El Salvador - USCIS San Salvador Field Office
Geographic Jurisdiction
USCIS San Salvador has jurisdiction over U.S. immigration matters in El Salvador.
Public hours
For public inquiries related to services our office provides (see list of services below), please contact our office by email at ElSalvador.USCIS@uscis.dhs.gov.
Direct all other public inquiries to the USCIS Contact Center. If you are in the United States or a U.S. territory, dial 800-375-5283 (for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability: TTY 800-767-1833) to access automated information through an interactive menu 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are outside the United States or a U.S. territory, you can call the USCIS Contact Center at 212-620-3418. You can get live help from a USCIS representative Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern except on federal holidays.
Appointments
You must make an online appointment to visit USCIS San Salvador. USCIS San Salvador does not accept walk-ins.
Fee Payment Information
For all applications and petitions that you submit to this office, you must pay the fees to the U.S. embassy cashier in the consular section with a credit card or in U.S. dollars. We do not accept personal checks or money orders.
Office Services
Click on the tabs below for additional information on each service this office provides. Click on the form names within the tabs to see a complete explanation of the fees, required forms and documentation associated with forms that we may accept directly at this office. If there are special instructions for filing at this office, you will see them under “Filing and Other Special Instructions” within each tab.
Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, Form and Fee Information
Purpose:
Individuals admitted to the United States as a principal refugee or granted status in the United States as a principal asylee within the past 2 years may file a Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, for qualifying relatives.
Filing and Other Special Instructions:
Principal refugees and asylees may file this petition in the United States for their qualifying relatives. Please see the Form I-730 webpage for eligibility requirements and filing instructions. If you file a Form I-730 petition with USCIS for a beneficiary who resides in El Salvador, we will transfer the petition to the USCIS San Salvador International Field Office for further processing. After the USCIS San Salvador International Field Office receives the Form I-730, we will contact the petitioning relative and any representative of record to begin processing and gather additional information and documents.
Please Note: It is important to notify our office if the beneficiary’s contact information changes from what is on their Form I-730 petition. You should inform us of any such changes by submitting the change by email to the USCIS field office where we transferred your petition.
Purpose:
Lawful permanent residents may collect a reentry permit that they applied for by filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records, to return to the United States from travel outside the United States in certain circumstances.
Filing and Other Special Instructions:
This office does not adjudicate re-entry permits. This office only provides service if:
You applied for a reentry permit by filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records, before departing the United States:
- USCIS approved your application; and
- You asked us to send your reentry permit to the U.S. Embassy in SanSalvador.
USCIS San Salvador will use the contact information you provided on the Form I-131 to contact you when your reentry permit is ready for collection. If you believe your permit should be at USCIS San Salvador and you have not heard from us, you may send us an inquiry.
Purpose:
Biometrics required for certain applications and petitions submitted to USCIS may be submitted at an international USCIS office if the person who is required to submit the biometrics is not inside the United States with access to a USCIS Application Support Center.
Filing and Other Special Instructions:
If USCIS has requested biometrics (such as fingerprints, a photograph, or signature) to adjudicate the forms listed below, individuals residing in El Salvador generally may request biometrics submission at our office:
- Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative; and
- Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records (including refugee travel document, or RTD, if the applicant left the United States without an RTD and has received permission from USCIS to file Form I-131 from outside the United States. Otherwise, it is at the field office director’s discretion, as we explain in the section For All Other Forms Not Listed Above).
- Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er) or Special Immigrant;
- Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative—We do not always require residency;
- Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition—We do not always require residency;
- Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition;
- Form I-800A, Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt from Convention Country—We do not always require residency;
- Form I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status;
- Form I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status;
- Form N-400, Application for Naturalization—for active duty military service members stationed abroad and their dependents, and for certain applicants who are eligible for naturalization under section 319(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
For All Other Forms Not Listed Above:
USCIS usually schedules biometrics collection at an Application Support Center (ASC) in the United States based on the applicant’s or petitioner’s address of record.
In rare circumstances, international field office directors may use their discretion to collect biometrics that we initially scheduled for collection in the United States. When deciding whether to collect biometrics at an international field office, field office directors will consider resource constraints and appropriate supporting evidence the applicant provides, as well as the following factors:
- An appointment notice showing that we scheduled biometrics collection at a domestic USCIS office;
- Evidence of extenuating circumstances requiring the individual to depart the United States before we collected their biometrics as indicated in the appointment notice. For example, these circumstances might include, but are not limited to, the need to assist a critically ill family member, an unexpected immediate job transfer, or other urgent need; and
- Evidence that the applicant requested an expedited or rescheduled appointment at an ASC before leaving the United States, or an explanation of why they failed to request an expedited or rescheduled appointment.
- For those residing abroad: Evidence of the compelling circumstances or hardship that would prevent the applicant or petitioner from traveling back to the United States for an ASC appointment. Generally, we do not consider the expense of traveling back to the United States to be a hardship in itself.
Because of the small number of staff in our international offices, you may experience a delay in appointment availability for biometrics collection.
You can contact USCIS San Salvador to determine whether you are eligible to have your biometrics captured at this office or for further information.
*Note: The available biometric services noted above only apply if you live in a country with a USCIS office.
Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, Form and Fee Information
Purpose:
If you are inadmissible to the United States and are otherwise approved to immigrate to the United States, you must file this form to seek a waiver of certain grounds of inadmissibility.
Filing and Other Special Instructions:
Except as we explain below, you must file Form I-601 with the USCIS Lockbox in the United States by mail. If you believe you have extraordinary circumstances that require expedited processing, you may submit a written request for expedited processing along with your application when you file with the Lockbox. You can find further instructions on requesting expedited processing domestically on the How to Make an Expedite Request webpage.
To file with USCIS San Salvador in limited circumstances:
You must request an exception to Lockbox filing via email.
We may grant an exception to Lockbox filing and permission to file Form I-601 if:
- The applicant resides in El Salvador;
- There are exceptional and compelling humanitarian circumstances that require immediate filing and adjudication; and
- Expedited processing would not address the urgency of the circumstances.
For information about the exceptions to Lockbox filing and permission to file Form I-601 at an international office, including examples of possible qualifying circumstances, please see the USCIS policy memorandum on exceptions for international filing.
Purpose:
If you have been deported or removed, or unlawfully returned to the United States without admission after a previous removal or unlawful presence, you may file this form to obtain consent to reapply for admission to the United States.
Filing and Other Special Instructions:
File with the USCIS office in the United States indicated in the Form I-212 instructions.
If you need to file both Form I-212 and Form I-601, file them together at the Lockbox address specified in the Form I-601 instructions.
If USCIS San Salvador decides that exceptional and compelling humanitarian circumstances warrant filing your Form I-601 with USCIS San Salvador, you can also file Form I-212 with Form I-601.
If you file Form I-601 and Form I-212 together, be sure to bring the correct filing fee for each separate form.
Purpose:
USCIS international field offices oversee DNA collection for individuals residing outside the United States who submit DNA results to support certain immigration petitions or applications pending with USCIS. DNA testing is voluntary, and the benefit requestor or beneficiary must pay all costs for testing and any related expenses. Completing DNA testing does not guarantee we will approve your benefit request.
Filing and Other Special Instructions:
If you want to request DNA collection, contact an accredited Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies laboratory (AABB lab) to request a DNA kit. You can find a list of AABB labs online. You must pay the AABB lab for the DNA testing and all shipping costs. Prices for DNA testing vary by lab.
After the AABB lab receives your request, they will send a DNA collection kit directly to the USCIS international field office in the country where the donor beneficiary is located. When making your request to the AABB lab, be sure to provide accurate contact information for the donor beneficiary. If USCIS does not have a field office in that country, the lab will send the kit to the State Department Consular Section. When USCIS (or the consular section) receives a DNA kit, we will contact the donor beneficiary using the contact information provided to the AABB lab to schedule an appointment for the DNA collection.
On the day of the DNA collection appointment, each donor beneficiary must bring:
- 2 passport-style color photographs and
- An original passport, with a photocopy of the bio page. If an original passport is not available, provide a government-issued photo identification card with photocopy. Children who are unmarried and under 21 years of age only may bring an original birth certificate or official extract birth certificate with a photocopy.
The USCIS international field office will oversee the collection of DNA cheek-swab samples and will send those samples directly to the lab using the pre-paid envelope provided by the AABB lab. The DNA test results will be forwarded directly to USCIS.
If you have questions regarding DNA collection at USCIS international offices, please contact the local office by email. You can find a list of USCIS international offices with links to their contact information on our International Immigration Offices webpage.
Please see the information below to file for other immigration benefits this office does not provide.
| Service/Form | Filing Instructions |
|---|---|
| Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative | Regardless of where you reside, file your petition by mail with the appropriate domestic USCIS office or online using the USCIS website. You can find additional filing information on the Form I-130 webpage. If you are a U.S. citizen residing outside of the United States and filing for your immediate relative (spouse, unmarried child under the age of 21, or parent (if you are 21 years of age or older)), you may request to file your petition with the Department of State at a U.S. embassy or consulate in certain limited circumstances, as described in the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 6, Part B, Chapter 3. Please contact the U.S. embassy or consulate that has jurisdiction over the area where you live for further information. Active-Duty Military: If you are an active-duty U.S. citizen service member stationed permanently at a military base overseas, you may file this petition directly with the Department of State at a U.S. embassy or consulate without needing to establish exceptional circumstances. To request to file Form I-130 with the consular section at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, please visit the embassy’s website. |
| Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records | You should file Form I-131 to apply for a refugee travel document or other services and appear for any required biometric services appointment before you leave the United States. If you are currently outside the United States, you may file a Form I-131 and apply for a refugee travel document if you have been outside the United States for less than 1 year at the time of filing. Please see the USCIS Form I-131 webpage for filing instructions and a list of services available through the form. |
| Form I-131A, Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation) | If you are a lawful permanent resident who has lost your Green Card or reentry permit or both, or you had a valid (unexpired) Form I-512/Form I-512L/Form I-512T, Advance Parole Document, or Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document, with travel endorsement that was lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, and you need travel documentation to return to the United States, you can file your Form I-131A with any U.S. embassy consular section. To make an appointment to file the Form I-131A for travel documentation at the U.S. Embassy in San Salvador, see the embassy’s website. |
| Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant (for Widow(er) petitions only) | If If you reside outside of the United States, you may be able to file Form I-360 (Widow(er) petitions only) with the Department of State at the U.S. embassy or consulate that has jurisdiction over the area where you live. Please contact them for more information. Please see the Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant webpage for the most current filing instructions. |
| Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status | Submit your Form I-407 to the USCIS Eastern Forms Center. You can find additional filing information on the Form I-407 webpage. If you have questions regarding the status of the Form I-407 that you have filed with the USCIS Eastern Forms Center, please contact the USCIS Contact Center. |
| Form I-590, Registration for Classification as Refugee | If you have questions about eligibility for a referral for refugee resettlement through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), please contact the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) through the information on the UNHCR website or the appropriate Resettlement Support Center (RSC). For general USRAP information and processing criteria please see USCIS’ information or the Department of State’s website on refugee admissions. Visit this website for a list of RSCs. |
| Form N-400, Application for Naturalization | If you are a member of the U.S. military stationed overseas, please see the Form N-400 webpage or call 800-375-5283 for the most current filing instructions. |
| Form N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322 (Children’s Citizenship) | Children who regularly reside in a foreign country may use this form to claim U.S. citizenship based on their parents. Please see the Form N-600K webpage or call 800-375-5283 for the most current filing instructions. |
| Request for Review of a Denial of Refugee Status | If you have applied for and been denied refugee status through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, you may submit a request for review to the RSC that prepared your refugee case within 90 days of the date of the denial of your request for refugee status. |
- Obtaining a certified true copy of a naturalization certificate.
- Requesting copies of documents from your Alien file (A-File) through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
- Our USCIS Contact Center has additional information available on its webpage (you must live in the United States or its territories to call for live assistance).
- The USCIS Contact Center’s Reference Guide is available from anywhere around the globe. The guide provides additional information on the services USCIS provides.
Visas
For in-depth information about visas, please check the Visa Services section of the Department of State’s website. You May also visit Mission El Salvador's Visa website.