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WASHINGTON— Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Somalia (and eligible individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia) for an additional 18 months, effective March 18, 2017, through Sept. 17, 2018.

USCIS recently updated the following form(s):

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule to improve the ability of certain promising start-up founders to begin growing their companies within the United States and help improve the nation’s economy through increased capital spending, innovation and job creation.

USCIS recently updated the following form(s):

Are you preparing for the naturalization test?

As you study for the U.S. history and government (civics) test, make sure that you know the most current answers to these questions.  Periodically, answers change to reflect the results of federal and state elections and appointments or to clarify content and ensure consistency in terminology. The revised answers to the questions below are effective immediately.

Beginning Jan. 22, 2017, employers must use the 11/14/2016 N version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to verify the identity and work eligibility of every new employee hired after Nov. 6, 1986, or for the reverification of expiring employment authorization of current employees (if applicable). This date is found on the lower left hand corner of the form.  Prior versions of the form will no longer be valid for use.  Employers who fail to use Form I-9 11/14/2016 N on or after Jan.

Due to changes in processing within the Vermont Service Center (VSC), Requests for Evidence (RFEs) issued by the VSC will no longer be printed on yellow stock paper, but as of July 6, 2015, will instead be printed on white paper. As always, this document needs to be returned to the VSC with any evidence submitted in response to the request. 

National Effort Highlights Agency’s Free Citizenship Preparation Tools

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification has updated the following H-2B forms: 1) Form 9142B - General Instructions; 2) Appendix B; 3) Form 9142B, Job Contractor Requirements under the 2015 H-2B Interim Final Rule. To access the forms, please click here.

The H-2B RFI mailbox at the Chicago National Processing Center (RFI.H2B.Chicago@dol.gov) will cease to be monitored July 13, 2015, and will no longer accept messages starting September 30, 2015. All stakeholders should useTLC.Chicago@dol.gov for all communications concerning the H-2A and H-2B Temporary Labor Certification programs.

 This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during August. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security reports applicants for adjustment of status.  Allocations were made, to the extent possible, in chronological order of reported priority dates, for demand received by July 10th.

Beginning July 13, 2015, USCIS will resume accepting Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service for all Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, H-1B extension of stay petitions. Premium processing requests for Form I-129 H-1B extension of stay petitions received by USCIS before July 13, 2015 will be rejected.  

USCIS announced on July 14, 2015, that it completed processing the return of fiscal year 2016 H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected in our computer-generated random selection process.

USCIS previously announced on May 4, 2015, that it completed data entry of all selected cap-subject petitions.

On April 7, 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Shalom Pentecostal Church v. Acting Secretary DHS, 783 F.3d 156 (3d Cir. 2015), found the regulatory requirements that qualifying work experience gained in the United States must have been acquired in lawful status (herein “lawful status requirements”) in 8 CFR 204.5(m)(4) and (11) to be beyond the Department’s legal authority (ultra vires). The court found that the statute was clear and unambiguous and that the regulation was inconsistent with the statute.