G-28 Processing Time: No Separate Timeline, Just Linking Delays

There is no separate G-28 processing time. USCIS treats Form G-28, the Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, as an attachment to whatever petition it accompanies, so how long it takes for your representative to be recognized depends entirely on the intake timeline of the underlying case. Once USCIS opens the file and accepts the G-28, your attorney or accredited representative is linked to the matter and starts receiving notices.¹

Why G-28 Has No Independent Timeline

The form is not a standalone application. It rides with the actual immigration petition, whether that’s an I-130, I-485, I-140, or something else, and USCIS reviews it for completeness when the case file is opened.¹ There is no separate receipt notice for the G-28 and no separate approval letter. Recognition happens as part of the broader case intake.

Practically, that means if your petition takes six months, the G-28 covers that entire period. Your representative starts receiving correspondence once USCIS has accepted the filing. The “processing time” people search for is really the processing time of the petition itself, and USCIS publishes those estimates for each form type on its website.

What Affects How Fast Your Representative Gets Linked

A few things influence how quickly USCIS connects your representative to your case:

Filing method. Attorneys and accredited representatives can file G-28s through online accounts for cases managed digitally, and online submissions are typically recognized faster than paper filings mailed to a service center because there is no physical mail step.²
Completeness. USCIS rejects an unsigned G-28 outright, and a rejection means the form comes back and you lose the time it takes to correct and refile.³
Service center workload. Different centers handle different case types and carry different backlogs, so intake speed varies.
Whether the G-28 goes in with the initial petition. Submitting it together keeps everything in one packet. Filing it separately against a pending case still works, but USCIS then has to match the form to an existing file, which adds time.

Signature and Filing Requirements

The form must be signed by both the representative and the client. A stamped or typewritten name is not a signature. A photocopied, faxed, or scanned copy of an original ink signature is acceptable, so long as it’s a copy of the actual handwritten signature.¹ That matters when the attorney and client are in different locations; the physical form doesn’t have to travel back and forth, but a real signature must exist on the original.

The representative provides full name, mailing address, contact information, and, for attorneys, bar numbers for every jurisdiction where they are admitted. Accredited representatives provide their accreditation details instead.¹

A separate G-28 is required for each case. One form does not cover your entire immigration history; if you have multiple petitions pending, your attorney files a G-28 for each one. The form remains in effect until the matter concludes, unless USCIS is notified otherwise.¹

Mistakes That Cause Rejections and Delays

Missing signatures are the top reason G-28s get bounced. Both parties must sign, and USCIS enforces this without flexibility. When the G-28 is rejected, USCIS may reject the underlying petition it accompanies, which resets your processing time completely.³

Using an outdated edition is the next common trap. USCIS revises the form periodically, and a submission with missing pages or pages from a different edition can be rejected.³ As of early 2026, USCIS still accepts the 09/17/18 and 05/23/18 editions despite their printed expiration dates, with a new edition expected soon. Download the form directly from uscis.gov rather than reusing a saved copy from an earlier filing.

Other problems that cost time: incorrect bar numbers or accreditation details USCIS cannot verify, mismatched names or addresses between the G-28 and the underlying petition, and skipping the box for partial versus full representation. Any of these can push back the point at which your attorney begins receiving your case correspondence.

Switching Representatives Mid-Case

Substitution is simpler than most people expect. Under federal regulations, substitution is permitted when the new attorney files a new G-28, or when the former attorney submits a written withdrawal. Either one is sufficient on its own.⁴ Filing the new G-28 replaces the prior representative.

A withdrawal letter from the former attorney can smooth the transition and help the incoming attorney see what’s already been filed, but if the former attorney is unreachable or uncooperative, the new G-28 alone does the job. USCIS will recognize the new representative once the form is accepted.

One detail that catches people off guard: filing an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Office on Form I-290B requires a new G-28 submitted with the appeal, even if your attorney already has one on file for the underlying case. The prior G-28 does not automatically carry over.¹

What G-28 Does Not Cover

Form G-28 authorizes representation before the Department of Homeland Security, which includes USCIS, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.¹ It does not cover appearances in immigration court, which is run by the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. If you are in removal proceedings, your attorney has to file the appropriate EOIR appearance form with the immigration court separately.

1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Instructions for Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative
2
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Your Form G-28
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative
4
eCFR. 8 CFR 292.4 – Appearances