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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are extending the joint agency pilot program for Canadian citizens seeking L-1 nonimmigrant status under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) through April 30, 2019. Earlier this year, the USCIS California Service Center (CSC) and the CBP Blaine, Washington, port of entry (POE) announced this pilot program which was scheduled to run from April 30, 2018, through Oct.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is continuing to implement the June 28, 2018, Policy Memorandum (PM), Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens (PDF, 140 KB).

Are you seeking to adjust your status and become a U.S. permanent resident under a family-sponsored or employment-based preference immigrant visa? If you have not yet had a relative or employer file an immigrant visa petition on your behalf, please learn more about the Adjustment of Status Filing Process.

On Nov. 15, the Public Engagement Division (PED) held a stakeholder teleconference to discuss the USCIS Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens policy memorandum (PM) that was issued on June 28. USCIS representatives provided an overview of the memorandum, shared an update on the continued implementation of the PM, and addressed many questions submitted in advance.

USCIS has published a policy memorandum (PDF, 121 KB) (PM) clarifying the requirement that a qualifying organization employ a principal L-1 beneficiary abroad for one continuous year out of the three years before the time of petition filing (“one-year foreign employment requirement”).

This guidance provides you with some key requirements you must fulfill to apply for an H-1B Visa. For each requirement, USCIS has included forms of evidence that you may submit to meet the requirement and other tips to help you prepare your petition. 

For more visit this USCIS link: Understanding H-1B Requirements

The new change to the PERM CMS will allow submission of electronic documentation beginning on and after 4/15/17 as announced by DOL.

Please use this User Guide which is designed for employers and attorneys/agents, describes the fundamentals of the Web-based system, including registering, logging in, preparing PERM application, and managing your user account. 

PERM Online System User Guide

WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced multiple measures to further deter and detect H-1B visa fraud and abuse. The H-1B visa program should help U.S. companies recruit highly-skilled foreign nationals when there is a shortage of qualified workers in the country. Yet, too many American workers who are as qualified, willing, and deserving to work in these fields have been ignored or unfairly disadvantaged. Protecting American workers by combating fraud in employment-based immigration programs is a priority for USCIS.

USCIS recently updated the following form:

• Form I-698, Application to Adjust Status from Temporary to Permanent Resident (Under Section 245A of the INA): New edition dated 03/03/17. You can also use the 12/23/16 edition.

For more information, please visit Forms Updates page.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor announced plans to protect U.S. workers from H-1B program discrimination by providing greater transparency and oversight.

Release Date: April 5, 2017

342 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member McCaskill, and distinguished Members of the Committee:

It is a great honor and privilege to appear before you today to discuss the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) crucial missions of protecting the homeland and securing our nation’s borders. During the past 45 years, I have been privileged to serve this nation as both an enlisted Marine and an officer. I am humbled to once again answer the call to serve, this time with the men and women of DHS.

On April 17, 2017, the Potomac Service Center (PSC) will begin handling corrections to Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) that were issued by the PSC that may have incorrect information due to USCIS error. Previously customers were instructed to send EAD’s issued by the PSC to the Nebraska Service Center to be corrected. 

How to Request an EAD Correction

USCIS recently updated the following form:

• Form I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status. New edition dated 02/27/17.  You can also use the 01/18/17 edition. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions. 

For more information, please visit Forms Updates page.

Release Date: April 7, 2017

WASHINGTON - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has reached the congressionally mandated 65,000 visa H-1B cap for fiscal year 2018. USCIS has also received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to meet the 20,000 visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, also known as the master’s cap. 

The agency will reject and return filing fees for all unselected cap-subject petitions that are not duplicate filings.

USCIS recently updated the following form(s):

Update to Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion04/10/2017 02:57 PM EDT

New edition dated 04/10/17. Starting 06/09/17, USCIS will only accept the 04/10/17 edition. Until then, you can use the 12/23/16 edition. 

Update to Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)04/10/2017 02:57 PM EDT