbor recommended Immigration for Couples. They've been a tremendous help, helping us through every step of the fiance visa process - from the initial K1 application and later preparing for my husband's embassy interview. They've made this complicated and overwhelming process so much smoother! I don't know what we would have done without them!"
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"I thank God above all for having put us in the hands of our lawyers who have been a great blessing and helped us get our green card in a record time of only 3 months since I sent my application. They’re very professional and above all honest and truthful. Thanks for everything."
Wilder Aparicio
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