The CIS Ombudsman creates resources to help you navigate the citizenship and immigration process. On this page you can find CIS Ombudsman tip sheets, videos, and other materials in multiple languages.
We have more information about our processes and topics related to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in our Frequently Asked Questions.
On this page:
Related to the CIS Ombudsman
- Tips for Submitting a Case Assistance Request (updated April 30, 2024)
- Types of Cases the CIS Ombudsman Can and Cannot Help With (August 23, 2024) (available in 7 languages)
- Tip Sheet: Check Your USCIS Case Inquiry Date Before Asking For Our Help with USCIS Processing Delays (August 22, 2024) (available in 7 languages)
Related to USCIS
- How F-1 Students Seeking Optional Practical Training Can Avoid Form I-765 Processing Delays Tip Sheet (updated January 13, 2025)
- How to Avoid Getting Locked Out of Your USCIS Online Account Tip Sheet (February 12, 2024)
- Afghan Re-Parole Process Tip Sheet (September 28, 2023)
- When to Contact a USCIS Lockbox Tip Sheet (May 24, 2022)
- How to Avoid Common Mailing Errors When Filing with the USCIS Lockbox Tip Sheet (December 23, 2021)
- USCIS Contact Center Tip Sheet (October 8, 2021)
- CIS Ombudsman Poster (June 4, 2024)
- CIS Ombudsman Case Assistance Infographic (April 1, 2024) (available in 13 languages)
- CIS Ombudsman's Informational Video (August 13, 2021)
- Case Assistance Request Overview (January 27, 2023) (available in Spanish)
- Overview of the CIS Ombudsman's Case Assistance Services (January 14, 2022) (available in Spanish)
- Webinar Questions and Answers
- Individual webinar summaries, presentations, and questions and answers are on our Public Engagement page
CIS Ombudsman Resources in Other Languages
We are committed to providing meaningful access to our resources for people who read languages other than English. If there are differences between English and another language, the English version is the official version.
If you have feedback about translations, email us.
USCIS case status and processing times
- Administrative Appeals Office Processing Times
- Case Status Online
- Check Case Processing Times
- Check Status of FOIA Request, which includes processing times for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests
USCIS customer service tools
USCIS has online tools and resources, including self-service tools, to resolve issues more quickly. Customer service tools include:
- Contact Us
- Fee Calculator
- How to Change Your Address
- Immigration Documents and How to Correct, Update, or Replace Them
- USCIS online accounts have many benefits, including the ability to send secure messages to USCIS
- Request an in-person appointment online
- Filing Guidance
- Forms Updates
- Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)
- Citizenship Resource Center
- Laws and Policy
- Lockbox and Service Center Filing Location Updates
- Military
- Multilingual Resource Center, which offers information in several languages, American Sign Language, braille, and large print
- SAVE program, which allows federal, state, and local benefit-granting agencies to verify a benefit applicant’s immigration status
- USCIS' All News for fact sheets, news releases, stakeholder messages, and alerts
- E-Verify helps employers determine employees’ eligibility to work in the United States
- Handbook for Employers M-274
- I-9 Central information on Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
- Information on Temporary (Nonimmigrant) Workers and Permanent Workers
- Validation Instrument for Business Enterprises (VIBE) Program
- Abused Spouses, Children, and Parents
- Asylum
- Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
- Humanitarian programs and protection to assist individuals in need of shelter or aid from disasters, oppression, emergency medical issues, and other urgent circumstances
- Humanitarian or Significant Public Benefit Parole for Individuals Outside the United States
- Refugees
- Temporary Protected Status
- Victims of Human Trafficking and Other Crimes
Other Resources
We have the authority to work only on issues involving USCIS.
There are many ways to provide feedback or make complaints involving DHS employees or programs, alleged violations of civils rights and civil liberties, and other issues.
We cannot provide legal advice.
The Department of Justice has lists of free legal service providers and recognized organizations and accredited representatives that provide immigration legal services. Nonprofit legal aid organizations can also help.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for managing the U.S. borders and facilitating lawful international travel and trade. For issues related to CBP, please see:
- CBP Information Center – More than 500 answers about CBP policies and procedures
- Submit your question, compliment, complaint, or tip to CBP online
- CBP Contact Us
- For questions about CBP One—a mobile application that serves as a single portal to a variety of CBP services—go to CBP’s CBP One™ Mobile Application page
- For questions about Trusted Traveler Programs (such as Global Entry and TSA PreCheck®) that allow members to use expedited lanes at the U.S. airports and when crossing international borders go to CBP’s Trusted Traveler Programs page
To request assistance regarding an individual's experience in immigrant detention, you can reach out to the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO).
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is the federal law enforcement agency responsible for enforcing immigration laws in the interior of the country and combating translational crime. For issues related to ICE, please see:
- ICE Contact
- ICE Portal – If you have been placed in removal proceedings with the immigration court, this portal offers information about completing necessary tasks related to the immigration process
- Issues related to detention conditions and individual cases
- ICE Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations’ (ERO) Detention Reporting and Information Line – Call 1-888-351-4024 (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time) to answer questions and resolve concerns
- ICE Case Review process – If you are a noncitizen and believe you should not be subject to civil immigration enforcement, you are encouraged to contact your local ICE field office to request a case review
- Victims Engagement and Services Line (VESL) – Call 1-833-383-1465 to access a comprehensive and inclusive support system (including Victim Notification System Access, victim assistance support, and guidance on available U and T visa resources) for all victims of crime or human trafficking, regardless of immigration status or the immigration status of the perpetrator
- Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
To request assistance regarding an individual's experience in immigrant detention, you can reach out to the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman (OIDO).
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is a part of the Department of Justice (DOJ) and is responsible for adjudicating immigration cases through immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings. For issues related to EOIR, please see:
- Contact EOIR
- Automated Case Information – Available online or by calling 1-800-898-7180 or 304-625-2050 (TDD: 800-828-1120)
- EOIR Case Information
- Complaints Regarding EOIR Judges
- Filing a Complaint Regarding an Immigration Court Interpreter
The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs is responsible for issuing visas to qualified visitors, workers, and immigrants to the United States.
- The Department of State publishes the monthly Visa Bulletin that lists which visas (based on priority date) are available in different preference categories and countries
- Also see USCIS' Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin
- The National Visa Center (NVC), which handles approved immigration petitions (such as Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers), is a part of the Department of State
For questions and issues related to visas, the NVC, and the Department of State, please see:
DHS’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) supports DHS’s mission to secure the nation while preserving individual liberty, fairness, and equality under the law. CRCL reviews and investigates allegations of civil rights and civil liberties submitted by the public regarding DHS policies, activities, and personnel such as:
- Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability
- Violation of rights while in immigration detention or as a subject of immigration enforcement
- Discrimination or inappropriate questioning related to entry into the United States
- Violation of due process rights, such as the right to timely notice of charges or access to a lawyer
- Violation of confidentiality provisions of the Violence Against Women Act
- Physical abuse or any other type of abuse
- Denial of meaningful access to DHS or DHS-supported programs, activities, or services due to limited English proficiency
- Human rights complaints under Executive Order 13107
- Disability accommodation complaints under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended
- Inaccessible Information and Communication Technology (ICT) complaints covered under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1988
- Any other civil rights, civil liberties, or human rights violation related to a Department program or activity, including allegations of discrimination by an organization or program that receives financial assistance from DHS