U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a reminder on July 28, 2021, that immigration services may be available on a case-by-case basis to help people “affected by unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters.” Examples the agency listed include “the wildfires in the western United States and the recent building collapse in Surfside, Florida.” USCIS suggested the following measures:
- Changing a nonimmigrant status or extending a nonimmigrant stay for an individual currently in the United States. Failure to apply for the extension or change before expiration of an authorized period of admission may be excused if the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the individual’s control;
- Re-parole of individuals previously granted parole by USCIS;
- Expedited processing of advance parole requests;
- Expedited adjudication of requests for off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship;
- Expedited adjudication of employment authorization applications, where appropriate;
- Consideration of fee waiver requests due to an inability to pay;
- Flexibility for those who received a Request for Evidence or a Notice of Intent to Deny but were unable to submit evidence or otherwise respond in a timely manner;
- Flexibility if an individual was unable to appear for a scheduled interview with USCIS;
- Expedited replacement of lost or damaged immigration or travel documents issued by USCIS, such as a Permanent Resident Card (Green Card), Employment Authorization Documents, and Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94); and
- Rescheduling a biometrics appointment.
Those making such a request “should explain how the impact of unforeseen circumstances, such as a natural disaster, created a need for the requested relief. If you lost all forms of evidence in an unforeseen circumstance, include an explanation in your description and a copy of a police report, insurance claim, or other report, if available, to support your request.”
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