WASHINGTON—Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has re-designated Somalia for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and has extended the existing TPS designation for Somalia from Sept. 18, 2012 through March 17, 2014, allowing eligible nationals of Somalia to register or re-register for TPS in accordance with the Federal Register notice.
USCIS Reminds the Public to Avoid Scams and Unauthorized Practitioners of Immigration Law
H-1B, H-1B1, E-3 Helpful Resources:
The Department has posted a contact list for the H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 Programs to assist employers with their applications. To view or download a PDF copy of the Helpful Resources for the H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 Programs, please click the attachment below.
The annual limit in the EB-2 category for India and China has reached. This has been confirmed by the State Department. A notification sent to USCIS on April 11, 2012 states that no further visas for the above mentioned categories will be authorized. On the basis of cut-off dates published in the April and May Visa Bulletins USCIS will continue to accept adjustment applications.
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 78 (Monday, April 23, 2012)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 24137-24138]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9612]
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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Employment and Training Administration
20 CFR Part 655
RIN 1205-AB58
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
April 18, 2012
Earlier this year, President Obama called for a national strategy to make the United States the world’s top travel and tourism destination, generating jobs and revitalizing our economy. The Department of State is well on the way to meeting the President’s goals of increasing visitor visa processing capacity in China and Brazil by 40 percent in 2012.
DOS reminder that nonimmigrant and immigrant visa application fees will change on April 13, 2012. The fees for most nonimmigrant visa applications and Border Crossing Cards will increase, while all immigrant visa application fees will decrease. All visa applicants must pay the fee amounts in effect on the day they pay, including immigrant visa applicants who pay fees to the National Visa Center (NVC).
Please click here to view State Dept. notice on Fees for Visa Services.
On March 14th, 20th and 27th, the Department conducted three webinars intended to educate program users and other interested stakeholders on the requirements of the 2012 H-2B Final Rule. Today the Department posted Round 1 of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). The FAQs are largely based on questions received from the webinar participants and other members of the regulated public and are published to assist employers, workers, and other interested parties in understanding the 2012 Final Rule as it goes into effect.
Fact Sheet
Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC
April 15, 2012
The State Department is pleased to announce an increase in the validity of visas for Colombians traveling on a temporary basis to the United States from five years to ten years. This means that most Colombian applicants who qualify for a B-category non-immigrant visa may be issued a 120-month, multiple-entry visa.
The DHS Office of Immigration Statistics issued its Annual Flow Report on U.S. Naturalizations for FY2011. In 2011, there were a total of 694,193 persons who became naturalized citizens of the U.S.
Please check the attachment to view the report.