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ResourcesVisa & Immigration LawUS Immigration LawWill the US Embassy in Bangkok Take I-407 Green Card Abandonment Filings?

Will the US Embassy in Bangkok Take I-407 Green Card Abandonment Filings?

Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the I-407 Surrender; specifically the fact that USCIS Field Offices will no longer be allowing the filing of I-407 surrenders to be done abroad. The reason for this is USCIS Field Offices are all closing. 

We have gone ahead and read press releases from USCIS where they have said they plan by March 2020 to no longer even have any Field Offices outside of the United States and for this reason they seem to be truncating the services that they are undertaking in the lead up to full closure.

Now in a recent announcement from USCIS titled: USCIS Will no Longer Accept  I-407 Surrender at International Field Offices, there was something of note within the overall press release. Quoting directly: "In rare circumstances, a US Embassy, US Consulate or USCIS International Field Office may accept a form I-407 in person if an individual needs immediate proof that they have abandoned LPR status." Now let's be clear about one thing. Again, after March 2020, there are probably not going to be any International USCIS Field Offices so perhaps between July 1 and March 2020 here in Bangkok there may be some extenuating circumstance where they go ahead and accept a 407 Surrender. I don't really see the circumstances in which that would happen but that is the reason they are extenuating because they are unforeseen. 

As to US Embassies and Consulates, specifically the US Embassy here in Bangkok, Thailand I think it is notable that they preface this by saying in very rare circumstances; very rare circumstances. This is not a function that the US Embassy or Department of State routinely performs so for them to do it, again it's going to be extenuating circumstances. It is going to be a situation that is probably not foreseen. It is probably going to be something that warrants taking special measures to go ahead and accept an I-407 Surrender.

I don't know exactly what the regulatory structure is going to look like in the future or if there even will be one effectively for US Consular personnel at US Consulates and Embassies abroad to accept these kinds of filings. It remains to be seen. 

But the thing to take away from this video is upon the ending of USCIS's tenure of accepting I-407 Surrenders, I think it is pretty safe to assume we are not going to see I-407 Surrenders affected at the post here in Thailand by any Government Officer. I think you are going to have to be doing that stateside, especially following March 2020.