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The Department has posted new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 Programs.

Jan. 27, 2011

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for fiscal year (FY) 2011.  USCIS is notifying the public that yesterday, Jan. 26, 2011, is the final receipt date for new H-1B specialty occupation petitions requesting an employment start date in FY2011.

Introduction

The Web-based Validation Instrument for Business Enterprises (VIBE) is a tool designed to enhance USCIS’s adjudications of certain employment-based immigration petitions. VIBE uses commercially available data to validate basic information about companies or organizations petitioning to employ alien workers. USCIS is beta-testing VIBE, and petitioners may begin seeing VIBE-related Requests for Evidence (RFEs).

In November 2010, USCIS published a revised Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, which became effective on Dec. 23, 2010. Due to a number of inquiries regarding Part 6 of the Form I-129, "Certification Regarding the Release of Controlled Technology or Technical Data to Foreign Persons in the United States", USCIS advised  petitioners that they would not be required to complete this section until Feb. 20, 2011. Petitions postmarked on or after Feb. 20, 2011, must complete Part 6 of the Form I-129. 

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) supports the efforts of immigration practitioners who volunteer to assist aliens at community events.  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that, until further notice, DHS Disciplinary Counsel does not intend to initiate disciplinary proceedings against practitioners (attorneys and accredited representatives) based solely on the failure to submit a Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative (Form G-28) in relation to pro bono services provided at group assistance events. 

Please check the attachment for detail.

Table A provides approval and denial data for petitioners of the I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers - (E-11 Extraordinary Ability, Professors, Researchers, or Executives)

Table A: I-140 E-11 Approval/Denial by Fiscal Year 2005 to 2010 

[Federal Register: February 25, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 38)]
[Rules and Regulations]              
[Page 10498-10500]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25fe11-7]                        

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This Policy Memorandum (PM) restates the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) revocation policy.

[Federal Register: February 16, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 32)]
[Notices]              
[Page 9034-9038]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16fe11-78]                        

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary

In November 2010, USCIS transferred approximately 36,000 Immediate Relative petitions from our California Service Center to our Texas Service Center. We anticipated that this redistribution of work would result in more timely adjudication of these petitions. Due to a number of unforeseen circumstances at our Texas Service Center, many of these cases have not been processed and are beyond our estimated processing times. We sincerely regret any inconvenience this may have caused you and we are making every effort to remedy this situation as soon as possible.