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?
21.5 years ago I arrived to USA and June 4 I will have a citizenship interview. You can read my story.
DO: Atlanta
06/07/06: Mailed N400 to TSC
06/12/06: Mail arrived at TSC and priority date
06/14/06: Checks encashed
06/21/06: Notice received
06/26/06: FP notice received
07/11/06: FP Date
07/21/06: Notice for interview.
08/30/06: Interview date.
It is all DONE. I am now a citizen of USA.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds customers affected by Hurricane Sandy of certain U.S. immigration benefits or relief that may be available to them.
USCIS understands that a natural disaster can affect an individual’s ability to maintain lawful immigration status or obtain certain other immigration benefits. Eligible individuals may request or apply for temporary relief measures, including:
Online registration for the DV-2014 Program began on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4), and concluded on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 12:00 noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT-4). DV-2014 entrants will be able to check the status of their entries as of May 1, 2013 through Entrant Status Check (ESC) on the E-DV website. Review the DV Instructions below, as well as the Press Release.
I had been called for interview on 23rd Aug at Dhaka USA embassy. I am a DV 2012 applicant from Bangladesh and my DS-230, 122 form and pgotograph was received by KCC on 24th July 2012. 9th August I received 2NL and my interview was 23rd Aug.
My interview was so far good. I was able to submit all papers/documents that they have asked. After the interview Consular Officer said "you will get visa. your interview is successful. but we need time to complete our official work. This is Normal."
I have finally got the good news and picked my visa today. I was interviewed on 4th June and picked the visa today on 4th September. I was Interviewed at Islamabad Embassy as an Afghan national.
Note: I have got to tell you something that the embassy will not send you email or phone call if your visa is approved. Instead call Department of state and check your case status there. They give frequent answers and have updated case information. That is what I did.
Thanks for the support of all of you.
Number 51
Volume IX
Washington, D.C.
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS