USCIS Announces New Actions to Reduce Backlogs, Expand Premium Processing, and Provide Relief to Work Permit Holders

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, and work to improve timely Read More …

USCIS Announces Policies to Better Protect Immigrant Children Who Have Been Abused, Neglected, or Abandoned

WASHINGTON — United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced new policies that will provide better protection to immigrant children who are victims of abuse, neglect, abandonment, or similar parental maltreatment. “Today, we are taking action to help immigrant children in the U.S. who Read More …

Certain Petitioners for U Nonimmigrant Status May Receive a Refund for Applications for Employment Authorization Submitted Before Sept. 3o, 2021

USCIS mistakenly rejected certain applications for employment authorization (Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization) from petitioners for U nonimmigrant status that were filed without a fee (or request for fee waiver) from June 14 through Sept. 29, 2021. USCIS also mistakenly accepted fees where certain Read More …

USCIS Conducts Third Random Selection from Previously Submitted FY 2022 H-1B Cap Registrations

We recently determined that we needed to select additional registrations to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2022 H-1B numerical allocations, including the advanced degree exemption. On Nov. 19, we selected from among previously submitted electronic registrations using a random selection process. The petition filing period Read More …

COVID-19 Vaccination Required for Immigration Medical Examinations

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that, effective Oct. 1, 2021, applicants subject to the immigration medical examination must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before the civil surgeon can complete an immigration medical examination and sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Read More …

DHS Continues Temporary Protected Status Designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua and Sudan

WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security has announced the automatic extension of TPS designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan. TPS beneficiaries from these six countries will retain their status, provided they continue to meet all the individual requirements for TPS eligibility. The Read More …

USCIS Removes Barriers to U.S. Citizenship for Children Born Abroad Through Assisted Reproductive Technology

WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced updated policy guidance affecting children born outside of the United States and the determination of whether children born through assisted reproductive technology (ART) are considered to have been born “in wedlock.” This policy update will allow a Read More …