Getting approval to legally enter or stay in the United States can be a long, drawn-out process. So long that many feel they may as well give up as the authorities appear to have forgotten about them. Despite the snail-like pace of immigration authorities when approving entry or stays, they can be much faster when they decide they want you to leave.
If a court approves your deportation, you have around a month to appeal. Not a month since you found the letter sitting in a pile of mail on the floor, but 30 days since the court ordered the deportation order. They add another three days if they post it out to you.
Sometimes you get even less time. You only get 15 days with an extra 3 for mailing if the court revokes the approval of a petition.
Can you ask for more time?
No, so if you have a decision coming up, make sure you or someone else is checking the mail each day.
Do you need to submit everything to support your appeal straight away?
You must clarify what you think is wrong with the decision when you appeal, although you can provide more evidence within a further 30 days. If you note a wrong legal conclusion or wrong fact, you must mention that straight away.
The appeals office has 180 days to review the case. As time is of the essence in fighting deportation, get help to ensure your appeal is as well crafted as possible. It will be much harder to return if they succeed in deporting you, so consider this your best shot to stay and dedicate the resources it deserves.