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The Ethiopian First Instance Court has temporarily stopped accepting cases involving abandoned children from orphanages in Addis Ababa, citing concern over a recent increase in the number of abandoned children being brought for adoption.  The number of abandoned children from orphanages in Addis Ababa has grown dramatically in recent months and Ethiopian authorities have become aware of possible cases of unethical practices associated with some of them.

I-131 and I-765

With the exception of the I-765s for OPT for which there is a few weeks lag time all other I-131s and I-765s are being worked by the NSC as soon as they arrive at the center.

Screening of cases

 DOL persuades users to use the new iCERT

The old LCA system will be extended by DOL starting from May 14, 2009 to June 30, 2009. Hence DOL urges users to use the new iCERT during the transition period and to send a feedback on bugs by email.  

Some of the new features implemented by DOL with the launch of the new system  

NSC has reported that they are trying to pre-adjudicate cases so when the priority dates become current, an approval notice is sent immediately.

I-140 backlog  

USCIS has recently updated the number of petitions they have pending. The backlog for I-140 was 40,000 in October and now it is down to 10, 000.

I-485 

USCIS has indicated that the EB-485 team at the NSC center is pre-adjudicating cases and will be ready to approve cases as soon as the priority date becomes current.    

Filing an appeal 

USCIS states that as of May 22, 2009 it has received approximately 45,700 H-1B cap-subject cases. So, the cap is still not reached. Also, USCIS has received approximately 20,000 petitions qualifying for the advanced degree cap exemption. USCIS will continue to accept both cap-subject petitions and advanced degree petitions.

USCIS advises its customers that Public Law 111-9, signed by President Obama on March 20, 2009, extends the non-minister special immigrant religious worker program through Sept. 29, 2009. The program had expired on March 6, 2009.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced information on the number of filings for H-1B petitions for the fiscal year 2010 program. USCIS has received approximately 45,000 H-1B petitions counting toward the Congressionally-mandated 65,000 cap. The agency continues to accept petitions subject to the general cap.

ICE updated its list of Student and Exchange Visitor Program approved schools. Please visit the link below.

https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/assets/certified-school-list-04-28-21…

The Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication of the Bureau of Consular Affairs within the U.S. Department of State. The Bulletin provides information on immigration, visas, and refugee admissions as well as other topics.

 

  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has revised Form I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status (edition date 3/30/09). Previous editions of Form I-914 will be accepted for 30 days. The final date USCIS will accept previous editions of Form I-914 is June 6, 2009.