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

Release Date 

01/03/2023

WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees. The new fees would allow USCIS to more fully recover its operating costs, reestablish and maintain timely case processing, and prevent the accumulation of future case backlogs. USCIS receives approximately 96 percent of its funding from filing fees, not from congressional appropriations.

Release Date 

01/04/2023

USCIS has published Form I-956K, Registration for Direct and Third-Party Promoters. The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 added the requirement for direct and third-party promoters to register with USCIS.

Each person acting as a direct or third-party promoter (including migration agents) of the following must complete Form I-956K:

Release Date 

01/04/2023

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is changing the filing location for Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, to streamline workloads in an ever-increasing electronic environment. Previously, this petition was filed either at the Texas Service Center or the Nebraska Service Center depending on the state where the petitioner resides. With this change, all Form I-730 petitions should be filed at the Texas Service Center.

USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):

Form G-1055, Fee Schedule

01/04/2023 01:59 PM EST

Edition Date: 01/04/23. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page.

Form I-956K, Registration for Direct and Third-Party Promoters

09/07/2022 12:45 PM EDT

Edition Date: 09/07/22. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.

USCIS recently updated the following form.

Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support

01/04/2023 09:24 AM EST

Edition Date: 01/04/23. Starting March 6, 2023, USCIS will only accept the 01/04/23 edition. Until then, you can also use the 10/18/22 edition. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.



Before 04/25/22, this form was called Form I-134, Affidavit of Support.

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.

Release Date 

01/12/2023

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is implementing the final phase of the premium processing expansion for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, under the EB-1 and EB-2 classifications.

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.