How to get to a live agent through "Ask Emma" Chatbot
If you have an immigration case that is pending with USCIS, you have several online tools available that can help you stay up-to-date with all case developments.
You can view your Case Status online and you can submit a Case Inquiry online if your case is outside posted case processing times or if you have not received a notice from USCIS.
However, Case Inquiry service is limited and you may not be able to receive the help you need with that online tool. USCIS may be reached by phone through their Contact Center. Wait times to speak with an agent may be lengthy.
Here, we would like to explain another feature of USCIS site that may be helpful to you.
USCIS has a chatbot “Ask Emma” that can provide information and can connect you to an agent. Ask Emma provides essentially the same service as calling the Contact Center, but it is a more streamlined experience. As with all other direct communication with USCIS, the Ask Emma agent will only “chat” with the applicant/petitioner or with the attorney of record. Ask Emma tool is especially useful for cases where it is not possible to submit an online case inquiry.
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has prepared a useful summary (AILA Doc. No. 21112203) of how to reach a live agent through Ask Emma chatbot.
Below are navigation tips to reach an agent and the examples of inquiries for which “Ask Emma” provided assistance:
Navigation Tips
Select Contact Us at the top of uscis.gov and then scroll down. The chat window will appear at the top right side of the page.
When the screen appears, type "Live agent."
Then select case status
Enter the case number to be connected to an agent. Note, you will be asked to provide the case number again when the agent comes online.
Write a short statement of what you need, e.g. "What is the case status?" or "We want to make an expedite request" or "Has the RFE been mailed?" etc.
When the agent next asks for your name, rather than go through many back-and-forth Q&As, "What's your name," "What's your address," etc., a more expedient way to get through this laborious verification process is simply to write the following in your next response:
"[case number] I am the applicant/petitioner/attorney, [ your name, firm name, email address, phone number]. The client/applicant/petitioner is: [name, DOB, address]."
Once you have completed the inquiry, the agent will provide an SMRT number.
It is recommended that you copy and paste the entire conversation into a word document to have a record of the chat session.
Services or Inquiries that Ask Emma Can Handle:
Check status of application
Expedite request
Request for InfoPass and advise on call back time/number
Rescheduling request- will provide SMRT
Requests for cases outside of processing times (this can also be done via eRequest)
Requests where response to RFE submitted, 60 days have passed, and there is no adjudication.
Request duplicate notices for ones that never were received
If you require assistance with your immigration case, you can contact our office for a consultation.