USCIS to Consider Second Period of Satisfactory Departure

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that it will consider granting a second 30-day period of Satisfactory Departure to Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers who were already granted Satisfactory Departure but who are unable to return to their home countries due to COVID-19.

VWP travelers can request Satisfactory Departure through USCIS by calling the USCIS Contact Center. They will be asked to provide basic information including: date and place of most recent entry into the United States; reason for requesting Satisfactory Departure; contact information;  and a copy of the biographic page of their passport.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is also authorized to grant requests for Satisfactory Departure, though the process for doing so varies by location. Travelers are encouraged to engage CBP at their port of entry to request an additional 30-day extension when needed.

Ogletree Deakins’ Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments with respect to the policy changes and will post updates on the Immigration Blog and in the firm’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center as additional information becomes available. Critical information for employers is also available via the firm’s webinar programs.