The current lapse in annual appropriated funding for the U.S. government does not affect USCIS’ fee-funded activities. USCIS offices will remain open, and all applicants should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled.
However, several USCIS programs will either expire or suspend operations, or be otherwise affected, until they receive appropriated funds or are reauthorized by Congress. These include:
On Jan. 22, 2018, four USCIS field offices and one service center will participate in a 10-day pilot to issue redesigned citizenship and naturalization certificates to U.S. citizens. The pilot sites are:
The redesign is part of an ongoing USCIS initiative to deter counterfeiting by adding enhanced graphics and fraud-resistant security features to critical documents.
Beginning Jan. 22, 2018, USCIS will email notifications of receipt and approval to H-2A (temporary agricultural worker) petitioners who file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. Also starting today, USCIS will use pre-paid mailers provided by H-2A petitioners to send requests for evidence (RFE) if issued in a case.
These process changes apply only to H-2A petitions due to their highly time-sensitive nature.
Email Notifications
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that current beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under El Salvador’s designation who want to maintain their status through the effective termination date of Sept. 9, 2019, must re-register between Jan. 18, 2018, and March 19, 2018.
USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):
I did my Dropbox on 17 nov17.
We went to US Consulate, Ottawa and got my wife's TD visa stamped in her passport. Very straightforward, took just 2 days to get the stamping done.
Before travelling back to US, detached the new I-94s that came with the 797 A approval notice (bottom portion) and stapled it to the old I-94 (valid until Jan 30th 2018) that is there in the passport.
Release Date: Jan. 31, 2018
Agency Will Focus on Processing Recently Filed Applications
WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that the agency will schedule asylum interviews for recent applications ahead of older filings, in an attempt to stem the growth of the agency’s asylum backlog.
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during February 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.