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This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during November for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.

Visa Bulletin - November 2019

On Oct. 1, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) implemented its new Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) system for the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program. Starting Oct. 1, employers who file an H-2A application for a temporary labor certification in FLAG will only receive the certification electronically.

USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):

Published by : The Times of India, Mumbai - Article by: Lubna Kably - Date: October 14, 2019

Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv in the article:

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services clarified requirements regarding the Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification. 

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released preliminary fiscal year 2019 agency statistics, accomplishments and efforts to implement President Trump’s agenda. These preliminary statistics highlight important immigration trends and illustrate the work accomplished by USCIS in FY 2019. The agency will publish final, verified FY 2019 statistics later next month.

USCIS recently updated the following form(s):

USCIS is updating the Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) to provide a sample notice of filing an Application for Permanent Employment Certification (ETA Form 9089) that complies with all regulatory requirements. The Policy Alert is available here: 

To prevent secure document tampering, counterfeiting, and fraud, USCIS will begin producing on Oct. 24 a new security-enhanced U.S. travel document, which is a booklet that looks similar to a U.S. passport and serves dual purposes. The travel document can serve in place of:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has revised Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, by removing the means-tested benefit criteria that was previously used as a factor in determining whether an applicant was exempt from paying for filing fees or biometric services. Individuals may still request a fee waiver if their documented annual household income is at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines or they demonstrate financial hardship.

USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):

Release Date: Oct. 30, 2019

WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that petitioners can now complete and file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, online. Online filing allows aliens to submit forms electronically, check the status of their case, and receive notices from USCIS.

Fee Increase Consistent with the Consumer Price Index

Release Date: Oct. 30, 2019

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced beginning on Dec. 2, it is adjusting the fee to request premium processing for certain employment-based petitions.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015, is the deadline for eligible nationals of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone (and people without nationality who last habitually resided in one of those three countries) to register for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This deadline marks the end of DHS’ 90-day extension of the initial registration period. The TPS designations for these three countries run from Nov. 21, 2014, through May 21, 2016.

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification has posted new and updated Labor Condition Application (LCA/ ETA Form 9035/9035E) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 programs.

For the new FAQs click here.

USCIS has accounted for over 99 percent of the approximately 2,600 identified invalid work permits requiring return. Twenty-two of the approximately 2,600 recipients failed to return their work permits or certify good cause for not doing so by the deadline of July 30, 2015. As a result, those 22 have been terminated from DACA.