Frequently Asked Questions: Rejected DACA Requests
Specific guidance will be provided soon about the steps that a DACA recipient must take to resubmit his or her renewal request to USCIS if the filing was rejected due to U.S. Postal Service mail-service delays.
Q1: Are any new DACA requests being accepted?
A1: No. The DACA policy for accepting new, initial DACA requests ended on Sept. 5, 2017.
Q2: Can I still submit a DACA renewal request?
A2: No. The due date for DACA renewal requests was Sept. 5, 2017 for recipients whose DACA expired before Sept. 5, 2017, and Oct. 5, 2017 for recipients whose DACA expired between Sept. 5, 2017 and March 5, 2018.
Q3: I believe that my DACA request was delivered by the deadline, but since it wasn’t officially “received” by USCIS until the following day, my request was rejected and returned to me. What do I need to do to have my DACA request reconsidered?
A3: USCIS will identify you and will send you a letter inviting you to resubmit your DACA request. You will have 33 days from the date of the letter to resubmit your request. You may wish to keep a copy of all materials included in your resubmission. USCIS expects to be able to identify and send letters to all persons in this situation.
Q4: I believe that my DACA request was delivered by the deadline, but since it wasn’t officially “received” by USCIS until the following day, my request was rejected and returned to me. However, I haven’t been contacted by USCIS to resubmit my DACA request. What should I do?
A4: If you believe your DACA request was delivered by the filing deadline but have not been contacted by USCIS to resubmit your request, you may contact Lockbox Support and explain your situation prior to resubmitting your package for reconsideration. To contact Lockbox Support please email lockboxsupport@uscis.dhs.gov. Provide any information you feel is relevant to your belief that your DACA request was received by USCIS in a timely manner.
Q5: What will happen if my current DACA expires before my renewal is processed? Will I be at risk of removal while this issue is being resolved?
A5: Consistent with longstanding USCIS policy, you will not have deferred action if there is a gap of time between the end of your current DACA and the agency’s adjudication of your renewal request. Therefore it is very important for you to resubmit your renewal request as soon as possible.
Information provided to USCIS for the DACA process will not make you an immigration priority for that reason alone. That information will only be proactively provided to ICE or CBP if the requestor meets the criteria for the issuance of a Notice To Appear or a referral to ICE under the criteria set forth in USCIS’ Notice to Appear guidance (www.uscis.gov/NTA). This information-sharing policy has not changed in any way since it was first announced, including as a result of the Sept. 5, 2017 memo starting a wind-down of the DACA policy. This policy, which may be modified, superseded, or rescinded at any time with or without notice (as has always been the case, and is noted in the archived USCIS DACA FAQs), is not intended to, does not, and may not be relied upon to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by law by any party in any administrative, civil, or criminal matter.
Q6: If my DACA renewal request is approved after expiration of my current DACA, will the renewed deferred action apply retroactively?
A6: No. In accordance with longstanding policy, an approved DACA request will not apply retroactively. An individual’s deferred action under the DACA policy begins the day USCIS approves the renewal request and is generally valid for two years from the date of issuance.
Q7: I submitted my renewal request on time, but it was rejected by USCIS for other reasons. Can I resubmit it again?
A7: If USCIS rejected your timely filed renewal request because it was not properly filed, that is a valid reason for rejection and it will not be reconsidered. However, if you believe your request was improperly rejected, i.e., it did include all required documents and information, and was properly signed and accompanied by the required fee or approved fee exemption, you may contact Lockbox Support for more information. The email address for Lockbox Support is lockboxsupport@uscis.dhs.gov. Please be prepared to identify and provide a detailed description of the error you believe was made. If you identify a clear error by USCIS in the processing of your renewal request, USCIS may exercise its discretion to review your request again.
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The above FAQs, which may be modified, superseded, or rescinded at any time with or without notice, are not intended to, do not, and may not be relied upon to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable by law by any party in any administrative, civil, or criminal matter.
