During April 8, 2022 USCIS Open Form at AILA’s spring conference USCIS stated its position is that it is not possible to change the basis of a pending I-485 through the interfiling process where the I-140 was approved as an amendment…
As of February 17, 2022, USCIS-HQ (SCOPS) directed the Nebraska Service Center (“NSC”) and Texas Service Center (“TSC”) to cease adjudication of all EB Form I-485 cases other than those based on 4th preference petitions (religious workers, special immigrant juveniles, etc.). Processing of fourth…
WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is announcing a trio of efforts to increase efficiency and reduce burdens to the overall legal immigration system. USCIS will set new agency-wide backlog reduction goals, expand premium processing to additional form types,…
The proposed rule would include the following provisions Deferred Action. The proposed rule would provide a definition of deferred action as a temporary forbearance from removal that does not confer any right or entitlement to remain in or re-enter the United…
Nationwide, you and millions of families, businesses, and individuals applying for immigration benefits are waiting longer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process and approve applications and petitions. Based on previously available USCIS data1, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014, an average case took about five months to process. In FY2020,…
Applicants for immigration benefits provide fingerprints, photographs, and a signature, to conduct required background checks. Applications for immigration benefits can be denied for abandonment if an applicant fails to appear for their biometrics appointment unless they timely filed a request…
On July 20, 2021 USCIS announced new policy guidance that eliminates the need for individuals who have applied for a change of status (COS) to F-1 student to apply to change or extend their nonimmigrant status while their initial F-1…
Every year there are only 65,000 H-1B visas available to applicants in general. This 65,000 is known as the Regular Cap. Beneficiaries who have “earned a master’s or higher degree from a United States institution of higher education,” are not…
Haiti On May 22, DHS announced a new 18-month designation of Haiti for TPS, enabling Haitian nationals and individuals without nationality who last resided in Haiti currently residing in the U.S. as of 5/21/21 to file initial applications for TPS….
Presidential Proclamation 10199 issued on April 30, 2021 restricts and suspends the entry into the United States of nonimmigrants, who were physically present within India during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. The…
