The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is set to permanently close its field office in Manila on July 5, which may affect the processing of family visa requests and international adoptions.
The agency already stopped accepting applications since May 31 and gave to the US Embassy in Manila the responsibility for certain limited services it previously provided to Filipinos.
Reuters earlier reported the plan by President Donald Trump’s administration to close down its immigration agency’s overseas locations.
His administration has been working to limit both legal and illegal immigration, such as cuts to the country’s refugee program and intensified vetting of US visa applications, according to the news agency.
The USCIS currently has 23 offices scattered across Latin America, Europe, and Asia.
FILING INSTRUCTIONS
With the planned closure, individuals previously assisted by the immigration agency are told to undertake the following filing instructions:
Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
File your petition by mail with the USCIS lockbox facility in Chicago. You can find additional filing information on the Form I-130 web page.
USCIS may authorize the Department of State to accept a petition filed with a U.S. Embassy or consulate in some limited circumstances (PDF, 61 KB).
Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant (for Widow(er) petitions only)
If you are a widow(er) of a U.S. citizen, please see the Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant page for the most current filing instructions.
You may file your Form I-360 at the U.S. Embassy or consulate that has jurisdiction over the area where you live.
Form I-131A, Application for Travel Document (Carrier Documentation)
If you are a lawful permanent resident (LPR) who has lost your LPR card and/or re-entry permit and you need travel documentation to return to the U.S., you can file your Form I-131A with any U.S. embassy consular section or USCIS international field office.
Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status
Submit your Form I-407 to the nearest USCIS international field office.
In rare circumstances, a U.S. embassy or U.S. consulate may allow you to submit a Form I-407 in person if you need immediate proof that you have abandoned your lawful permanent resident status.
Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition
You must file your petition with the Nebraska or Texas Service Center, depending on where the petitioner lives in the United States.
For beneficiary interviews/processing, contact the U.S. embassy consular section in the country where the beneficiary resides.
Form N-400, Application for Naturalization
If you are a member of the U.S. military stationed overseas, please see the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, page or call 800-375-5283 for the most current filing instructions. USCIS will forward the application to the appropriate international field office for processing. For qualified children of active-duty service members stationed abroad, the proper form to file is the N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322.
Filipino World War II Veterans Parole (FWVP) Program
You must file your petition with the USCIS lockbox facility in Chicago. If your petition is accepted, it will be forwarded to a USCIS service center for adjudication. If the service center conditionally approves your application, it will forward it to the Department of State’s (DOS) National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC will transfer your case to the USCIS office or U.S. embassy or consulate abroad where your beneficiary relative will be interviewed.
