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The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Guinea due to continuing civil unrest and the unpredictable nature of the current security situation.  U.S. citizens are advised that the Department of State has ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel and eligible family members of the U.S. Embassy in Conakry, Guinea.

[Federal Register: October 6, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 192)]
[Notices]
[Page 51354-51361]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06oc09-117]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice: 6777]

Bureau of Consular Affairs; Registration for the Diversity Immigrant (DV-2011) Visa Program

AGENCY: Department of State.

ACTION: Notice.

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)  announced a new address for prospective adoptive parents to submit Form I 600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, and Form I 600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition.  While the change takes affect today, applicants have a 30-day transistion period before USCIS will return incorrectly filed petitions.
 
Applicants were previously required to file at a local USCIS field office.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that filing location of forms relating to the adoption of a foreign child under the Hague Adoption Convention has changed.  Beginning today, U.S.

[Federal Register: October 6, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 192)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 51236-51237]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06oc09-4]

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

22 CFR Part 41

[Public Notice: 6779]

Visas: Documentation of Nonimmigrants Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, as Amended; Requirements for Aliens in Religious Occupations

AGENCY: State Department.

ACTION: Final rule.

[Federal Register: October 7, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 193)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 51447-51452]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07oc09-1]

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Rules and Regulations

Federal Register

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is reminding the public that beginning Oct. 1, all citizenship applicants must take the new naturalization test, regardless of when they filed their Application for Naturalization (Form N-400).

“Becoming a United States citizen carries with it extraordinary rights and responsibilities,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas.  “Our new test captures the meaning of citizenship and is consistent with our values and history as a nation.” 

On June 25, President Obama announced that in the next 90 days USCIS would launch a vastly improved USCIS.gov public website to help customers navigate the immigration system and remain up-to-date regarding their case status. USCIS has committed to delivering on this promise by incorporating both internal and external stakeholder feedback. 

Visa Bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during November 2009.

In the first week of the 2011 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV‐2011), applicants from around the world submitted over 900,000 entries—a 63 percent increase over the same period last year.  More than 13,000,000 entries are expected before the registration period ends.

AAO Processing Times as of October 01, 2009.

A USCIS memo to CIS Ombudsman responding to his recommendation states that USCIS establish more uniform filing and review procedures for motions to reopen and reconsider among field offices and service centers as well as improve communication of those procedures to customers and stakeholders.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued guidance on requesting deferred action for surviving spouses of U.S. citizens who died before the second anniversary of their marriage. Surviving spouses qualify for this temporary program if they were married to, but not legally separated from, their U.S. citizen spouse at the time of that spouse's death; did not remarry; and are currently residing in the United States.

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would like to clarify to associations and their members certain regulatory requirements for filing petitions for H-2B classification on behalf of foreign workers. We are issuing this clarification so that the public can be better informed of filing requirements and avoid unnecessary denials of individual petitions that may be otherwise approvable. We have noticed a particular type of filing error in many H-2B petitions filed by certain associations on behalf of their members.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is reminding federal contractors and subcontractors that effective Sept. 8, 2009, they will be required to use the E-Verify system to verify their employees’ eligibility to work in the United States. In July, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano strengthened employment eligibility verification by announcing the Administration’s support for the regulation that will award federal contracts only to employers who use E-Verify to check employee work authorization.

USCIS will accept the I-693 medical exam form with the 06/05/08 revision date, in spite of the 08/31/09 expiration date. This will continue till OMB approves the revised form.