Immigration Law

USCIS Web Site Makeover Improves Services

By Robert Kraft

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched its newly re-designed Web site. Although the Web site update was scheduled to be introduced September 22, 2009, attorney Eugenia Ponce visited the site Monday and has this report:

The updated Web site is organized according to categories.The categories are displayed as Topics, Forms, Resources, Laws, News, and About Us. The topics are categorized as follows: Adoption, Permanent Residence, Humanitarian, Citizenship, Members of the Military and Their Family, Family, Visit the U.S., Working in the U.S, and Genealogy. After clicking on a specific topic, I was provided helpful information and even more additional information was available through the links on the left of the screen.The advantage of categorizing the information by topic is that individuals are now able to familiarize themselves with the process from start to finish. There are other helpful links and tools within each specific topic.
 
Another key feature to the Web site is that there is a 'where to start' link. Before, individuals could navigate throughout the Web site not knowing where to even begin their search on a narrow issue. Now, the 'where to start link' will allow individuals to begin their immigration search by narrowing it down to their specific issue. For instance, there is a scroll-down available for individuals under the 'where to start' link. It states 'I Am,' and one can select from the various choices available and get specific information relating to any issue.
 
Given the new era with text messaging (even various airline companies provide flight and gate status information through text messaging), USCIS has upgraded its site by adding a link that allows individuals to receive case status updates via text messages. The newly designed site has provided a one-stop resource center for individuals with specific queries and I am excited in navigating throughout their links. Visit the newly re-designed USCIS Web site and see the improvements for yourself.

Full post as published by Immigration Law Answers Blog on September 22, 2009 (boomark / email).