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USCIS Honors Military Veterans During Naturalization Ceremonies
WASHINGTON—In recognition of Veterans Day, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will conduct naturalization ceremonies across the country that will feature military members, military spouses and veterans taking the Oath of Allegiance to become U.S. citizens. From Nov. 7-13, USCIS is welcoming approximately 8,000 new U.S. citizens during 120 naturalization ceremonies throughout the nation and overseas.
IRS Warns of Pervasive Telephone Scam
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today warned consumers about a sophisticated phone scam targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, throughout the country.
Victims are told they owe money to the IRS and it must be paid promptly through a pre-loaded debit card or wire transfer. If the victim refuses to cooperate, they are then threatened with arrest, deportation or suspension of a business or driver’s license. In many cases, the caller becomes hostile and insulting.
PERM Processing Times (as of 11/06/2013)
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PERM Processing Times (as of November 11, 2013)
Processing Queue Priority Dates Month Year Analyst Reviews March 2013 Audit Review September 2012 Reconsideration Requests to the CO November 2013 Gov't Error Reconsiderations Current
Prevailing Wage Determination Processing Times
The NPWC uses the Prevailing Wage Determination Policy Guidance in issuing wage determinations for the Nonagricultural Immigration Programs. The Department updated the guidance in November 2009 following the publication of the H-2B regulation and the corresponding changes to PERM, H-1B, H-1B1, H-1C and E-3 regulations that affected the prevailing wage determination process. To read the updated Prevailing Wage guidance, pleaseclick here.
DOL Fact Sheets for Fourth Quarter of FY 2013
Below are Fact Sheets for 4th Quarter of FY 2013 (07/01/2013-09/30/2013)
USDA Postpones Release of 2014 H-2A AEWR Wage Data.
On October 17, 2013, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced a change in the schedule for the release of certain reports due to the lapse in Federal appropriations resulting in the Government shutdown. Among the affected reports is the Farm Labor Survey (FLS) report upon which the Department relies in order to establish the Adverse Effect Wage Rates in the H-2A program. The new release date for the FLS report will be December 5, 2013.
USCIS Reminds Filipino Nationals Impacted by Typhoon Haiyan of Available Immigration Relief Measures
In light of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines (named “Yolanda” by Philippine authorities), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would like to remind Filipino nationals that they may be eligible for certain immigration relief measures if requested.
Guestbook Entry for Susan Dane, United States
Name
Susan Dane
Country
United States
State
California
USCIS No Longer Accepts PDF Copies of Approved H-2A Temporary Labor Certification
The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification has announced that it will stop sending Adobe PDF copies of approved Temporary Labor Certifications (TLCs) to H-2A employers and authorized representatives on Nov. 18, 2013.
New Security Enhancement Helps E-Verify Deter Employee Fraud
WASHINGTON- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas announced an enhancement to the E-Verify program that will help combat identify fraud by identifying and deterring fraudulent use of Social Security numbers (SSNs) for employment eligibility verification.
Political Asylum Interview Experience
I went there at 7, just in case 1 hour earlier. Office opens officially at 7:30, but security let me in. The office is on 4th floor, but they let me in because we had 4 month old baby. So durin security check you are checked like in airport, I took off shoes and family members too.
We went and there is reception and I checked in my additional evidence.
!!!!!!!!!!!IMPORTANT FOR THOSE WHO ARE GOING TO SUBMIT NEW EVIDENCE!!!!!!!!!!
Policy Memorandum on Adjudication of Adjustment of Status Applications for Individuals Admitted to the United States Under the Visa Waiver Program
This policy memorandum (PM) provides guidance on the adjudication of Form I-485, Application to Register or Adjust Status, filed by immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who were last admitted under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). This PM updates the Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) by adding a new section (j) to Chapter 10.3 and 23.5 (AFM Update AD11-30).
For more details on the memorandum please click the attachment
E-Verify's New Enhancement Helps Combat Fraud
E-Verify added an enhancement that will help identify and deter fraudulent use of Social Security numbers (SSNs) for employment eligibility verification. E-Verify is now able to detect patterns that indicate an SSN may have been used fraudulently. The enhancement strengthens the integrity of the E-Verify program by implementing standards that have proven effective in protecting individual identities.
B-1/B-2 Extension for Autistic Child
Our office was retained to file a B-1/B-2 extension on behalf of a 34-year old male who was diagnosed with autism and requires ongoing supervision and monitoring. He is dependent on his mother, a permanent resident of the US, who is his legal guardian and only source of care. His father is a resident of Botswana. Botswana regulations do not make provisions for a child above the age of 21 to reside in the country as a dependent. Even in the US, regulations do not consider children over the age of 21 to be dependents of their parents.
I-485 Approval
The main applicant and his wife filed their I-485 petitions together. At the time of filing, the wife was pregnant.
Green Card
USCIS Policy Memorandum on Parole Requests
This policy memorandum (PM) amends Chapter 21.1 of the Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) to ensure consistent adjudication of parole requests made on behalf of aliens who are present without admission or parole and who are spouses, children and parents of those serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve or who previously served in the U.S. Armed Forces or Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve.
For more details on this memo please click the attachment
USCIS Meeting with the American Immigration Lawyers Association
On October 23, 2013, the USCIS Service Center Operations Directorate hosted an engagement with AILA representatives. USCIS addressed questions related to DOMA, provisional waivers and TPS grantee applications among several other topics.
The attached information provides a review of the questions solicited by AILA and the responses provided by USCIS.
Policy Memo on Handling Certain Family-Based Automatic Conversion and Priority Date Retention Requests Pending a Supreme Court Ruling
This policy memorandum (PM) provides guidance for properly assigning priority dates in those instances where a petitioner requests that the priority date from a separate, previously filed petition, be applied to a later filed family-based second-preference “B” petition (F2B) or seeks adjustment of status in the F2B category, based upon an originally-filed family-based second-preference “A” petition (F2A) pursuant to Public Law 107-208, the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA).
Asylum Interview Experience
I think it will be different with each people. In my case, all three times were different.
The officer usually did a small talk with me while going to the room from the hall asking me about the weather and other information which was not listed in application from my previous state where I lived and how I liked it here. IMO, I took that in good and bad way. Good way in the sense, that he wanted me to feel comfortable and bad way, like as if he is saying, I already know everything about you. So, its a mixed bag.