When a case portal or letter says you “receive correspondence,” it means a government agency or court has sent you an official document, and that document probably requires action from you by a set deadline. The phrase shows up as a status update on tracking systems run by the IRS, USCIS, courts, and other agencies. The envelope or upload could contain a decision on an application, a request for more documents, a bill, or a legal notice with a strict response window. What matters next is identifying what you got, confirming it’s genuine, and responding in time.
What You Probably Received
Official correspondence covers more than a plain letter. Agencies send time-sensitive documents by regular mail, certified mail, email, and secure online portals, and the type of document tells you what the sender wants.
- A Notice of Action or Decision tells you an agency has approved, denied, or changed something on your file. USCIS Form I-797 is a common example for immigration petitions.
- A Request for Evidence (RFE) asks for specific documents, such as tax returns, identity records, or medical forms. USCIS gives applicants up to 84 days to respond to most RFEs, though some form types allow only 30 days.1U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1, Part E, Chapter 6 – Evidence
- A tax notice from the IRS might be a CP2000 (proposing changes because reported income doesn’t match agency records), a CP14 (balance due), or a Statutory Notice of Deficiency. That last one, sometimes called a “90-day letter,” gives you 90 days from its date to challenge the proposed adjustments in U.S. Tax Court, or 150 days if you live outside the country. The deadline cannot be extended.2Taxpayer Advocate Service. 90-Day Notice of Deficiency
- A demand letter sets out a financial obligation or legal requirement and usually arrives by certified mail. These come from creditors, agencies collecting debts, or attorneys.
- A court summons tells you a lawsuit has been filed against you and when your answer is due. A subpoena orders you to produce documents or appear as a witness.
Read the full document, not just the first page. The specific form name, notice number, or docket number near the top is what controls everything that follows.
Confirm the Letter Is Genuine Before You Act
Government-impersonation scams are common. In 2024, the FTC received over 845,000 imposter scam reports representing roughly $2.95 billion in losses, a category that includes people posing as government agencies.3Federal Trade Commission. Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024
The IRS, for instance, always makes first contact by mail, never by email, text, or social media. You can verify a suspected IRS letter by logging into your IRS Online Account to see whether the notice is listed in your file.4Internal Revenue Service. Ways to Tell if the IRS Is Reaching Out or if It’s a Scammer Legitimate government sites use .gov domains and HTTPS encryption, shown by the lock icon in your browser’s address bar.
Treat these as red flags: threats of immediate arrest, demands for payment by gift card or wire transfer, and pressure to act before you have time to verify anything. Suspicious letters, calls, or emails can be reported at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.5Federal Trade Commission. ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Why the Clock May Already Be Running
Once an official document reaches you, the law treats you as having “actual notice,” meaning direct, personal awareness of its contents. In many situations, the law also recognizes “constructive notice”: you are presumed to know about something that was properly sent to your last known address, whether or not you opened the envelope. Deadlines typically start running under either kind.
Response windows differ by document type. In federal court, you have 21 days after being served with a summons and complaint to file an answer or a motion in response.6Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 12 – Defenses and Objections For a federal civil appeal, you generally have 30 days from the date judgment is entered to file a notice of appeal.7Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure Rule 4 – Appeal as of Right, When Taken An IRS notice of deficiency carries that fixed 90-day deadline. State courts and agencies set their own timelines, so always use the deadline printed on your document.
Missing the window can cost you the case. In civil litigation, the court can enter a default judgment, meaning the other side wins automatically because you didn’t participate.8United States Courts. Summons in a Civil Action Missing a tax deadline can forfeit your right to challenge the IRS in Tax Court. Missing an RFE deadline can mean denial of your immigration application.
How to Count the Days Correctly
Deadlines aren’t always a simple forward count from the date on the letter. Some agencies start the clock on the date printed on the notice, others on the postmark date, and others on the date of actual delivery. The correspondence itself should say which rule applies.
In federal court, if your deadline lands on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, it automatically rolls to the next business day. The same rule applies if the clerk’s office is physically inaccessible on the final day.9Legal Information Institute. Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 6 – Computing and Extending Time
For IRS filings sent by U.S. mail, the postmark on your envelope is treated as the filing date, even if the IRS receives the envelope later. This is the “mailbox rule.” To qualify, your document must be properly addressed, carry sufficient postage, and be postmarked on or before the due date. Registered or certified mail creates a legal presumption of delivery, and the registration date counts as the postmark.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 7502 – Timely Mailing Treated as Timely Filing and Paying
Prepare Your Response
Before drafting anything, pull the key identifiers off the correspondence: case number, reference or notice number, and the exact name and address of the office that sent it. Sending your reply to the wrong unit can cause delays or cost you the deadline.
The notice usually tells you which form to use. A court summons calls for an “Answer.” An immigration decision may require a specific appeal form from the agency’s website. If supporting documents are requested, such as pay stubs, tax returns, or medical records, gather them before you start filling anything out. Incomplete responses often lead to additional delays or unfavorable decisions.
Copy everything before sending: the original notice, your completed response, and every attachment. Keep the copies together in one file. If there is ever a dispute about what you submitted or when, those copies are your evidence.
Submit It With Proof of Delivery
Pick a submission method that documents when and how your response arrived.
- Certified mail with return receipt: the recipient signs for the package, and USPS provides that signature along with the delivery date and address, plus a tracking number.11USPS. Return Receipt – The Basics
- Online portal upload: many agencies accept scanned documents through secure portals that generate a confirmation number or email you can save.
- In-person filing: hand your response to a clerk and ask for a duplicate copy to be stamped with the received date. That stamped copy is your receipt.
Whichever route you take, note the submission date and keep the proof of delivery with your file. If the agency later says it never received anything, that record protects you.
Keep Your Address Current
Because constructive notice can apply to mail sent to your last known address, every agency with your file needs your current address. A letter sent to an old address can still trigger a deadline you never saw.
Some agencies impose their own address-change rules. Most noncitizens in the United States must report a new address to USCIS within 10 days of moving, through an online USCIS account or by filing Form AR-11. U.S. citizens or permanent residents who signed an affidavit of support for another person must file Form I-865 within 30 days of moving.12U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. How to Change Your Address For the IRS, update your address by filing Form 8822 or by using the new address on your next tax return. Courts and other agencies have their own procedures, so check with each one where you have a pending matter.
If You Need Help Understanding the Letter
Federal agencies are required to take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access for people with limited English proficiency, at no cost. The obligation comes from Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Executive Order 13166.13Federal Register. Executive Order 13166 – Improving Access to Services for Persons With Limited English Proficiency The Social Security Administration, for example, provides free interpreters on request and includes multi-language inserts in its notices explaining how to get help.14Social Security Administration. Language Access Plan Fiscal Years 2024-2026
If you can’t afford an attorney, free resources exist. The Legal Services Corporation funds legal aid offices around the country for people with low incomes. LawHelp.org connects users to free legal help by location, and the American Bar Association runs a free legal answers program where volunteer attorneys respond to questions online. Veterans can access free legal clinics through the Department of Veterans Affairs, and seniors can find help through the Eldercare Locator.15USAGov. Find a Lawyer for Affordable Legal Aid
If you need more time, contact the issuing agency and ask for an extension before the deadline passes. That is almost always better than missing it.