USCIS Procedure on Fee Refunds Posted Aug 08, 2008  ©MurthyDotCom The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a response to questions from the CIS Ombudsman, Michael T. Dougherty, regarding the USCIS policy on refunds of filing fees. These clarifications are included in a May 23, 2008 memorandum that was issued by Jonathan Scharfen, Acting Director of the USCIS.  ©MurthyDotCom CIS Ombudsman's Recommendations  ©MurthyDotCom The CIS Ombudsman recommended that the USCIS make general clarifications of its refund policy and specifically create a receipt or other system for tracking refund requests. A full discussion of the CIS Ombudsman's recommendations and guidance on refunds can be found in our February 8, 2008 MurthyBulletin article, CIS Ombudsman's Teleconference on USCIS Fee Refunds, available on MurthyDotCom.  ©MurthyDotCom USCIS Responses  ©MurthyDotCom The memo from Acting Director Scharfen states that clarifications were made and the USCIS Adjudicator's Field Manual was updated in March 2008. This update instructs applicants or petitioners either to make their requests by calling the USCIS customer service line or writing the office that has jurisdiction over the application or petition in question. If this request is approved, the USCIS (and not the applicant or petitioner) will complete the Request for Refund of Fee (Form G-266).  ©MurthyDotCom The USCIS does not assign receipt numbers to refund requests, but these may be tracked by contacting the USCIS National Customer Service Center (NCSC). The NCSC, in turn, will submit a service request to a local field office or service center, asking for a status update on the refund request. A response should be received by the applicant or petitioner within thirty days.  ©MurthyDotCom Limited Circumstances for Refunds  ©MurthyDotCom The memorandum does not set out the circumstances under which one may ask for a fee refund. However, it should be emphasized that refunds are potentially available only in limited situations, when acceptance of the fee is improper. One example would be premium processing requests, if the case was not reviewed within the required 15-day period, or in instances of USCIS error, necessitating the filing of a new petition or application for the correction. Generally, fees are neither refunded simply because a case is denied, nor because an ancillary benefit, such as the Employment Authorization Document (EAD), is no longer needed or desired.  ©MurthyDotCom Conclusion  ©MurthyDotCom We at the Murthy Law Firm appreciate the efforts on the part of CIS Ombudsman Dougherty and the information provided by USCIS Acting Director Scharfen. We will continue to monitor developments regarding USCIS refunds and their tracking, to provide MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers with valuable updates. Copyright © 2008, MURTHY LAW FIRM. All Rights Reserved
	Disclaimer : The information provided at this site is of a general nature and may not apply to any particular set of facts or under all circumstances. It should not be construed as legal advice and does not constitute an engagement of the Murthy Law Firm or establish an attorney-client relationship. Copyright : Documents from this site may be printed for personal use as long as the copyright notices are included on the print-outs and the documents are not modified or altered.