USCIS may authorize the Department of State to adjudicate their case in certain emergency situations:

• A U.S. service member stationed overseas becomes aware of a new deployment or transfer with very little notice.
• A petitioner or beneficiary is facing an urgent medical emergency that requires immediate travel.
• A petitioner or beneficiary is facing an imminent threat to personal safety.
• A beneficiary is within a few months of aging out of eligibility.
• The petitioner and family have traveled for the immigrant visa interview, but the petitioner has naturalized and the family member(s) require a new, stand-alone petition.
• The petitioner adopted a child and there is an imminent need to leave the country.
• A U.S. citizen petitioner, living and working abroad, receives a job relocation within the same company or subsidiary to the United States, or an offer of a new job in the United States with very little notice.

Petitioners (US Citizens) residing in Switzerland who believe that their situation qualifies as an emergency may request an exception to allow the Embassy in Bern to accept the filing. Each request will be evaluated individually by USCIS. The petitioner is required to follow the steps below:

• Provide a detailed explanation of why their case merits an exception and include any paperwork in support of this.
• Each request will be evaluated individually.
• The petitioner send a scanned copy of the evidence document by email to our Immigrant Visa Unit BernIV@state.gov.

Upon receipt of your email our Immigrant Visa Unit will forward your inquiry to USCIS Frankfurt for authorization.