Press Statement
Jen Psaki
Spokesperson, Office of the SpokespersonWashington, DC
August 4, 2013
Given that a number of our embassies and consulates were going to be closed in accordance with local custom and practice for the bulk of the week for the Eid celebration at the end of Ramadan, and out of an abundance of caution, we've decided to extend the closure of several embassies and consulates including a small number of additional posts.
UNCLASSIFIED
STATE
00112850
AUG 13
SUBJECT: NEXT STEPS ON DOMA
GUIDANCE FOR POSTS
The "Applications for Immigration Benefits" monthly charts listed below provide data on applications and petitions received by USCIS for immigration benefits. These charts exclude all data associated with the citizenship-related applications.
The "Naturalization Benefits" monthly charts listed below provide data on the Applications for Naturalization (Form N-400) received by USCIS as of April 2013.
If you would like to study as a full-time student in the United States, you will need a student visa. There are two nonimmigrant visa categories for persons wishing to study in the United States. These visas are commonly known as the F and M visas.
You may enter in the F-1 or M-1 visa category provided you meet the following criteria:
The August Visa Bulletin http://www.immigration.com/visa-bulletin shows good priority dates movement:
. India EB-2 advances from 2004 to 2008
. According to the visa bulletin there is a positive move for both spouses and children of permanent residents. Family-Based 2A category will be current for all countries as of August 1st.
. Green card holders and their spouses residing legally in the US should be able to file their I-485 packets in August
The Office of Foreign Labor Certification has posted updated program factsheets containing the Quarter 3 FY 2013 selected statistics for the Permanent Labor Certification Program,
Easy-to-Use Formats: We are publishing many of our forms in a 2-column, Adobe fillable format. When completed electronically, this format restricts incorrect entries and provides informational pop-up boxes to assist customers.
User-Friendly Look and Feel: We have improved several of our naturalization forms to include clear and comprehensive instructions in plain language.
A Tentative Nonconfirmation (TNC) is issued if there is a record mismatch that needs to be resolved before the employee can be confirmed as work authorized. On July 1, 2013, E-Verify announced a new customer service enhancement that will allow email notification to employees of a TNC at the same time it notifies the employer.
On Aug. 5, USCIS will start issuing redesigned certificates including:
The redesigned certificates feature state-of-the-art technology to deter counterfeiting, prevent tampering, and allow for quick and accurate authentication.