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As of September 4, 2018, USCIS transferred some of the following cases from the Vermont Service Center to the Potomac Service Center and the Nebraska Service Center:

• Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, for F, M, J or B nonimmigrants 

For more information, see  Workload Transfer Updates page.

On Sep. 10, USCIS changed the filing location for Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence. This form was previously filed at the California and Vermont service centers. Now, petitioners must send Form I-751 to a USCIS Lockbox facility. However, the California, Nebraska, Vermont, and Texas service centers will be the adjudicating offices. When filing at a Lockbox facility, petitioners have the option to pay the fee with a money order, personal check, cashier’s check, or credit card.

On Sept. 6, 2018, the CIS Ombudsman (CISOMB)1 held a stakeholder teleconference to discuss the USCIS “Issuance of Certain RFEs and NOIDs” policy memorandum (PM) that was issued on July 13, 2018. USCIS representatives provided an overview of the memorandum and addressed many questions submitted in advance by the CISOMB. The updated policy went into effect on September 11, 2018. Below is the link of the summary of the PM and the advance questions and answers from the teleconference. 

USCIS Case Status Online09/13/2018 12:00 AM EDTAgency Information Collection Activities; Extension, Without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection: USCIS Case Status OnlineMedical Certification for Disability Exception09/13/2018 12:00 AM EDTAgency Information Collection Activities; Extension, Without Change, of a Currently Approved Collection: Medical Certification for Disability Exception

Effective immediately, USCIS will begin accepting copies of negative consultation letters directly from labor unions relating to a current or future O nonimmigrant visa petition request. O-1 and O-2 nonimmigrant visas are available to individuals with extraordinary ability in science, education, business, athletics, or the arts, and individuals with extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry, and certain essential support personnel. A consultation letter from a U.S.

WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced the agency will celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, observed on Sept. 17, with over 260 naturalization ceremonies across the country from Sept. 14 to 23 as part of this year’s celebration of Constitution Week. 

USCIS is sending text and email messages between Sept. 17 and Sept. 20, 2018, about filing Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card online. If you are a lawful permanent resident and your Green Card has expired or is about to expire, or if you need to replace it for another reason, you may file Form I-90 online. Go to the Form I-90 page on the USCIS website to begin your online application process.

USCIS has published a revised version of Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, with an edition date of 09/17/18. This revised version removes the geographic requirement for sending an original notice to a U.S. address for attorneys and representatives that had been added to the 05/05/16 and 05/23/18 versions of the form.

USCIS is proposing to revise our Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, to remove the receipt of means-tested benefits from the eligibility criteria. A means-tested benefit is a public benefit where eligibility for the benefit, the amount of the benefit, or both, is based on an individual’s income level. Eligibility for these benefits can vary from state to state, depending on the state’s income level guidelines.

F-1 students who have an H-1B petition that remains pending on Oct. 1, 2018, risk accruing unlawful presence if they continue to work on or after Oct. 1 (unless otherwise authorized to continue employment), as their “cap-gap” work authorization is only valid through Sept. 30.

The following chart shows the changes that have been made to the Country Reciprocity Tables since the last publication.

Also, additional items may have been added to DOS homepage reflecting the various clearances that are required for some nationality groups, certain Presidential Proclamations affecting visa issuance, and the "Temporary Reciprocity Schedule" that is used for newly-independent countries, or when deemed necessary.

USCIS recently updated the following form(s):

Update to Form I-929, Petition for Qualifying Family Member of a U-1 Nonimmigrant05/01/2017 02:00 PM EDT

New edition dated 04/13/17. You may also file using the 12/23/16 edition.

For more information, please visit Forms Updates page.

Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly announced the official launch of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office (VOICE).  The VOICE office will assist victims of crimes committed by criminal aliens.

ICE built the VOICE office in response to the Executive Order entitled Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States, which directed DHS to create an office to support victims of crimes committed by criminal aliens.

USCIS announced on May 3, 2017, that it has completed data entry of all fiscal year 2018 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in our computer-generated random process. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected. Due to the high volume of filings, USCIS is unable to provide a definite time frame for returning these petitions. USCIS asks petitioners not to inquire about the status of submitted cap-subject petitions until they receive a receipt notice or an unselected petition is returned.

TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) assisted in an investigation that led to U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell sentencing Rosa Cingari to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison and Domenico Cingari to 8 years and 1 month in federal prison for conspiracy, making false statements in immigration applications and petitions, and mail fraud. The Court also ordered the Cingaris to forfeit real property located at 130 West Park Street in Lakeland, which was used to facilitate the offenses.

If USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, we will state on this page that you may use the Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart. Otherwise, we will indicate on this page that you must use the Application Final Action Dates chart to determine when you may file your adjustment of status application.