USCIS Expands Information Services Modernization Program

On October 30, 2018, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a news release announcing that it is expanding its Information Services Modernization Program after having begun a pilot of the program in March [PDF version].

On November 13, 2018, the USCIS is expanding the Information Services Modernization Program to its Detroit Field Office and five field offices in the Los Angeles District. The USCIS will further expand the Information Services Modernization Program to field offices in the Newark, Great Lakes, and San Francisco field offices during the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. The USCIS anticipates that it will expand the program to all USCIS field offices by the end of fiscal year 2019.

The news release discusses the purpose of the Information Services Modernization Program as “end[ing] self-scheduling of InfoPass appointments and instead encourag[ing] applicants to use USCIS online information resources to view general how-to information and check case status through the USCIS Contact Center.” The USCIS adds that its online tools now allow applicants to obtain their case status and other important information without visiting a local field office.

The USCIS stated that the pilot of the Information Services Modernization Program has already shown positive results.

The news release makes clear that, when an applicant is determined to need in-person assistance under the Information Services Modernization Program, “personnel at the USCIS Contact Center will schedule an appointment without the individual having to search for available timeslots.”