The link https://www.uscis.gov/forms-updates lists updates to forms as USCIS publishes them, along with a brief explanation of the nature of the update. For forms updates older than 5 years, see USCIS Archive.
Nearly $10 Million in Funding to Support Citizenship Preparation Programs in 21 States
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today awarded nearly $10 million in grants under two funding opportunities to 46 organizations that will help permanent residents prepare and apply for U.S. citizenship. Located in 21 states, these organizations will receive federal funding to support citizenship preparation services for permanent residents through September 2018.
In response to statutory requirements, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will allow up to 12,998 nonimmigrants in fiscal year (FY) 2017 for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)-Only Transitional Worker (CW-1) program.
|
Processing Queue |
Priority Dates |
|
|
Month |
Year |
|
Analyst Review |
June |
2016 |
Audit Review |
January |
2016 |
Reconsideration Requests to the CO |
July |
2016 |
ETA is announcing a process change related to the submission of applications for temporary labor certification under the H-2B visa program intended to reduce burdens on employers and streamline the adjudication of temporary need.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 8 September 2016:
FAQ: Am I exempt from H-1 quota if visa was not stamped? Does AC21 permit promotions and higher salary for same or similar job? N-400 naturalization/citizenship delays; Applying for parents green card, I-130, I-485, birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc; Continuing work outside USA despite approval of L-1A;
Other: Quota impact of revocation of H-1; Green card filing and impact of Trivalley university; Travel on H-1 with just a few days left; Change jobs after green card approval; Transferring H-1B quota jobs; Surrendering reentry permit; Filing FOIA request to get H-1 and I-140/PERM papers; Cross chargeability - how to prove country of birth; Applying for H-1B and traveling on visa in an old passport; H-1B extension more than 6 months before expiration; H-1B visa stamping; etc.
Number 97
Volume IX
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during October 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.
USCIS urges prospective H-2B employers seeking to hire potential “returning workers” with employment start dates in fiscal year (FY) 2017 to continue to identify these workers and provide the H-2B Returning Worker Certification.
On Aug. 25, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved a revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. USCIS must publish a revised form by Nov. 22, 2016. Employers may continue using the current version of Form I-9 with a revision date of 03/08/2013 N until Jan. 21, 2017. After Jan. 21, 2017, all previous versions of Form I-9 will be invalid.
The Department of State administers the Congressionally-mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program annually. Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides for a class of immigrants known as “diversity immigrants,” from countries with historically low rates of immigration to the United States. For fiscal year 2018, 50,000 diversity visas (DVs) will be available. There is no cost to register for the DV Program.
Please check attached document to see the Diversity Visa Lottery Instructions for the Year 2018.
Are you seeking to adjust your status and become a U.S. permanent resident under a family-sponsored or employment-based preference immigrant visa? If you have not yet had a relative or employer file an immigrant visa petition on your behalf, please learn more about the Adjustment of Status Filing Process.
WASHINGTON—Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson is extending TPS benefits for beneficiaries of TPS under the designations of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone for 6 months for the purpose of orderly transition before the designations terminate, effective May 21, 2017. After reviewing country conditions and consulting with the appropriate U.S.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 22 September 2016:
FAQ: Effect of divorce on employment-based immigration; Can a student on F-1 visa apply for a green card?
Other: Changing jobs after I-140 approval; Gap in H-1 traveling outside USA with I-485 AOS pending; H-1 staying in India and receiving US pay; L-1/H-1 helping parents apply for tourist/visitors visa - medical treatment; Rent/lease problems effect on naturalization/citizenship; Re-entering USA with just a few days remaining on H-1 visa/extension applied; Green card times; Reopening and denial of an H-4/EAD; Working on EAD; H-4 volunteering to gain CPA experience; H-1 visa stamping; H-1 cap exemption; H-1 visa stamping - job titles and salary conflict; I-94 problems; Changing jobs after I-140 approval; H-1B visa stamping; Status problems for a nurse
If your initial two-year grant of deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) is expiring, you may request a renewal. This page explains how to request a renewal.
If this is the first time you are requesting DACA, go to Request DACA for the First Time . You can also find information in Frequently Asked Questions.
| Form Number |
Case Type |
Time |
|---|---|---|
| I-129CW | CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker | 6 months or less |
|
I-129F |
Petition for Fiancée |
6 months or less |
|
I-129 H1B |
Nonimmigrant Specialty Occupation Worker |
6 months or less |
|
I-129 H2 |
Temporary Nonimmigrant Worker |
6 months or less |
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced today all People’s Republic of China passport holders carrying a 10-year visa will be required to have a valid Electronic Visa Update System (EVUS) enrollment when traveling to the United States beginning on November 29. EVUS is the online system used by nationals of the People’s Republic of China holding a 10-year B1/B2, B1 or B2 (visitor) visa to update basic biographic information to facilitate their travel to the United States.
"Went to the local Houston USCIS office by 4:50 am on friday Jul 11, 2003 and found myself behind 100 people (folks camping out...looked like a slumber party
. They sure let us in by 6:15am and got a number (186) & processed by around 12:45pm.
Published by: Light Reading - Date: July 31, 2003
Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv on the article:
"There are eight or nine bills pending with similar provisions [to Tancredo's]," says Rajiv S. Khanna, a lawyer specializing in H-1B visa issues who practices in Arlington, Va. But he thinks the H-1B visa program already has shrunk along with the rest of the economy. "It's down, in my opinion, to 10 percent of what it was."
For more details please see the attachment below.
This Update provides helpful hints for U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens on when to change your address with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and do it.
Changing an address with the various Federal immigration components can be confusing, and failure to properly make an address change can lead to denials and other adverse immigration consequences. The Ombudsman's Office encourages immigration benefits applicants and petitioners to promptly notify U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the U.S. Department of State (DOS), and/or the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) of any change in address. Mail forwarding is not always rapid or reliable.
A recruiting firm for accountants retained our services to file an H-1B petition for a recruiter. Typically, it is difficult to justify that the position of a recruiter qualifies as an H-1B level occupation. Our petition to USCIS argued, however, that even though recruiters do not generally qualify as a specialty level occupation, the present case is different because the beneficiary will be hired as an International Accounting/Finance Recruiter.
USCIS requires applicants and petitioners for certain immigration benefits to be fingerprinted for the purpose of conducting FBI criminal background checks. To better ensure both the quality and integrity of the process, USCIS processes fingerprint cards for immigration benefits only if an authorized fingerprint site prepares them. Authorized fingerprint sites include USCIS offices, Application Support Centers (ASCs), and U.S. consular offices and military installations abroad. In general, USCIS schedules people to be fingerprinted at an authorized fingerprint site after an application or petition is filed. USCIS charges a set fee per person (for most applicants) at the time of filing for this fingerprinting service. Please check the instructions on your Immigration application or petition form to find out if you must be fingerprinted.
The following three points apply for all immigration benefits applications (see exceptionsbelow) requiring an FD-258 fingerprint check filed with USCIS after March 29, 1998:
Applicants and petitioners residing abroad who are fingerprinted at a United States consular or military installation abroad do not need to be fingerprinted by USCIS and are exempt from the fingerprint fee. These applicants and petitioners must file their completed card at the time their application or petition is filed.
The following forms are subject to exceptions to the above requirements.
To find the Application Support Centers (ASCs) closest to you, see the "USCIS Service and Office Locator" page. You can also call our toll free number at 1-800-375-5283.
Related links
Safety & Security of U.S. Borders: Biometrics
Fingerprints & Other Biometrics
Identification Record Request/Criminal Background Check
Upgrade to 10-Fingerprint Collection
Biometrics -DHS