U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that a new electronic system for filing immigration forms will be introduced in mid-2019.

On Thursday, May 30, 2019, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that a new electronic system for filing immigration forms will be introduced in mid-2019. This online program, known as the Electronic Secured Adjudication Forms Environment (e-SAFE), can only be used to file two applications: Form I-192, Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Nonimmigrant; and Form I-212, Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission into the United States After Deportation or Removal. e-SAFE is new and innovative and, if it runs smoothly, will significantly reduce processing times, as well as give more up-to-date and specific information to applicants regarding their application and its status. It will also provide instructions on how to fill out each application properly. After the application has been filed online, though, applicants will need to report to a designated port of entry to fulfill the biometrics portion (consisting of fingerprinting and a photograph) before the application is considered complete. The implementation of the e-SAFE program is CBP’s first step on the road to eliminating paper filing and going all digital, but there is still a significant amount of work to be done before the majority of applications are completed and processed electronically. For more information please feel free to contact the immigration and nationality lawyers at the NPZ Law Group – VISASERVE Team – by email at info@visaserve.com or by visiting our website at https://www.visaserve.com