USCIS Service Center Processing Times
USCIS Processing Times information for all service centers updated on May 14, 2010.
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USCIS Draft Memorandum for Comment
USCIS seeks your input on the draft memoranda listed below. These memoranda are drafts of proposed or revised guidance to USCIS Field Offices and Service Centers. They are not intended as guidance for the general public, nor are they intended to create binding legal requirements on the public. Until issued in final form, the draft memoranda do not constitute agency policy in any way or for any purpose.
DOL Established Mailbox for Questions Regarding LCA Policies
The Department's Office of Foreign Labor Certification has established a mailbox for questions regarding LCA policies. Those seeking policy guidance should submit a question to LCA.Regulation@dol.gov. Questions will be answered in the form of FAQs. The interested public should continue to direct all general inquiries regarding the H-1B program to the Chicago National Processing Center at LCA.Chicago@dol.gov.
Documents for H1B and L-1 Visa Applicants
Documents to submit at VFS office:
If you are applying for a regular H or L visa, please submit the following documents 4 business days prior to your appointment date at the VFS office located in Hyderabad.
H-1B Advisor
The elaws Advisors are interactive e-tools that provide easy-to-understand information about a number of federal employment laws. Each Advisor simulates the interaction you might have with an employment law expert. It asks questions and provides answers based on responses given.
Both employees and employers can benefit from elaws.
State Dept. Interim Final Rule on Schedule of Fees for Consular Services
[Federal Register: May 20, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 97)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 28188-28194]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20my10-3]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
22 CFR Part 22
[Public Notice: 7018]
RIN 1400-AC57
Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Department of State and Overseas Embassies and Consulates
AGENCY: Bureau of Consular Affairs, State.
ACTION: Interim final rule.
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DHS Announces Elimination of Paper Arrival/Departure Form to Streamline Secure Visa Waiver Program Travel
Release Date: May 20, 2010
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
CRS Report On Immigration Visa Issuances And Grounds for Exclusion
See the attached CRS report on "Immigration Visa Issuances And Grounds for Exclusion".
USCIS Transitions the Intake Function from the Service Centers to its Lockbox Network for Several Benefit Requests
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will be transitioning the intake function of several more forms from the Service Centers to its Lockbox network. By centralizing form and fee intake to a Lockbox environment, USCIS will improve consistency and integrity in the intake process.
The forms scheduled for the transition:
Nonimmigrant Visa Application Fees to Increase June 4
Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC
May 24, 2010
On May 20, 2010, the Department of State published an interim final rule in the Federal Register to increase nonimmigrant visa application processing fees, also called the Machine-Readable Visa (MRV) fee, and Border Crossing Card (BCC) fees. The interim final rule also establishes a tiered structure with separate fees for different nonimmigrant visa categories. The new fees are scheduled to go into effect on June 4, 2010.
USCIS Issues Revised Employment Authorization Document
WASHINGTON - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has revised the Employment Authorization Document (EAD), or Form I-766, to incorporate the addition of a machine-readable zone on the back of the card..
PERM Processing Times (as of 09/03/2013)
The PERM Processing Times has been updated. Please click the link below to view the times.
http://www.immigration.com/PERM-processing-dates/perm-processing-times-09032013
Avoid Immigration Scams - USCIS
Are you getting the right immigration help?
Many people offer help with immigration services. Unfortunately, not all are authorized to do so. While many of these unauthorized practitioners mean well, all too many of them are out to rip you off. This is against the law and may be considered an immigration services scam.
If you need help filing an application or petition with USCIS, be sure to seek assistance from the right place, and from people that are authorized to help. Going to the wrong place can:
State Department Releases FAQ on DS-260 Immigrant Visa Electronic Application
- DOS FAQs on the DS-260 form, the online application for immigrant visa applicants.
DS-260 Worldwide Deployment
Effective September 1, 2013, the DS-260 Immigrant Visa Electronic Application and the DS-261 (Choice of Address and Agent) will replace the paper based DS-230 Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration (parts I and II) and the DS-3032 (Choice of Address and Agent). This message describes the timeline for deployment and provides guidance to posts.
For more information please read the telegram attached.
Radio Show 2013, September 4
Nonimmigrant Visas
Immigration Law
Guestbook Entry for Raja R. Iyengar, United States
Name
Raja R. Iyengar
Country
United States
State
Virginia
The Journey starts
Well I managed to wrestle my way through cluster-crap Dar es Salaam traffic today and made it to the US Embassy at 1:45pm and was immediately whisked in.
When I walked into the consular section I was flabbergasted by the number of people there (I could easily count 50 people) and knew I'd be there for at least 2-3 hours.
Anyway the guard who ushered me in told me to go hand my green pickup slip at the counter which I did and was told to sit and wait.
Green Card
Experience with Oath Ceremony in Islip, NY
I had my oath ceremony there a few months back. Family and friends are allowed in but make sure not to bring noisy kids with you because they may kick out noisy kids. Your "entourage" won't be allowed to sit with you though as they will be told to sit down either way in the back or where the jury usually sits.
They will give you a package with a few things in. I remember there was a passport application, a congratulation letter from President Obama, a brochure about voting, a copy of the oath and the lyrics of the Pledge of Allegiance which you will have to sing.
Citizenship and Naturalization
USCIS Implements Customer Identity Verification at Field Offices
Beginning September 9, 2013, USCIS will employ a new verification tool called Customer Identity Verification (CIV) in its field offices. Customers will now submit biometric data, specifically fingerprints and photographs, when appearing at USCIS offices for interviews or to receive evidence of an immigration benefit.
USCIS Approves 10,000 U Visas for Fourth Straight Fiscal Year
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has approved the statutory maximum 10,000 petitions for U nonimmigrant status (U visas) for fiscal year 2013. This marks the fourth straight year that USCIS has reached the statutory maximum since it began issuing U visas in 2008.
Each year, 10,000 U visas are available for victims of crime who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse and are willing to help law enforcement authorities investigate or prosecute those crimes. A U-visa petition requires certification of assistance from law enforcement.
N-400 Naturalization experience
Just came back from the Oath Ceremony at White Plains' Court House. It was emotional, finally it is over. I was able to apply for my passport at the same place right after the ceremony. The Actually Ceremony only took about 15 minutes, it was the process before hand, waiting for the Immigration officers to check everyone's info that took a while. Thanks god and everyone, and good luck to all who is currently on the process...See you all in Family based forum!
Citizenship and Naturalization
N-400 Naturalization experience
State
ASSYLEE
My interview happened on August 23rd, was based on as Asylum based Green Card. I got to 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan on time and sat down. About 45 minutes later, I, along with 5 other names were called and asked to come through a door. We were led into another smaller room and asked us to sit down. And told us we'd be called. It was probably a different part of the floor where other immigration officers sat. it's also possible we had special circumstances in our cases. I was called first and met an EXCEPTIONALLY professional, polite, and pleasant Immigration Officer.