With the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) reportedly receiving 6-7 million applications per year, a speedier and more efficient adjudicative process is urgently needed. In response, USCIS recently launched the first phase of ELIS (short for Electronic Immigration System), which is a web-based system that allows qualifying foreign nationals to electronically file petitions for extending or reinstating certain nonimmigrant visa classifications (B-1, B-2, F-1 M-1 or M-2). It is meant to be more efficient and reliable and, thus, will shorten the processing time of the above-listed petitions.
USCIS has plans to expand the scope of ELIS to allow users to electronically file petitions and applications seeking all immigrant and nonimmigrant classifications.
In addition to shorter processing times, there are other benefits of using ELIS. For example, ELIS users have the advantage of paying filing fees online, updating user profiles online, responding to requests for additional evidence electronically, receiving USCIS notifications by way of email or text message (as soon as an adjudicating officer takes action on the pending petition and/or application), and submitting and storing supporting evidence for future use.
It’s important to note that use of the ELIS is not mandatory for the above-described petitions – the paper filing alternative is still offered along with the previous E-filing system. The difference between the previous E-filing system and ELIS is that the latter is an end-to-end electronically based system, whereas the previous E-filing system still requires applicants to mail the supporting documents to USCIS for the adjudicating officers to review the applications manually, thus increasing the processing time.
If you have any questions regarding the ELIS, please feel free to contact us.