We Have Finalized New Features to Improve the Case Assistance Request Experience

On May 9, 2024, the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) sent out this stakeholder message:

Recently, we began testing new features to help improve the experience of requesting case assistance from the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman). We have now finalized these updates to make almost every step of the process easier for anyone seeking our help.

What’s New

• Before you submit: You will see a simpler, cleaner online DHS Form 7001, Request for Case Assistance page with an easy link to our Tips for Submitting a Case Assistance Request.
  • The tips address specific situations like signing on behalf of clients and requests involving multiple form types or family members.
     
• While you complete the form: Instead of a series of accordion sections, you will see an interactive form with these new features:
  • A progress bar to help you see how much of the form you have completed
  • Sections that adapt the questions based on your answers to help you know what fields to complete
  • Alerts in each section that tell you if you are missing information
  • A clearer view of the forms and/or beneficiaries you have already added
  • A screen for reviewing and editing your answers before submitting
  • Your CIS Ombudsman Request Number appearing on the confirmation page after you submit the form
     
• After you submit: Use these two new features:
  • Upload Requested Documents (after submitting your request): If you experience problems uploading documents when you submit DHS Form 7001 or if you need to add more documents afterwards, you can use this tab to upload documents.
  • Check the Status of Your Request: You can use this tab to track the status of your case assistance request. You will also see an overview of the different steps your request goes through as we work on it.

In response to customer feedback, we began an effort last year to improve the case assistance request experience. Thank you to everyone who sent us feedback during the testing phase as this helped us to identify and address any glitches in these new features. We look forward to hearing from you in the future, so please feel free to send comments or questions to cisombudsman@hq.dhs.gov.

Quick Reminders

When you submit a case assistance request to our office, please take note of the following reminders:

• If you are an attorney or legal representative submitting a request on behalf of a client, include a Form G-28 that matches the one you submitted to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). We cannot discuss the case with you without it.
• If you are an individual or a designated school official (DSO) submitting a request on behalf of a family member or friend or student, include a signed statement from the applicant or petitioner letting us know that they are providing consent for the CIS Ombudsman’s office to communicate with you directly about the form they filed with USCIS.
• Include an English translation of any documents you submit in a different language. It does not need to be a certified translation.

More Information

Go to our How to Submit a Case Assistance Request page for the most up-to-date information on requesting our help.