Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition

[I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition]

IMPORTANT: Information on this site may be outdated. For up-to-date instructions and filing fees check always with the USCIS site:
http://www.uscis.gov/forms

Purpose of Form :

This form will be used to request a duplicate approval notice, to request approval notice to another U.S. Consulate; and to request notice to a U.S. Consulate for derivative visas to family members.

Number of Pages :

2

Edition Date :

10/26/05. Prior versions acceptable.

Where to File :

This form should be filed with the USCIS Office that approved the original application or petition.

Filing Fee :

$200.00

Special Instructions :

(NA)

Download I-824 (789KB PDF)

Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
OMBNo. 1615-0044: Expires 06/30/07
I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition

Instructions

NOTE: Please read these instructions carefully to properly complete this form. If you need more space to complete an answer, use a separate sheet(s) of paper. Write your name and Alien Registration Number (A #), if you have one, at the top of each sheet and indicate the number of the item to which the answer refers. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is comprised of offices of the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

Use Form I-824 to request further action on an approved petition or application.

You will need to give us:

  • A completed and signed Form I-824
  • A copy of the original approval notice
  • Filing fee: See Step 3 for specific filing instructions.

When Should I Use Form I-824?

You should use Form I-824 to request the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to provide further action on a previously approved petition or application.

NOTE: USCIS will not process Form I-824 if your petition or application has been denied or has not yet been approved. This form should not be used to verify the status of a pending petition or application.

How Do I File Form I-824?

You may file this form at any time while the application or petition is valid.

A separate Form I-824 must be filed for each action being requested. Follow the steps below to complete your application:

Step 1 – Reason for Filing Form I-824

Step 2 – Fill Out the Form I-824

Step 3 – Submit Your Application

Notice

USCIS wants to make sure that you receive the requested benefit. To do this, we may ask for more evidence, interview you and/or conduct an investigation. If you give us false documents, misrepresent facts or otherwise engage in fraud, USCIS will take appropriate action. This means we will not only deny your application, you may lose current and future immigration benefits. You may also face penalties, including criminal and/or civil prosecution leading to fines and/or imprisonment.

Step 1. Reason for Filing Form I-824.

The reasons why you may request further action are listed in the next column. Check the box in Part 2 of Form I-824 that applies to your request.

If you are requesting:

  • A duplicate approval notice. Check Box A. NOTE: The duplicate notice will contain only the information listed on the original Form I-797, Notice of Action. A replacement employment card, Form I-94 or any other USCIS authorization document will not accompany the duplicate approval notice.
  • USCIS to notify a different U.S. Consulate or Port-of-Entry concerning the approval of an application or petition. Check Box B. If approved, USCIS will cable information regarding the approval of your application or petition to a different consulate or Port-of-Entry than originally requested.
  • USCIS to notify a U. S. Consulate that your status has been adjusted to permanent resident. Check Box C. This is to request USCIS to notify a specific U.S. Consulate that your status has been adjusted to that of a lawful permanent resident so that your spouse and/or child(ren) may apply for an immigrant visa. This notification is available only on folio wing-to-join immigrant relative visas based on a principal’s employment, fiance(e) or diversity status.
  • USCIS to send your approved immigrant visa to the U. S. Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC). Check Box D. This is to request USCIS to send your approved immigrant visa to the U.S. Department of State through
    the NVC.
  • USCIS to notify the U.S. Department of State of your U.S. citizenship status. Check Box E. This is to request USCIS to notify the U.S. State Department that you have become a U.S. citizen through naturalization. NOTE: You may also notify the U.S. Department of State of your status as a U.S. citizen by submitting a copy of your naturalization certificate to the National Visa Center, 32 Rochester Avenue, Portsmouth, NH 03801-2909.

You may not file this form to request:

  • A duplicate notice for an application or petition that is pending or has been denied; or
  • A duplicate approval notice naming a spouse or children accompanying or following-to-join the principal beneficiary on an approved immigrant petition; or USCIS to cable information to the U.S. Consulate regarding the approval of your expired nonimmigrant application or petition; or
  • USCIS to cable information to the U.S. Consulate regarding an employment based application or petition if your employment for the original petitioner has ended; or
  • USCIS to notify a U. S. Consulate of the approval of a Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition, and/or a Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative.

Step 2. Fill Out the Form I-824.

Use black ink. Type or print clearly using capital letters. If an item does not apply to you, write “N/A.” If the answer is none, write “NONE.”

This form is divided into Parts 1 through 5. The following information should help you fill out the form.

Part 1. Information about you.

Family Name (Last name) – Give your legal name. If you have two last names, include both and use a hyphen (-) between the names, if appropriate.

Company or Organization Name – Give the entity’s complete name if the petitioner or applicant is a company or organization.

Home or Business Address – Give your physical street address. This must include a street number and name or a rural route number. Do not put a post office box (P.O. Box number here).

Mailing Address – Give your mailing address, if different from your home or business address.

Daytime Telephone Number – Give a complete number with area/country codes where you can be reached during the day.

Country of Birth – Give the name of the country where you were born.

Country of Citizenship – Give the name of the country of which you are a citizen.

Date of Birth – Use eight numbers to show your date of birth (example: May 1, 1979, should be written 05/01/1979).

IRS Tax # – If you are filing this application on behalf of a business or organization, give the Internal Revenue Service Tax Number of the business or organization.

A # – This is your Alien Registration Number (immigration file number). If you do not have an A number or do not know it, leave this blank.

U.S. Social Security # – If you do not have a U.S. Social Security number, leave this blank.

Part 2 – Reason for request.

Check one box that applies to your particular request.

Part 3 – Additional information.

Provide the requested information regarding the original application or petition.

Part 4 – Signature.

As the applicant, you must sign and date your Form I-824. If you do not sign the form, the application will be returned as incomplete.

Part 5 – Signature of person preparing form, if other than applicant.

If you, the applicant, did not fill out Form I-824, the preparer must also sign, date and give his or her address.

Step 3. Submit Your Form I-824.

Your must include the following items.

  • Your signed and completed Form I-824.
  • Filing fee. The filing fee for Form I-824 is $200.00.

Use the following guidelines when you prepare your check or money order: – The check or money order must be drawn on a bank or other financial institution located in the United States and must be payable in U.S. currency; and – Make the check or money order payable to the Department of Homeland Security, unless:

  • If you live in Guam and are filing your application there, make it payable to the Treasurer, Guam.
  • If you live in the U.S. Virgin Islands and are filing your application there, make it payable to the Commissioner of Finance of the Virgin Islands.

NOTE: Please spell out Department of Homeland Security.
Do not use the initials “USDHS” or “DHS.”

Your check or money order must be honored by the bank or financial institution on which it is drawn. If it is not, we will charge you a $30.00 fee and your application and any document issued to you will not be valid.

How to Check If the Fee Is Correct.

The fee on this form is current as of the edition date appearing in the lower right corner of this page. However, because USCIS fees change periodically, you can verify if the fee is correct by following one of the steps below:

Visit our website at www.uscis.gov and scroll down to “Forms and E-Filing” to check the appropriate fee, or

Review the Fee Schedule included in your form package, if you called us to request the form, or

Telephone our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 and ask for the fee information.

Evidence.

Attach copies, showing the front and back of the following documents, if available. – A copy of the original petition or application. – A copy of the Form I-797, Notice of Action, for the original petition or application. – A copy of the Form N-550, Certificate of Naturalization.

Do not send original documents unless instructed to do so.

Submit your application.

You should submit this form and any related evidence to the USCIS office that approved the original petition or application. This could be either a USCIS Service Center or local USCIS office.

Processing Information.

Our goal at USCIS is to process all applications fairly. The processing time will vary, depending on the specific circumstances of each case. We may reject an incomplete application. We may deny your application if you do not give us the requested information or do not go to a scheduled interview.

Address Changes. If you change your address, you must fill out a Form AR-11, Alien’s Change of Address Card, and mail it to the office where the Form I-824 was originally filed. Write “Form I-824” in the lower left hand corner of the address side of the AR-11.

USCIS Forms and Information. To request USCIS forms, call our toll-free forms line at 1-800-870-3676. You may also get USCIS forms and information about immigration laws and regulations by calling our National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 or from our internet website at www.uscis.gov.

Use InfoPass to Make an Appointment. As an alternative to waiting in line for assistance at your local USCIS office, you can now schedule an appointment through our internet-based system, InfoPass. To access the system, visit our website at www.uscis.gov. Use the InfoPass appointment scheduler and follow the screen prompts to set up your appointment. InfoPass generates an electronic appointment notice that appears on the screen. Print the notice and take it with you to your appointment. The notice gives the time and date of your appointment, along with the address of the USCIS office.

Privacy Act Notice. USCIS will use the information on Form I-824 to determine your eligibility for the request. We may provide information on your application to other government agencies.

Paperwork Reduction Act Notice. An agency may not conduct or sponsor an information collection and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

We try to create forms and instructions that are accurate, can be easily understood and that impose the least possible burden on you to provide us with information. Often this is difficult because some immigration laws are very complex.

The estimated average time to complete and file this application is as follows: (1) 5 minutes to learn about the law and form; (2) 5 minutes to complete the form; (3) 15 minutes to assemble and file the application; for a total estimated average of 25 minutes per response.

If you have comments regarding the accuracy of this estimate, or suggestions for making this form simpler, you may write to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Regulatory Management Division, 111 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20529. Do not mail your completed application to this address.

Check List

  • Did you completely fill out and sign the form?
  • Did you attach all required evidence?
  • Did you attach a check or money order for the appropriate fee?

You should keep copies of your application and documents for your records.