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Congressional Inquiry Assistance

Charlotte NC & Nationwide

Utilizing Your Legal Representative to Aid in Your Immigration Case

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Congressional Inquiry Assistance

Utilizing Your Legal Representative to Aid in Your Immigration Case

For whatever reason, sometimes your visa application can become lost in a sort of “black hole.” United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can be a bureaucratic, labyrinthine agency that is sometimes difficult to effectively communicate with.


Sometimes, you might do everything right in filing your visa application, yet USCIS may become unresponsive. No matter how many times you or your legal representation contact USCIS seeking an update, no one can seem to tell you the status of your application – if you can even get someone to respond at all. Even more frustratingly, this can happen at the very end of the process. While your visa has been approved, you may have trouble actually obtaining the physical documents you need.


In these types of situations, making a congressional inquiry can help get your application out of limbo. Offices of your congressional representatives are equipped to intervene on your behalf if you are experiencing problems with federal agencies, including USCIS. Navigating the process can be  challenging, however, and not all congressional offices may be inclined to help. Our team can help you strategize on when and how to make an inquiry and assist in all relevant communications.

If you have hit a roadblock in your application and are wondering if a  congressional inquiry makes sense for your situation, contact us online or call 704-243-8178 to schedule a complimentary case evaluation.

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When Should I Consider Making A Congressional Inquiry?

You should not attempt to contact your congressional representative to merely expedite your application. You should only ask for help when you are unable to solve a problem related to your case. You and your legal representation should together attempt to address the issue through USCIS channels. A congressional inquiry should in most circumstances be a last resort if those efforts prove fruitless.

Situations In Which Making A Congressional Inquiry May Make Sense Include:

  • Your case is taking substantially longer than processing wait times published by USCIS
  • If an embassy, consulate, or USCIS representative refuses to answer questions about the legal or factual reasons for a visa rejection
  • If your visa application could be theoretically approved or denied and a congressional statement of support might sway the decision

Which Member Of Congress Should I Make The Inquiry To?

You will seldom be successful in requesting assistance from a Congressman that does not represent you. Remember, congressional representatives assist their constituents with these inquiries because they want to earn their votes.


Generally, you will have the most luck with one of your state’s Senators or the Representative for your residence’s district. This can include the state or district in which you are planning to live if you are working toward a green card or the location of an event you are trying to attend. You can identify the relevant Representative via the House of Representatives’ website.


Not all members of Congress are created equal. You should consider several factors when determining who to contact, including their seniority, the business of their staff, and their political positions on immigration. A Senator who is anti-immigration is typically less likely to assist in congressional inquiries with USCIS, for example.


Our team can help identify members of Congress who may be sympathetic to your situation. We are familiar with how to contact congressional offices and can strategize on how to maximize an inquiry.

Get the legal support you deserve

Ready to get started on your O or P visa application in Charlotte and beyond? Give us a call at 704-243-8178 or fill out our online contact form. We offer same-day appointments, free case reviews, and multilingual services.

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How A Congressional Inquiry Can Help

If you and your legal representatives successfully make contact with a congressional office willing to help, you will need to provide all of the details relevant to your case. This includes copies of all documentation involving communications with USCIS thus far and other attempts to correct the issue. We can help you gather this evidence and submit the necessary files to the congressional office.


Once this documentation has been received and reviewed, a congressional office can send their written inquiry to USCIS requesting an update on your situation. USCIS policy dictates that the agency acknowledge receipt of the inquiry with some form of preliminary response within 5 days. They then have 30 days from the submission date to deliver a more thorough response.

Should your problem be an emergency or especially time-sensitive, a congressional office can also choose to call USCIS directly. In these situations, a response can often be procured by the next business day.


The bottom line is an official congressional inquiry can compel USCIS to expediently respond if you have been stonewalled or are struggling to make any meaningful progress. The agency will be forced to provide some sort of update to your case, and the process can even hasten the approval of visas in some situations.

Our Team Can Help You With Congressional Inquiries In Charlotte & Beyond

At Oakhurst Legal Group, we strive to give you the extraordinary results extraordinary people deserve. That means leaving no stone unturned in pursuing your immigration goals. Congressional inquiries can be a powerful tool in resolving issues with USCIS, and we are prepared to leverage this option for our Charlotte clients.


If you are struggling to make headway with your visa application and need assistance on how to move forward, call 704-243-8178 or contact us online to see if a congressional inquiry might benefit you.

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