USCIS LAUNCHES toll-free military help line

[Simply_Uno 1]

USCIS - Launches Toll-Free Military Help Line

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

News Release

13 August, 2007

USCIS LAUNCHES TOLL-FREE MILITARY HELP LINE

WASHINGTON – Members of the U.S. military and their families stationed around the world are now able to call U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for help with immigration services and benefits using a dedicated, toll-free telephone help line, 1-877-CIS-4MIL (1-877-247-4645).

“Thousands of immigrant Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines have made extraordinary sacrifices for America,” said USCIS Director Emilio Gonzalez. “As such, at USCIS, we are committed to exhausting every effort to ensure that the application process for immigrant service members is convenient, quick and secure. These brave men and women, and their families, deserve this service, and we are proud to assist.”

“This hotline honors the more than 40,000 non-U.S. citizens serving in the military today. If you are willing to fight and die for America, you should be able to become an American,” said Senator Barbara Mikulski. “I will continue to work to improve this process, because service members and their families have enough to worry about.”

USCIS customer service center specialists are available to assist callers Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (CST). Callers will receive assistance with:

• Tracking their application for naturalization (Form N-400);

• Notifying USCIS of a new mailing address or duty station;

• Checking the status of an application or petition;

• Bringing a spouse, fiancé(e) or adopted child to the United States;

• Obtaining posthumous citizenship for a deceased member of the Armed Services; and

• Submitting an application for expedited processing.

Service members and their families stationed in the United States or overseas may access the help line using the toll-free number, through their base telephone operator or using the Defense Switched Network (DSN). After hours callers will receive an e-mail address that they can use to contact USCIS for assistance. Operators will ask members of the general public to call our main customer service line: 1-800-375-5283.

USCIS is working with the Department of Defense to ensure the military community has accurate and up-to-date information about immigration services and benefits. USCIS offices and the designated point-of-contact at each military installation will receive information about the Military Help Line and other immigration-related information and resources geared specifically for the military and their families.

In addition to the help line, USCIS has developed a web page, http://www.uscis.gov/military that contains information and links to services specifically for the military and their families.

[Alex+R 0]

Nice, now members of the military will be able to get misinformation from someone talking out of their ####### about immigration problems they don't understand muuuuch faster.

[ThaiStyleUSA 1]

I don't want to make it sound negative but I know it is an election year coming up. I am a retired military member who had served over 21 yrs. I had been served in Iraq 3 times. I don't think they are taking consideration that the time zones are different in over sea locations. I noticed that the available time to call is M - F 0830 - 1630 hrs. You all know those are bankers hrs in the states. It is already difficult for us in the states to get a hold of them...and to make the military people wait and get the same treatment from the USCIC as we do. This is such a moral crusher. That's all the military needs is moral crusher. I know how it is when we don't get mails and calls that don't get through. ...very nice thinking from our government again.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Nice, now members of the military will be able to get misinformation from someone talking out of their ####### about immigration problems they don't understand muuuuch faster.

That last bit (in bold) is optional; the rest of it (call-to-get-some-gobbledygook) isn't.