Does a motion to reopen require a specific form?

It depends on the forum. Before USCIS, a motion to reopen is filed on Form I-290B. Before an immigration judge or the BIA, there's generally no dedicated form — the motion is a written filing that must meet specific regulatory requirements, including supporting affidavits or evidence. Using the wrong format, or leaving out a required supporting document, is a common reason motions get denied on technical grounds before the merits are ever reached.

What counts as evidence that 'could not have been discovered or presented' before?

This is judged as of the time of the original hearing or decision, not as of when you're filing the motion. Evidence that existed and was available to you at the time — but that you simply didn't submit — generally doesn't meet this standard, even if it would help your case now. This is one of the most common reasons motions to reopen are denied.

If your motion to reopen is denied, can you appeal that denial?

Generally yes — a denial of a motion to reopen is itself a decision that can typically be appealed or, in some circumstances, made the subject of a further motion, though further motions are constrained by the same number limits described above. Whether a further motion is realistic depends heavily on which exception, if any, applies to your case.

Can a motion to reopen be filed after someone has already left the country?

Departure from the United States can affect the availability of a motion to reopen depending on the forum and the type of order involved, and this is an area where the rules have shifted over time and vary by circumstance. Don't assume departure preserves or forfeits the option without confirming which applies to your specific case.

Si algo realmente cambió — aparece nueva evidencia, cambian las circunstancias o un hecho no estaba razonablemente disponible al momento de la decisión original — eso por lo general apunta, en cambio, a una moción para reabrir. Vea

Escrito por Pouyan Darian · Revisado el 5 de septiembre de 2026

A motion to reopen asks the same decision-maker — USCIS, an immigration judge, or the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) — to revisit a case based on material evidence that wasn't available and couldn't have been discovered or presented before. Each forum has its own deadline, and in most cases you generally get only one.

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Si algo realmente cambió — aparece nueva evidencia, cambian las circunstancias o un hecho no estaba razonablemente disponible al momento de la decisión original — eso por lo general apunta, en cambio, a una moción para reabrir. Vea

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