Form G-28: what it is, who files it, cost and timing

G-28: what the chats ask

• 1×Friends, do you know if a consul in Warsaw says that some documents need to be submitted, can someone else do it with power of attorney, or can only the primary applicant do it?
• 1×It's currently a bit difficult to obtain a recommendation letter from them, but I will try. Can contracts and powers of attorney substitute for a recommendation letter in this case? Email correspondence.

G-28: community answers

What should I do if USCIS sent an RFE, but the letter never arrived by mail?

You need to contact USCIS urgently and request a copy of the RFE, since the response deadline is usually fixed and runs regardless of whether you actually received the letter. You should also check your online account, the address on file, and, if necessary, involve an attorney or representative.

G-28: rules and tips from the chats

• tipIf passports or documents need to be delivered to the consulate, one family representative can usually do it with a power of attorney, but the rules depend on the specific consulate and delivery service.
• tipWhen administrative processing takes a long time, people consider several escalation options: requests through representatives, additional letters, group or individual mandamus, but the outcome is unpredictable.
• tipIf the case does not move for a long time, people sometimes use letters to the consulate, requests through representatives, or prelitigation tools, but this does not guarantee faster processing and may end up coinciding with the normal completion of review.
• tipDuring prolonged administrative processing, applicants track bulk releases in their category and at their consulate, and also consider escalation through official inquiries, representatives, or court tools if the wait becomes excessive.
• tipWhen contacting U.S. senators or representatives, your connection to a specific state matters; if you do not have personal registration in the U.S., you can ask a university, employer, or academic advisor to contact them through their own representatives.
• tipIt is sometimes possible to give your passport to a courier service by power of attorney if the applicant needs to leave the country; this should be checked in advance based on the rules of the specific consulate and delivery service.
• tipThere is no standard paid premium processing for I-485. Possible ways to speed it up are an expedite request if there are grounds, or reaching out through a congressional representative, but the result is not guaranteed.
• common questionPeople often ask whether outside government channels or representatives can be used to respond to an RFE, but that is viewed as an unusual tool that does not replace a well-prepared substantive response to the request.

G-28: cases from the community

G-28: the consular stage - rules from the chats

• After I-140 approval, applicants usually wait for the case to be transferred to NVC and for an instruction letter, but the transfer can take weeks to months.

  If a noticeably longer than usual time has passed after approval, a practical step is to check the status with NVC or through a representative, rather than assuming an interview will be scheduled automatically right after approval.

G-28: questions and answers on the site

• Getting a police certificate from abroad
• How do you verify an immigration attorney?