R Visa News

Qualifying U.S. Work Experience for Special Immigrant Religious Workers

On April 7, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Shalom Pentecostal Church v. Acting Secretary DHS, 783 F.3d 156 (3d Cir. 2015), found the regulatory requirements that qualifying work experience gained in the United States must have been acquired in lawful status (herein “lawful status requirements”) in 8 CFR 204.5(m)(4) and (11) to be beyond the Department’s legal authority (ultra vires).

H-1B Filing Tips and Religious Workers Engagement

  • USCIS Releases PowerPoint with H-1B filing tips provided during the 10/9/14 USCIS teleconference with CSC and VSC. The first session, from 11-11:45 a.m., focused on H-1B filing tips. The second session, from 11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., focused on eligibility requirements for religious workers. Click the link below for deatil information:

H-1 B Filing Tips

USCIS Program Extension Alert

 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) advises the public that Public Law 112-176, signed by the President on Sept. 28, 2012, extends the following USCIS programs until Sept. 30, 2015:

  • E-Verify
  • Immigrant Investor (EB-5) Pilot Program
  • Special immigrant visa category for non-minister special immigrant religious workers
  • The date by which J-1 nonimmigrant exchange visitors must obtain that status in order to qualify for the Conrad 30 program.

Program Details

USCIS Memo on Maximum Period of Stay for R-1 Nonimmigrants

This memorandum provides instruction to Immigration Service Officers who adjudicate R-1 nonimmigrant petitions for aliens who are coming to the United States temporarily to perform religious work, and their dependents. This memorandum outlines the procedure to be used for recapturing time spent outside the United States by R-1 nonimmigrants when seeking an extension of their R nonimmigrant status.

Please check the attachment to read memo.

 

State Dept. Amends Requirements for Aliens in Religious Occupations

[Federal Register: October 6, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 192)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 51236-51237]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06oc09-4]

---------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

22 CFR Part 41

[Public Notice: 6779]

Visas: Documentation of Nonimmigrants Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, as Amended; Requirements for Aliens in Religious Occupations

AGENCY: State Department.

ACTION: Final rule.

USCIS Reminds Eligible Applicants under Ruiz-Diaz to File Adjustment of Status Application before End of August

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds special immigrant religious workers, who have a pending or approved Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, (Form I-360), to file their Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, (Form I-485), on or before Aug. 31, 2009. Special immigrant religious workers who wish to file a Form I-360 petition with an I-485 application should also file on or before Aug. 31, 2009.

USCIS Explains Employment-Related Notification Requirements for Petitioners of Religious Workers

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today the manner in which petitioners for religious workers must notify USCIS regarding their employment of nonimmigrant religious workers in R-1 status.  The procedures are necessary to enable petitioners to comply with the notification requirements established by USCIS regulations governing the R-1 nonimmigrant classification.