INS 800 Number Upgraded, Expanded
Posted May 24, 2000

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) recently announced that it has expanded its National Customer Service Center (NCSC) to provide a broader range of services and improve the overall quality of service.

The NCSC allows INS customers to call a toll-free number at 1-800-375-5283 for basic eligibility and "how-to" information. This NCSC, which currently receives between 22,000 and 28,000 calls each day, was established as an alternative to writing letters or traveling to local offices for information or assistance.

The NCSC currently operates through a single toll-free line, though calls are actually answered at any of four telephone centers spread across the United States. Regardless of which telephone center answers the call, the NCSC provides callers with three levels of service. First, there is a menu of pre-recorded information on a variety of subjects. Second, there is the opportunity for live assistance by a customer service representative (CSR), who uses automated scripts and call guides to answer questions. Third, if the questions are beyond the scope of the scripts, the CSR will transfer the customer to an Immigration Information Officer.
 
Over the past year, INS has significantly expanded the NCSC's coverage of the United States to include Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. INS is now concentrating on expanding the range of services and improving the quality of service. INS has begun to meet its first challenge by improving the automated messages to provide more information about local offices including hours of operation, location, procedures, local lists of INS physicians and fingerprinting locations. It is also possible to request forms and, in an emergency, to request rescheduling of an interview or fingerprinting appointment. For naturalization (N-400) applicants only, a change of address can be reported by calling the NCSC's 800-number. (All other applicants must still submit their change of address in writing to the office or Service Center where they submitted their application.) Future plans include allowing applicants to call the NCSC to check on the status of their cases.

In meeting its second challenge, the NCSC is aiming for an average of 15 seconds hold time prior to speaking to a CSR. The NCSC regularly requests feedback from its customers, and will also use internal quality assurance programs to monitor the accuracy of the information and the friendliness of the service provided. The Law Office of Sheela Murthy will continue to provide you with updated information on INS policies to improve its system to meet the needs of its customers.