USCIS

The Haiti government has requested that the United States provide them with a final list of orphans being considered under the Special Humanitarian Parole Program for Haitian Orphans.  As a result, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will stop accepting new requests for consideration under the special program as of April 14, 2010, and will resume regular processing of intercountry adoptions.  

 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it continues to accept H-1B nonimmigrant petitions subject to the Fiscal Year 2011 (FY 2011) cap. USCIS will monitor the number of petitions received for both the 65,000 general cap and the 20,000 U.S. master’s degree or higher educational exemption.

USCIS has received approximately 13,500 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap. The agency has received approximately 5,600 petitions for individuals with advanced degrees.

The H-1B Program

U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields, such as scientists, engineers, or computer programmers.

For more information about the H-1B program, see the link to the left under temporary workers for H-1B Specialty Occupations, DOD Cooperative Research and Development Project Workers, and Fashion Models.

How USCIS Determines if an H-1B Petition is Subject to the FY 2011 Cap

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced revised filing instructions and addresses for applicants filing an Application for Travel Document (Form I-131).  The change of filing location is part of an overall effort to transition the intake of some USCIS forms from USCIS local offices and Service Centers to USCIS Lockbox facilities.  By Centralizing form and fee intake to a Lockbox environment, the agency can provide customers with more efficient and effective initial processing of applications and fees.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) automatically extended employment authorization for Liberian nationals covered under Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) through Sept. 30, 2010—following President Obama’s announcement today of his decision to extend DED through Sept.

Fact Sheet

Introduction 

Humanitarian parole enables an otherwise inadmissible individual to enter the United States temporarily due to urgent humanitarian reasons. Parole is not intended to be used to avoid regular visa-issuing procedures or to bypass immigration procedures. Parole does not confer any permanent immigration status, but does enable a recipient to apply for and receive employment authorization.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds organizations to submit a letter of intent if applying for the FY2010 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program.  Organizations must submit the mandatory letter by March 26, 2010 to be eligible to apply for funding. 

USCIS issued a memo to provide guidance for processing and adjudicating Form I-129, filed on behalf of P-2 nonimmigrants. In particular, this memo amends the policy guidance that the Service Centers must contact Headquarters prior to adjudication of reciprocal exchange  agreements which have not been previously approved.

Background