Rajiv's Comments in the News
Date |
Newspaper |
Article Title |
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Feb 08, 2020 |
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USCIS Extends Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests
Release Date
12/30/2021
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors who are responding to certain:
USCIS Forms Update Notice
USCIS recently updated the following form:
Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur
USCIS will also accept the 04/15/19 and 11/21/19 editions. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
For more information, please visit Forms Updates page.
Guestbook Entry for Divya S, United States
Name
Divya S
Country
United States
State
Virginia
Jan 6, 2022, Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv (Every Other Thursday)
Green Card
FAQ: Consular processing employment-based green card with a job offer from a different employer
PERM Processing Times (as of 12/31/2021)
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | July 2021 |
| Audit Review | March 2021 |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | July 2021 |
Agency
Green Card
Immigration Law
AAO Processing Times (October - December 2021)
| Form Type | Case Type | Completed 0-180 Days | Quarterly Completions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative total of all completions | 28.92% | 830 | |
| I-129CW | Petition for CNMI Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker | 100% | 5 |
| I-129E2 | CNMI Treaty Investor | 100% | 2 |
| I-129F | Petition for Fiancée |
Immigration Law
USCIS Updated Forms - Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status and Application for T Nonimmigrant Status
USCIS recently updated the following form(s):
Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status
12/06/2021 01:32 PM EST
Starting Mar. 14, USCIS will only accept the 12/06/21 edition. Until then, you can use the 04/24/19 edition. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
Application for T Nonimmigrant Status
12/02/2021 03:05 PM EST
Visa Bulletin For February 2022
Number 62
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during February 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.
Agency
Green Card
Immigration Law
Immigration Help Available to Those Affected by Natural Disasters and Other Unforeseen Circumstances
Release Date
01/12/2022
USCIS is reminding the public that they offer immigration services that may help people affected by unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters. Examples of unforeseen circumstances include, but are not limited to, the Marshall fire in Colorado.
The following measures may be available on a case-by-case basis upon request:
USCIS Provides Clarifying Guidance on O-1 Nonimmigrants in Arts vs. Motion Picture and Television
Release Date
01/13/2022
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced clarifying guidance on how USCIS determines whether an O-1B beneficiary will be evaluated as a person of extraordinary ability in the arts or as a person of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry when a case has elements of both.
Biden announces STEM changes for F-1, J-1, O-1A and National Interest Waivers
24 January 2022
Students in the following fields will be able to obtain STEM OPT extensions for 24 months:
Jan 20, 2022, Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv (Every Other Thursday)
Nonimmigrant Visas
Immigration Law
Discussion Topics, Jan 20, 2022 FAQs:
1. EB-1B for postdoctoral holder after a gap of several years in career 2. Date of birth and name corrections in birth certificate 3. COVID-19 delays in tourist/visitor extensions for B-2 holding parent and applying for their green card
USCIS Updates Guidance on National Interest Waivers
Release Date
01/21/2022
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced updated guidance on adjudicating requests for “National Interest Waivers” regarding job offer and labor certification requirements for certain advanced degree professionals and individuals of exceptional ability. This includes discussing the unique considerations for persons with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields and entrepreneurs.
USCIS Provides Clarifying Guidance for O-1 Petitions with a Focus on STEM Fields
Release Date
01/21/2022
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today issued policy guidance clarifying how it evaluates evidence to determine eligibility for O-1A nonimmigrants of extraordinary ability, with a focus on petitions filed for individuals in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields, as well as how USCIS determines whether an O-1 beneficiary’s prospective work is within their area of extraordinary ability or achievement.
USCIS Updates Guidance on Expedite Requests
Release Date
01/25/2022
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has updated the USCIS Policy Manual to reflect new guidance on how USCIS determines whether a case warrants expedited treatment. The new guidance is effective immediately.
This update:
Adjustment of status, transferring the basis of I-485 clarifications
September 9, 2022:
Important FAQ from the USCIS about what to expect during this fiscal year #immigration
https://www.immigration.com/blogs/fiscal-year-2023-employment-based-adj…
----------------
On January 21, 2022, USCIS published the following information on its website, which we have edited to provide clarifying remarks:
FY 2023 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Period Opens on March 1
Release Date
01/28/2022
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2023 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 1 and run through noon Eastern on March 18, 2022. During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to complete and submit their registrations using the online H-1B registration system.
EAD card given in 10 minutes
State
VA
My husband and I went at the end of March on a wednesday with an infopass appointment and were asked to resubmit the form and them given another appointment to comeback after 2 weeks again a wednesday at 9.00am to collect the ead cards. Our cases were already transfered to DC office. The appmnt was on my name but they let us both in given a token and waited for 10 mins or so and then were called to the window. We were done with our ead questions in 5 mins. Both of us were given different tokens so went to different windows.
PERM Processing Times (as of 11/30/2019)
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | September 2019 |
| Audit Review | April 2019 |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | July 2019 |
Green Card
Immigration Law
Changing Employers Before 180 days of I-485 Pendency
One of the biggest problems in transactions with the USCIS is uncertainty and inconsistency. We are often confronted with decisions that are contrary to long-standing policy and may even be illegal.
Visa Bulletin - February 2020
Number 38
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during February 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.
Green Card
USCIS Announces Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), have announced the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs in 2020. The notice listing the eligible countries will be published in the Federal Register on Jan. 17, 2020.
USCIS Final FY 2019 Statistics Available
WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) final fiscal year (FY) 2019 agency statistics are now available online. These statistics include naturalizations, green cards, employment authorizations and protected populations, among other categories.