USCIS Expands “E-Filing” Program Begun Last Year

IMMIGRATION LAW & POLICY

Obtaining
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USCIS expands "e-filing" program begun last year
Immigrants' Rights Update, Vol. 18, No. 4, June 18, 2004

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently expanded its “E-Filing” program, whereby applications and petitions for immigration benefits can be filed via the Internet. On May 26, 2004, USCIS announced that it had added six forms to the program, for a total of eight application and petition forms that now can be filed electronically.

The six latest forms to be added to the E-Filing program are the following:

Form I‑129, Employment-based Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker. Filed by an employer to petition for a non–U.S. citizen to come to the U.S. temporarily to perform services or labor, or to receive training, as an H‑1B, H‑1C, H‑2B, H‑3, L‑1, O‑1, P‑1, P‑2, P‑3, or Q‑1 nonimmigrant worker. Also filed by an employer to petition for an extension of stay or change of status for a noncitizen as an E‑1, E‑2, R‑1 or TN nonimmigrant.
Form I‑131, Application for Travel Document. Filed by a noncitizen to apply for a reentry permit, a refugee travel document, or advance parole.
Form I‑140, Employment-based Petition for Immigrant Worker. Filed by an employer on behalf of a noncitizen worker to petition for the worker to become a permanent resident of the U.S.
Form I‑539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. Filed by a nonimmigrant to apply for an extension of stay in the U.S. or a change from one nonimmigrant category to another nonimmigrant category.
Form I‑821, Application for Temporary Protected Status. Filed by a noncitizen to apply for TPS.
Form I‑907, Request for Premium Processing. Filed by employers to request faster processing of certain employment-based petitions.

The two forms that applicants and petitioners have been able to file electronically since last year are Form I‑90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, and Form I‑765, Application for Employment Authorization.

Applicants and petitioners who file any of these eight forms online can establish an E-Filing “account” that enables them to begin filling out a form, save whatever responses they have completed, and return to the form later to finish filling it out. Online filers also will be able to pay application fees with a credit or debit card, or by having funds transferred electronically from their checking or savings account.