On 10 March 2020, a Washington DC Federal Court overturned the USCIS highly restrictive
standards applied to the consulting industry. This decision has a major positive impact on the IT
industry.
Judge Rosemary M. Collyer held that the USCIS must not administer justice through random
memoranda and must, if it wishes to change the regulations, do so through a formal process. In
fact, the USCIS seems to have illegally targeted the IT industry (“special treatment”):
In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it adopted measures to assist applicants and petitioners who are responding to certain Requests for Evidence (RFE) and Notices of Intent to Deny (NOID). This alert clarifies that this flexibility also applies to certain Notices of Intent to Revoke (NOIR) and Notices of Intent to Terminate (NOIT) regional investment centers, as well as certain filing date requirements for Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that it will reuse previously submitted biometrics in order to process valid Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, extension requests due to the temporary closure of Application Support Centers (ASC) to the public in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This announcement is consistent with existing USCIS authorities regarding the agency’s ability to reuse previously submitted biometrics.
USCIS has received enough electronic registrations during the initial period to reach the FY 2021 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap). USCIS randomly selected from among the registrations properly submitted. USCIS intends to notify petitioners with selected registrations no later than March 31, 2020, that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for the beneficiary named in the applicable selected registration.
Registrants’ online accounts will now show one of the following statuses for each registration (that is, for each beneficiary registered):
In response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it is adopting a measure to assist applicants and petitioners who are responding to requests for evidence (RFEs) and notices of intent to deny (NOIDs) dated between March 1 and May 1, 2020.
Alert: While premium processing is suspended, petitioners may submit a request to expedite their petition if it meets the criteria on the Expedite Criteria webpage. It is the petitioner’s responsibility to demonstrate that they meet at least one of the expedite criteria. All expedite requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and requests granted at the discretion of USCIS office leadership.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that, due to the ongoing COVID-19 National Emergency announced by President Trump on March 13, 2020, USCIS will accept all benefit forms and documents with reproduced original signatures, including the Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, for submissions dated March 21, 2020, and beyond.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 5 March 2020
FAQ: Denial of a tourist/visitors/B visa 214(b) ||citizenship/naturalization trips of more than six months abroad || Time of stay and definition of a manager/executive employee for L-1A and EB-1C ||Transfer of H-1B while extension is pending ||What to do after an H-1B (or L-1) denial? ||Work duration and damages contracts under H-1B ||I do not have my final degree/diploma certificate/what should I do?
OTHER: Scheduling green card interview in a third country consulate || multiple H-4 extensions simultaneously ||AR-11 change of address filing, etc.,
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 19 March 2020
FAQ: EB-1C - What if my priority date does not become current before my L1A expiry? Should I file an H1B for safety? If I do, will I get moved from EB1 to EB2 ? Should my wife try for H1B ? Is there any maximum number of tries for H1B? If neither me nor my wife manage to get a H1B visa in the next 3 years, is it ok to exit the country and come back when EB1 priority date becomes current ? What visa will I come back with? || Loss of job/laid off during Covid/coronavirus times
OTHER: Moving from a cap exempt H-1B, extension etc. || Apply for an H-1B extension while another MTR is pending || Rejoining old employer after withdrawn I-140 || 60 days grace period for H-1B || Travel during EAD/AP renewal || H-1B transfer or AC21?
Hey people, finally got approved after the priority date got current. had my interview in milwaukee, yesterday 5/17. i noticed while i waited for him to finish something else that the approved stamp was already placed on the file in front of the desk. i verified to see if it was the same A number as mine and it was. so after a minute he simply took my signature and fingerprint on an unfilled form which i hope he filled out later while he was still on the phone. he then proceeded to tell me that all was well and i could go.
I got sworn in today in Atlanta. I am going to try and give you a low down on the process and I'll post my timeline at the end.
I got in at 9:45 am ( that was my appointment time), but they don't hold it down real fast.
I dropped off my appoinmment letter and finally got called in at 11.20am.
The interview process is rather simple: he asked me questions on the form ( have u ever been a member of a communist party etc).
Here's the good news, if he/she asks you to start sgning stuff, you are on your way, don't trip yourself now.
Got naturalised today at Newark, NJ as well.
My interview was scheduled at 1:00 and I got there at 12:50 pm.
I was called in at 1:30 pm and the interview lasted 7 minutes. The interviewer was very courteous. He verified that the information in the form was correct. Asked me to sign the name change form (since I had request a name change). Asked the 6 history/civics questions, all of which I answered correctly and handed me the approval notice and told me to show up at 3:00 pm for the Oath.
I was not asked for any documentation whatsoever.
Please see signature for updated timeline. Really impressed with how quickly this case has been processed.
We got married in May and dont live together because of our work situation but I have the following documents so far :
NOTE : The joint financial stuff is only a month old since we just got married in May.
FINANCIAL STUFF
------------------
1. Joint savings account
2. Joint credit card
3. Added her name to my apartment lease
Hi everyone,
I've got good news to share ,
I received 6mails from USCIS last night that my 1-485 & I-130 have been approved and my approval letter & welcome letter was mail yesterday
I just want to say thank you to everyone on this forum; your kind words, encouragement & prayers has help make the waiting a success. I deeply appreciate your help, support & friendship.
I pray that everyone still waiting will get their name check clear soon
Cheers
One can petition for parents only if the petitioner is US Citizen. GC holder or LPR cannot apply for parents.
Parents cases of USC are processed differently from the Spouse of USC though they come under the same category.
If parents are already in US, they can go thru the AOS process or CP.
If parents are outside of US, they can go thru the CP only.
For Whom Are You Petitioning?
For AOS or CP, I-130 is the common form.