USCIS Thanksgiving Week 2025: Closures, Delays, and Key Dates

(UNITED STATES) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will close its public-facing offices on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 27, 2025, as part of the federal holiday schedule, with normal operations expected to resume on Friday, November 28, 2025. The pause affects applicants with pending cases who were planning in-person services this week, including biometrics and interviews. While the closure lasts one day, people should expect slower responses across the week as agencies and mail carriers scale back operations and many staff take personal leave.

What the closure means for appointments and notices

USCIS follows the federal calendar, so Application Support Centers and field offices won’t hold appointments on the holiday. The agency’s Contact Center will also be unavailable for live help on Thursday, though automated tools may still work.

• Interviews and biometrics scheduled for Wednesday or Friday generally remain valid unless applicants receive a new notice changing the date or time.
• The controlling document for any appointment is the Form I-797C appointment notice, which explains:
  • when and where to appear,
  • how to request a new date,
  • and the deadline for requesting a change.

Applicants can review the broader agency practice on closures via USCIS’s official notice page at USCIS Office Closings.

Expected delays and why they happen

Agency staff and immigration lawyers say the week tends to bring small, temporary delays. Reduced staffing on either side of the holiday, slower postal operations, and a year-end rush of filings typically produce a 1–3 business day lag in:

• receipt notices,
• online status updates,
• mailed decisions.

Analysis by VisaVerge.com notes these slowdowns aren’t unusual and generally clear the following week, but they can still disrupt tight travel plans or job start dates for applicants waiting on work cards or travel permissions.

Postal and consular impacts

The ripple effects stretch beyond USCIS.

• The U.S. Postal Service stops delivery on Thanksgiving, so no receipt notices, approval notices, or Requests for Evidence will arrive that day.
• Backlogs often push first regular deliveries to Monday, December 1, 2025.
• Consular sections at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad typically mark the federal holiday as well, pausing visa services at many posts.
• By contrast, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) keeps ports of entry open, but holiday travel crowds can mean long lines at airports and land crossings throughout the week.

If you have an appointment near the holiday

USCIS’s message is simple: watch your notices and keep your Form I-797C handy.

If a conflict arises because of travel, illness, or childcare needs, rescheduling is possible. However, waiting to act can make the process harder. The appointment notice lists directions for requesting a new date and the deadline to do so.

• To call for assistance, use the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283 once it reopens on Friday. Expect higher call volumes after a federal closure.

Online services that remain available

Not all services go dark. The following online tools remain available 24/7:

• MyUSCIS accounts
• Case Status Online
• e-Request (for reporting missing mail or delays)
• Emma virtual assistant

These portals let applicants:

• check receipt confirmations,
• upload requested evidence (when allowed),
• view messages in secure accounts,
• confirm newly filed petitions were accepted,
• see if a card has been produced and mailed.

Travel considerations and required forms

Travelers face the highest stakes during Thanksgiving week. USCIS doesn’t control admission at the border — that’s CBP’s job — but applicants must carry the right documents before leaving the United States 🇺🇸.

• People with pending adjustment of status should not depart without approved Advance Parole.
• Leaving while a green card case is pending without that travel document can cause USCIS to treat the case as abandoned.

Key forms referenced:

• Form I-131 (Advance Parole / travel authorization): Form I-131
• Form I-485 (Adjustment of Status): Form I-485
• Form I-765 (Employment Authorization Document): Form I-765

Applicants expecting a physical card or paper notice should avoid international trips until the document is in hand, since Thanksgiving mail closures can delay delivery and create problems at boarding gates and ports of entry.

Work authorization and job-start impacts

People waiting on work authorization often feel delays most acutely.

• A new job may depend on presenting an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
• A one- or two-day holdup can affect a planned start date.
• Those awaiting a replacement green card after a move may also see short gaps before mail resumes.

If a case status shows “notice sent,” USCIS recommends allowing extra mail time before contacting the agency. If a notice fails to arrive after a reasonable wait, applicants can:

1. Use e-Request to report a missing document.
2. Call the Contact Center when live help is available again.

Immigration court schedules

Immigration courts overseen by the Executive Office for Immigration Review close on the federal holiday, which pauses master calendar and merits hearings set for Thursday.

• Respondents should watch for new hearing notices and confirm details through the court’s case information line.
• The day off doesn’t change court rules or deadlines that fall on other days that week, so attorneys often submit filings earlier to avoid last-minute courier problems.

Practical advice and key takeaways

The practical steps applicants should take:

• File early where possible.
• Check your USCIS account before traveling.
• Keep your notices, passports, and approval documents together.
• If an emergency forces a change, use the directions on Form I-797C, follow the rescheduling steps in your notice, or contact the USCIS Contact Center as soon as it reopens.

Important: USCIS offices will be closed only on Thursday, November 27, 2025, and they plan to reopen on Friday, November 28, 2025. Online tools remain available, ports of entry stay open, and mail resumes after the holiday.

Applicants who rely on regular updates should monitor the agency’s social channels and the website for any last-minute changes to local office hours caused by weather or other events. The agency posts closures and delayed openings by office, which helps confirm whether Friday appointments remain on track.

Taking these steps can ease a week packed with family plans and heavy traffic, and help keep immigration cases moving even as the country pauses for Thanksgiving.