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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), have announced the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs in 2020. The notice listing the eligible countries will be published in the Federal Register on Jan. 17, 2020.

WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) final fiscal year (FY) 2019 agency statistics are now available online. These statistics include naturalizations, green cards, employment authorizations and protected populations, among other categories.

recently updated the following USCIS form(s):

Update to Form I-129S, Nonimmigrant Petition Based on Blanket L Petition; New Edition Dated 11/08/19.
For more information, please visit  Forms Updates page.

USCIS today announced (PDF) that, due to the Oct. 3, 2018, termination of the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights with Iran, Iranian nationals are no longer eligible for E-1 treaty trader and E-2 treaty investor changes or extensions of status based on the treaty.

Published by : The Times Of India - Date: January 23, 2020  

Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv on the article:

Arlington based, Rajiv S. Khanna, Managing Attorney at Immigration.com views that the policy memo threatens not just a few H-1B cases but the very existence of several IT service and consulting companies, because of the atmosphere of high uncertainty of approval of H1B applications. 

WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a process change for Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Investor, from a first-in, first-out basis to a visa availability approach.

This new operational approach aligns with other visa-availability agency adjudications processes, is more consistent with congressional intent for the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, and increases fairness in the administration of the program.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services  announced updates to its Policy Manual that address mobile biometrics services and fingerprint waivers.

USCIS requires biometrics from individuals who submit applications, petitions, and requests for certain immigration benefits. USCIS uses biometrics to verify identity, produce secure documents, and conduct required criminal and national security background checks. 

Mobile Biometrics Services

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement the Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds final rule (“Final Rule”) on Feb. 24, 2020, except for in the State of Illinois where the rule remains enjoined by a federal court as of Jan. 30, 2020. Under the Final Rule, USCIS will look at the factors required under the law by Congress, like an alien’s age, health, income, education and skills, among others, in order to determine whether the alien is likely at any time to become a public charge.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services  announced that it has completed a successful pilot testing phase and is implementing the registration process in the next H-1B lottery. Employers seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions for the fiscal year 2021 cap, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption, must first electronically register and pay the associated $10 H-1B registration fee.

Published by : ETtech From the Economic Times - Date: January 03, 2020  

Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv on the article:

“There is more than a little apprehension that the process could be muddled up because of technological or workflow errors made by the government,” said Rajiv S Khanna, Managing Attorney at Immigration.com.

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