USCIS Q&A on Pending Employment-Based Form I-485 Inventory
NOTE: The questions/answers below refer to the attachment. Please open the attachment and then read this article.
Q: Why is the wait so long for my employment-based green card?
Latest News
USCIS Updates H-1B Count
As of September 18, 2009, approximately 46,000 H-1B cap-subject petitions had been received by USCIS and counted towards the H-1B cap. Approximately 20,000 petitions qualifying for the advanced degree cap exemption had been filed. USCIS will continue to accept both cap-subject petitions and advanced degree petitions until a sufficient number of H-1B petitions have been received to reach the statutory limits.
Administrative Appeals Office Processing Times
Administrative Appeals Office is an office within USCIS that decides appeals from denials of various petitions by USCIS such as H-1, L-1, I-140 etc .
SCOPS Updates - 09/23/09
Filing I-824 together with the I-485 - The right thing to do when filing the I-824 is to file both the I-824 together with the I-485 or wait till the I-485 is approved. USCIS identifies the reasons as to why an I-824 is interfiled. However an I-824 should not be rejected or denied only because it is interfiled and the I-485 is not yet approved.
Note: If an I-824 is interfiled, it may not be approved at the same time as the I-485 and the I-485 processing times will apply.
State Dept. Proposed Rule for Modifying the Exchange Visitor Program
[Federal Register: September 22, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 182)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 48177-48190]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22se09-16]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
22 CFR Part 62
[Public Notice: 6767]
RIN 1400-AC36
Exchange Visitor Program--General Provisions
AGENCY: United States Department of State.
ACTION: Proposed rule with request for comment.
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DOL FAQs on Labor Condition Applications for H-1Bs
The Department has posted FAQs concerning the iCert system and LCAs, including information regarding FEINs(Federal Employer Identification Number). To read the FAQs please see attachment.
TSC Updates – 09/21/09
I-140 processing and adjudications - On an average TSC is completing around 9,600 I-140 adjudications per month. As of now the incoming I-140 volume is slightly less. As of reaching its goal TSC is close to becoming current on all I-140s which includes the ones filed during 2007 summer. About 5000 stand-alone I-140s are still awaiting adjudication the backlog.
USCIS Q&A: Filing a Form I-485, I-765, and I-131 for Refugees and Asylees
USCIS offers a Questions and Answers to clarify issues on filing adjustment applications, work authorization documents, and refugee travel documents for refugees and asylees.
Interim Employment Authorization Documents Provided for Nationals of El Salvador
USCIS announced that interim Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) will be issued to Salvadoran Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries who have not yet received a final action on their re-registration applications and whose re-registration applications have been pending for more than 90 days.
Proposed Rule Related to E-2 Nonimmigrant Status for Aliens in the CNMI with Long-Term Investor Status
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a proposed rule in the Sept. 14, 2009 Federal Register that proposes to recognize a Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) specific nonimmigrant investor visa classification. This “E-2 CNMI Investor” status is one of several CNMI specific provisions contained in the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (CNRA), which extends most provisions of federal U.S.