Many of you have heard about the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting and with our clientele, that might even be an appropriate book. We’re going to take a little twist on that and talk about what to expect when you’re the petitioner or when you’re petitioning with USCIS.

Rule #1: Expect the unexpected

USCIS is a large bureaucratic agency. There are a lot of people who go through those initial applications. They check the boxes of the application and if all the boxes don’t get checked, you’re likely to get an RFE or a Request For Evidence on certain aspects of your case.

It might even be aspects that you’ve already dealt with and they’re asking for you to return the information you’ve already given to them. The mailroom of USCIS, as you’re probably aware, can be huge and they can lose pieces of that.

Rule #2: Expect to have your application be thoroughly reviewed

Not only are our applications put together as the most complete and perfect as we can get them to make sure that we solidify your permanent record with immigration but also we go through them with a fine-tooth comb. Make sure everything all the details match and that we’ve just provided all the documentation that we possibly could.

Sometimes, we may think of something or be aware of something that you haven’t thought of but will be good relationship evidence. We are dealing mostly with couples but it applies to almost any immigration case.

Rule #3: Expect that this is out of your control

You won’t be able to control what USCIS, the NVC, and the consulate do. How fast they’re processing things, how efficient they are, and how many people they’ve hired to be able to catch up on COVID backlogs.

Just expect that a lot of that is out of your control. There are tools in our toolbox that we can use and frequently do to get cases unstuck or to cause movement on a case that maybe hadn’t had prior been solved but for the most part, a lot of this is out of your control. The responsibility on the petitioner or their legal representation is that we put forth the best application that we possibly can to USCIS in order to be able to set you up for success.

If you have those three things in mind, then you may be pleasantly surprised with your result and how your case processes.