In some good news, USCIS began resuming in-person operations last week. Individuals may soon begin receiving appointments for interviews and naturalization oath ceremonies. That being said, this is still an incremental roll-out, with limited face-to-face services. As a consequence, expect to see interviews and appointments being conducted, but not on as an extensive scale as prior times.
There will likely be much fewer appointments than normal which will probably be spaced out so as to minimize congestion. USCIS has also released the following guidelines that the public should be aware of:
· Visitors may not enter a USCIS facility if they:
o Have any symptoms of COVID-19, including cough, fever, or difficulty breathing;
o Have been in close contact with anyone known or suspected to have COVID-19 in the last 14 days; or
o Have been individually directed to self-quarantine or self-isolate by a health care provider or public health official within the last 14 days.
· Visitors may not enter the facility more than 15 minutes prior to their appointment (30 minutes for naturalization ceremonies).
· Hand sanitizer will be provided for visitors at entry points.
· Members of the public must wear facial coverings that cover both the mouth and nose when entering facilities. If they do not have one, USCIS may provide one or the visitor will be asked to reschedule their appointment.
· There will be markings and physical barriers in the facility; visitors should pay close attention to these signs to ensure they follow social distancing guidelines.
· Individuals may also have to answer health screening questions before entering a facility.
· Individuals are encouraged to bring their own black or blue ink pens.
It is anticipated that application support centers will also resume operations shortly. Application support centers conduct fingerprint or biometric appointments for many types of applications such as naturalization; adjustment of status; and green card renewals.