Expedite Requests
ALERT: If you are a healthcare worker or a childcare worker
You may request that USCIS expedite the adjudication of an application, petition, request, appeal, or motion that is under USCIS jurisdiction.
We consider all expedite requests on a case-by-case basis and generally require documentation to support such requests. The decision to expedite is within the sole discretion of USCIS. Expediting your case generally means that we would adjudicate your benefit ahead of others, including those who may have filed earlier, so we carefully weigh the urgency and merit of each expedite request.
Relevant criteria or circumstances that may be considered in determining whether to grant an expedite request include, but are not limited to, the below:
- Severe financial loss to a company or person, provided that the need for urgent action is not the result of the petitioner’s or applicant’s failure to timely file the benefit request or to timely respond to any requests for evidence;
- Emergencies or urgent humanitarian situations;
- Nonprofit organization (as designated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)) whose request is in furtherance of the cultural or social interests of the United States;
- Government interests, including cases identified by the government as urgent because they involve the public interest, public safety, national interest, or national security interests; and
- Clear USCIS error.
Not every circumstance that fits under the criteria or examples above will result in expedited processing. See more information below on expedite criteria and circumstances. For USCIS’ expedite policy guidance, see Volume 1 of the USCIS Policy Manual.
Note: The processes and requirements for requesting expedited adjudication are different for some application types and circumstances. Refer to the chart in the Specific Procedures section of this page for more information about expedite requests related to:
- Adoption
- Appeals or motions
- Asylum
- Refugee status
- Petition for refugee/asylee relative
- Humanitarian parole
- T nonimmigrant status
- U nonimmigrant status
- Other benefit requests pending with offices outside the United States
A company can demonstrate that it would suffer a severe financial loss if it is at risk of failing, losing a critical contract, or required to lay off other employees.
Job loss may be sufficient to establish severe financial loss for a person, depending on the individual circumstances. The need to obtain employment authorization, standing alone, without evidence of other compelling factors, does not warrant expedited treatment.
Examples may include:
- A medical office that may suffer severe financial loss if a gap in a doctor’s employment authorization would require the medical practice to lay off its medical assistants.
- A person who would lose critical public benefits or services.
In the context of an expedite request, an emergency or urgent humanitarian situation is a pressing or critical circumstance related to human welfare. Human welfare means issues related to the well-being of a person or group. Examples include, but are not limited to, illness, disability, death of a family member or close friend, or extreme living conditions, such as those caused by natural catastrophes or armed conflict.
NOTE: Certain benefit requests, such as asylum applications, refugee applications, and requests for humanitarian parole, by their nature involve urgent humanitarian situations. Therefore, filing a humanitarian-based benefit, standing alone, without evidence of other time-sensitive or compelling factors, generally may not warrant expedited treatment under this criterion.
Examples of emergencies or urgent humanitarian situations may include:
- A vulnerable person whose safety may be otherwise compromised.
- Healthcare workers who are needed during a pandemic.
Travel-Related Requests
USCIS considers expedited processing of an Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records (Form I-131) when there is a pressing or critical need for an applicant to travel outside the United States.
Expedited processing of a travel document may be warranted when there is an unexpected need to travel outside the United States for an unplanned event, such as for a funeral. Expedited processing of a travel document may also be warranted when there is a pressing or critical need to travel outside the United States for a planned event, but processing times prevent USCIS from issuing the travel document by the planned date of departure. When there is a request to expedite processing of a travel document for a planned event, we will consider whether the applicant timely filed Form I-131 or timely responded to a request for evidence.
NOTE: A benefit requestor’s desire to travel solely for vacation generally does not meet the definition of a pressing or critical need to travel.
We generally require documentation to support an expedite request. Examples of evidence that may support travel-related expedite requests are outlined in the following table.
| Example of Event | Example of Evidence |
|---|---|
| Death of family member or close friend | Letter from funeral parlor or hospital, death certificate, or obituary and documentation of the connection between the requestor and the deceased individual (such as birth or marriage certificate or affidavit) |
| Illness of family member or close friend | Letter from doctor, hospital, or clinic stating the pressing or critical nature of the health issue and documentation of the connection between the requestor and the ill individual (such as birth or marriage certificate or affidavit) |
| Pressing or critical medical treatment | Letter from doctor, hospital, or clinic documenting the pressing or critical nature of the medical treatment |
| Professional commitment | Letter from employer on company letterhead, meeting agenda, or invitation; must document the pressing or critical nature of the commitment |
| Wedding or personal commitment | Invitation or reservations; if event is not the requestor’s, also need documentation of the connection between the requestor and the individual and the pressing or critical need for the requestor to attend |
| Academic-related commitment | Letter from academic institution, curriculum, or agenda and documentation of the pressing or critical nature of the commitment |
Examples of a pressing or critical need to travel outside the United States may include:
- A requestor who has a pressing or critical need to travel outside the United States to obtain medical treatment in a limited amount of time.
- A requestor who has a pressing or critical need to travel outside the United States due to the death or grave illness of a family member or close friend.
- A requestor who applied for a travel document 5 months ago when they learned of the event, but their case remains pending, and they must travel for a pressing or critical professional, academic, or personal commitment, which is now in 45 days.
A nonprofit organization seeking to expedite a beneficiary’s benefit request must demonstrate an urgent need to expedite the case based on the beneficiary’s specific role within the nonprofit in furthering cultural or social interests (as opposed to the organization’s role in furthering social or cultural interests).
Examples may include:
- A professional who is urgently needed for research related to a specific U.S. social interest.
- A university professor urgently needed to participate in a specific and imminent cultural program.
- A religious organization that urgently needs a beneficiary’s specific services and skill set to continue a vital social outreach program.
This includes cases identified as urgent by a federal, state, tribal, territorial, or local government of the United States because they involve public interest, public safety, national interest, or national security interests. The request must be made by a person who has authority to represent the agency or department, such as an official, manager, supervisor, or tribal leader, on the matter for which expedited treatment is being requested. The request must demonstrate that the interests are pressing and substantive.
Where a federal agency or department is able to state a federal government interest in accordance with these criteria, we generally defer to that federal agency or department’s assessment.
If the request relates to employment authorization, the request must demonstrate that the need for the applicant to be authorized to work is critical to the mission of the requesting agency or department, and goes beyond a general need to retain a particular worker or person.
Examples may include:
- A noncitizen victim or witness who is cooperating with a federal, state, or local agency and needs employment authorization because the respective agency is seeking back pay or reinstatement in court proceedings.
- A noncitizen scientist whose contributions are needed by a government lab or grantee.
USCIS may consider an expedite request based on clear USCIS error when a requestor establishes an urgent need to correct the error.
An example may include:
- An applicant who receives an Employment Authorization Document with incorrect information that prevents them from being able to work may request a replacement document on an expedited basis if we caused the error.
You generally may request we expedite your case after you receive a receipt notice. (The process to request an expedite is different in some circumstances. See the Specific Procedures section below.)
Before submitting an expedite request, you should:
- Check current case processing times to determine whether you need an expedite.
- Check your case status online. If there is an action on your case pending with you, such as submitting biometrics or evidence, you should complete these actions before submitting an expedite request.
- Check whether premium processing service is available. We will not consider expedite requests for petitions and applications where premium processing service is available, unless the petitioner is designated as a nonprofit organization by the IRS and filing for a beneficiary whose services are needed to further the cultural or social interests of the United States.
Please make only one expedite request to reduce duplicate efforts and help us use our resources for quicker processing. Multiple requests may delay USCIS’s ability to expedite processing.
Expedite Requests for Travel Documents
If you are requesting expedited processing of a travel document, you generally need to apply for and obtain the document before you leave the United States. You should make your expedite request on your pending application at least 45 days before you plan to leave the United States. (If you must travel within the next 15 days, see the Emergency Travel page.)
For most cases, you may request an expedite by contacting the USCIS Contact Center or by asking Emma. (You can access Emma by clicking on the Ask Emma icon on the top right of this page). You need to explain why you need expedited processing. You also generally need to provide your receipt number to the USCIS Contact Center so they can send your request to the office that has your application or petition. If you have a USCIS online account and have access to secure messaging, you may select “expedite” as the reason for your inquiry and submit your request there.
You generally need to justify your expedite request with evidence. When communicating with the Contact Center, you will be asked about supporting documentation. You should be prepared to supply this to the office processing your case.
If you have a USCIS online account, you should upload evidence through your online account to support your expedite request in addition to calling the USCIS Contact Center. If you send a secure message, we will ask you to confirm that you have uploaded evidence in your account. If we receive an expedite request without evidence to support it, we will send you instructions on how to submit the evidence.
Note: The processes and requirements to request expedited adjudication are different in some circumstances. Refer to the chart under Specific Procedures below for expedite requests related to:
- Adoption
- Appeals/Motions
- Asylum
- Refugee status
- Petition for refugee/asylee relative
- Humanitarian parole
- T nonimmigrant status
- U nonimmigrant status
- Other benefit requests pending with offices outside the United States
Some programs and circumstances have their own processes and requirements for requesting expedited adjudication and may have different expedite criteria. You should follow the specific procedures referenced below for requesting an expedite in the following circumstances:
| If your request relates to: | Then follow this procedure: |
|---|---|
| Adoption | See the USCIS Adoption Contact Information webpage for information on how to make expedite requests for adoption cases. |
| Appeals and Motions with the USCIS Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) | You should mail or fax your expedite request directly to the AAO. See AAO’s Processing Requests and Contacting the AAO pages for more information. The expedite request should include:
Documentary evidence supporting the request for expedited processing of the appeal or motion. |
| Appeals with the Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review, Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) | Follow BIA procedures to request expedited processing of appeals filed with the BIA. |
| Applications for Asylum | Asylum office directors may consider, on a case-by-case basis, an urgent request to be scheduled for an interview outside of the priority order. Please submit any urgent interview scheduling requests in writing to the asylum office with jurisdiction over your case. Go to the USCIS Service and Office Locator page for contact information. |
| Applications for Refugee Status Pending Outside the United States | Send requests for expedited processing of applications for refugee status to the Resettlement Support Center handling the case outside the United States. For more information, see the USCIS Questions and Answers: Refugees page. |
| Refugee/Asylee Relative Petitions (Form I-730) | See the Special Instructions section of the I-730 webpage for information on how to make expedite requests for Form I-730 cases. |
| Requests for Humanitarian Parole for Individuals Outside the United States | You do not need to call the Contact Center. Include information that supports the need for expedited processing along with your Form I-131 filing. For more information, see “Expedited Processing” information under “How to Apply” on the Humanitarian or Significant Public Benefit Parole for Individuals Outside the United States page. |
| T Nonimmigrant Status Applications | USCIS will consider requests to expedite adjudication of an Application for T Nonimmigrant Status (Form I-914) on a case-by-case basis based on agency policy and the criteria set forth above, see the USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 1, Part A, Chapter 5: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-1-part-a-chapter-5 Attorneys and Accredited Representatives may send expedite requests to: Unrepresented petitioners and qualifying family members may make an expedite request by making an appointment at a local field office. See https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/contact-us, or send a written expedite request to: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Federal, state, and local government agencies, including labor and employment agencies and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, involved with applications for T nonimmigrant status for victims of human trafficking who meet USCIS expedite criteria, may request expedited processing. You should email these requests to LawEnforcement_UTVAWA.VSC@uscis.dhs.gov. |
| U Nonimmigrant Status Petitions – Bona Fide Determination or Waiting List Placement only | USCIS will consider requests to expedite a Bona Fide Determination or Waiting List Placement on a case-by-case basis based on agency policy and the criteria set forth above, see the USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 1, Part A, Chapter 5: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-1-part-a-chapter-5 Attorneys and Accredited Representatives may send expedite requests to:
Unrepresented petitioners and qualifying family members may make an expedite request by scheduling an appointment at a local field office. See https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/contact-us, or send a written expedite request to:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
USCIS Nebraska Service Center Federal, state, and local certifying agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Office of Immigration Litigation that are involved with petitions for U nonimmigrant status for victims of qualifying crimes who meet USCIS expedite criteria, may request expedited processing. You should email these requests to LawEnforcement_UTVAWA.VSC@uscis.dhs.gov. |
| Refugee Travel Documents for Refugees Who Have Traveled Outside the United States | Submit requests directly to the address indicated for individuals currently outside the United States on the Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records page under the “refugee travel document applicants” section. Include a written request along with supporting documentation. |
| Other Immigration Benefit Requests Pending Outside the United States | For all other immigration benefit requests pending with USCIS offices located outside the United States, you may request expedited processing by submitting a written request, along with any supporting documentation, directly to the USCIS office with the benefit request. For contact information for USCIS offices located outside the United States, see the USCIS International Immigration Offices page. Requests for expedited processing on matters pending with Department of State (DOS) should follow DOS expeditious handling procedures. |
We receive a large number of expedite requests. We generally send a response to expedite requests that are submitted through the Contact Center. However, to increase efficiency in processing expedite requests, we generally do not provide justification for expedite decisions.
A decision on an expedite request is not an approval or a denial of your underlying benefit request. The expedite decision simply determines whether we will take your benefit request out of order and try to issue a decision (approval or denial) faster than the normal processing time. We cannot make a decision on your benefit request until all processing requirements have been completed.
Some circumstances may prolong or inhibit our ability to expedite certain benefit requests. Examples include, but are not limited to, when:
- The benefit requestor must perform a certain action or submit additional documentation or evidence related to their benefit request, such as attend a biometric services appointment, be interviewed, or complete any required immigration medical examination;
- There is a required background check that remains pending with a third-party agency;
- An application or petition requires an on-site inspection; or
- An application or petition depends on the adjudication of a principal’s application or petition.