The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an announcement proposing two new rules aimed at attracting and retaining highly skilled workers. Comments on the proposed rules are due by July 11, 2014.
Rule #1 (Extend employment authorization to spouses of certain H-1B workers)
The first rule would grant employment authorization to the spouses of certain H-1B holders.
One of the best ways of keeping current with the latest news and announcements from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is to follow them using a tablet or a smartphone. You can now follow USCIS on Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook follow them at http://www.facebook.com/uscis and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@uscis. Their social media sites include official USCIS information and articles that they feel are relevant to U.S. immigration.
They often include more photos then on their official web site. I especially like their monthly posts showing photos of immigrants becoming naturalized U.S. citizens, called #newUScitizen.
Source of Information & related links:
Processing Time reports for all of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Service Centers were released on 5/1/14 with processing dates as of 3/31/14.
If you filed a petition with one of the Service Centers, please review the links below to determine the applicable processing time associated with your particular case.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) has released the Statistical Chart, “Asylum Statistics” for FY2009-2013 as part of “Frequently Requested FOIA* Records”. This statistical chart is made up of six tables. The first table is a summary by fiscal year and the other five tables are for each fiscal year listed individually by nationality. Each of these tables’ lists six statistical headings for each table; Received, Granted, Denied, Abandoned, Withdrawn and Other. Please review the link to the Chart, “Asylum Statistics” listed below for the details.
Every year people come to the United States seeking Asylum protection because they have suffered persecution or fear that they will suffer persecution on account of: Race, Religion, Nationality, Membership and/ or Political View. Asylum is the protection provided under our existing immigration laws. For more details please review the USCIS’s web page on Asylum.
The mission of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is to judge immigration cases. EOIR conducts immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has reported that some of their members have received RFEs (Request for Evidence) for adjustment of status (AOS) applicants. The RFE is requesting the applicants to submit a new Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Medical Report).
The reason for the RFE is the validity of the civil surgeon’s endorsement on Form I-693. The endorsement is normally only good for one (1) year; however, due to significant backlogs in processing, USCIS in the past has agreed to extend the civil surgeon’s endorsement until the time of adjudication.
AILA contacted USCIS Service Center Operations Directorate (SCOPS) and were informed that the policy will change effective June 1, 2014. USCIS also informed AILA that public notice of the impending change is in progress and MVP Law Group will post it when available!
Processing Time reports for all of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Service Centers were released on 4/21/14 with processing dates as of 2/28/14.
If you filed a petition with one of the Service Centers, please review the links below to determine the applicable processing time associated with your particular case.
Information Source: USCIS.GOV
On April 28, 2014, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin premium processing for H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year 2015 cap, including H-1B petitions seeking an exemption from the fiscal year cap for individuals who have earned a U.S. master’s degree or higher.
USCIS first announced that we would begin premium processing for H-1B cap cases no later than April 28 in a news release on March 25. USCIS provides premium processing service for certain employment-based petitions and guarantees a 15-calendar-day processing time.
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the Statistical Table, “Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visa Ineligibilities” for FY2013 as part of the VISA Office 2013 Report. The table lists two statistics for both the Immigrant and Nonimmigrant classifications, “Ineligibility Findings” and “Ineligibility Overcome”. Basically this table lists the most common grounds for refusal under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and if the grounds where overcome. Please review the link to Table XX listed below for the details.
Note: FY2013 data is preliminary and is subject to change. Any changes would not be statistically significant.
Source of Information:
Processing Time reports for all of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Service Centers were released on 4/3/14 with processing dates as of 2/28/14.
If you filed a petition with one of the Service Centers, please review the links below to determine the applicable processing time associated with your particular case.
WASHINGTON, DC – On Saturday, April 26, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the Washington, DC Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA-DC) will take part in the eighth annual AILA Citizenship Day, hosting events at nine locations throughout D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
Each year in April, at sites across the country, AILA attorneys and other stakeholders provide assistance to lawful permanent residents eligible for naturalization. Last year, AILA and its partner “ya es hora ¡Ciudadanía!” held 40 naturalization clinics in 23 states and the District of Columbia serving thousands of immigrants who aspired to become citizens.
The sites below have been confirmed for Citizenship Day 2014 :
H1B Visa Lawyer Blog