USCIS National Stakeholder Meeting Updates - 08/26/09
Please find attached Details of USCIS National Stakeholder Meeting which was held on July 27, 2009.
Please find attached Details of USCIS National Stakeholder Meeting which was held on July 27, 2009.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposed rule on the removal of HIV infection from its list of communicable diseases of public health significance - As of now with respect to the above proposed rule the Chicago Field Office has not received any guidance from HQ. Hence the office will not hold such applications in suspension until further notice.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Application Support Center (ASC) stand-alone sites will move to a Monday through Friday schedule beginning Nov. 2, 2009. Stand-alone ASCs are those which are not co-located with other federal offices and which previously operated Tuesday through Saturday. All ASCs, both stand-alone and co-located sites, will continue to be open from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The DOL released a memo to regional administrators and district directors regarding travel and visa expenses of H-2B workers under FLSA minimum wage laws. In January 2009, the Department ofHomeland Security delegated to Wage and Hour enforcement authority to ensure that H-2B workers are employed in compliance with the H-2B labor certification requirements. Wage and Hour issued regulations implementing this authority, 29 C.F.R. Part 655, which became effective on January 18,2009. Those regulations are applicable to applications for certifications filed on or after that date.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the Office of Management and Budget has extended its approval of Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) to Aug. 31, 2012. Consequently, USCIS has amended the form to reflect a new revision date of Aug. 7, 2009.
Employers may use the Form I-9 with the revision date of either Aug. 7, 2009 or Feb. 2, 2009. The revision dates are located on the bottom right-hand portion of the form.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced new directives to enhance and clarify oversight for searches of computers and other electronic media at U.S. ports of entry—a critical step designed to bolster the Department’s efforts to combat transnational crime and terrorism while protecting privacy and civil liberties.
[Federal Register: August 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 166)]
[Notices]
[Page 44376-44377]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28au09-66]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Agency Information Collection Activities: Form I-600/I-600A, Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection; Comment Request
[Federal Register: August 28, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 166)]
[Notices]
[Page 44375-44376]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28au09-65]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Agency Information Collection Activities: Form I-485 and Supplements A and E, Revision of a Currently Approved Information Collection; Comment Request
Here is a document USDOL (Wage and Hour Division) is using to send to employees. This outlines the factors USDOL is most interested in when investigating an employer.
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | September 2023 |
| Audit Review | December 2022 |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | July 2024 |
USCIS recently updated the following form(s):
01/06/2025 10:27 AM EST
Edition Date: 01/06/25. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page of Form G-1055, Fee Schedule.
Form G-325A, Biographic Information (for Deferred Action)
10/24/2024 09:46 AM EDT
On Jan. 8, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued guidance in the Policy Manual, Vol.
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
Release Date
01/13/2025
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a Federal Register notice (FRN) providing updated procedures for submitting a Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, accompanied by a permanent labor certification, application for Schedule A designation, or national interest waiver (NIW) request.
Number 98
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS FOR PREFERENCE IMMIGRANT VISAS
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.
USCIS recently updated the following form(s):
Form I-854, Inter-Agency Alien Witness and Informant Record
12/12/2024 04:18 PM EST
Edition Date: 12/12/24. Starting March 13, 2025, USCIS will accept only the 12/12/24 edition. Until then, you can also use the 04/01/24 edition. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support
12/12/2024 03:46 PM EST
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | September 2023 |
| Audit Review | N/A |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | July 2024 |
| Form Type | Case Type | Completed 0-180 Days | Quarterly Completions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative total of all completions |
93.2% |
1,073 |
|
| I-129CW | Petition for CNMI Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker |
100.0% |
2 |
| I-129F | Petition for Fiancée |
96.6% |
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating its policy guidance to clarify how USCIS evaluates eligibility for the second preference employment-based (EB-2) classification for immigrant petitions filed with a request for a national interest waiver (NIW).
The Department of Homeland Security’s H-1B final rule and H-2 final rule take effect on Friday, Jan.
I am in the US with an approved COS from B2 to F1, so my F1 visa is yet to be stamped on my (Indian)Passport.
1. My STEM masters program is for 9 months, and my I20 has a start and end date of 2 years(2026). Do I have to stamp before the end of 2 years to avail myself of the OPT and STEM validity?
2.I might have to visit a family member in Canada sometime in mid-2025 after my master's program has started. Is it advisable to go to Canada since I do not have the F1 stamped on my Visa? If I can visit, then will I require a different visa?
3. Is it possible for me to schedule my F1 Visa stamping in Canada during the visit? Or would you advise something different here? Or is it better to get it stamped in Mexico?
If you are on an F-1 visa converted from B-2, your visa stamp is only necessary if you plan to travel outside the U.S. While in the U.S., your status is governed by your I-94, which typically says "DS" (duration of status) and remains valid as long as you maintain your student status.
If traveling briefly to Canada or Mexico for under 30 days, you can use Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR) to return without a visa stamp, provided you haven’t applied for and been refused a visa during your visit. Scheduling visa stamping in Canada is risky—if denied, you lose AVR eligibility and must return to India to reapply.
I have accepted the first company’s offer, and it has filed for my H1B transfer. Now, I want to sign an offer from Company two and potentially join it. So, should I make the company speed up the process and delay joining the company in order not to get issues during the green card process? What if the company forces me to join?
You can file multiple H-1B transfers simultaneously, and it's legal. Approval of one transfer doesn’t obligate you to join that employer, nor does it affect your existing H-1B status with your current employer. You can choose to join any employer whose transfer gets approved, provided all transfers were filed while you were in valid status with your current employer.
However, if your H-1B validity is close to expiring (e.g., within 6 months), later-filed transfers may require "bridge petitions" to maintain continuity of status. Consult an immigration lawyer to ensure proper handling and avoid complications.