The USCIS updated forms listed below will take effect April 1, 2024. A new USCIS rule which also goes into effect April 1st, normally would allow a grace period but because of the new fee structure there will be none and the new 04/1/24 editions for certain forms must be used.
USCIS has an online Electronic Reading Room with access to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requested documents. The Reading Room is really a Web-based searchable database of public requested FOIA documents; mixed with USCIS documents that the government decided may have a larger public demand. You can use pull-downs to choose different listed subjects and include any month/year date from January 2011 to the present. You can also type in your own keywords to search.
Please visit this page for more information: Electronic Reading Room
Related Links:
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1 – Is USCIS raising their filing fees for certain forms? Yes, effective April 1, 2024, nearly all USCIS filing fees for certain Forms will change. https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees/frequently-asked-questions-on-the-uscis-fee-rule The USCIS has not increased their filing fees since 2016. Generally, there is a $50 discount for those who choose to file their cases online compared to those paper-based filings.
2 -What is the new fee for Form I-539? Filing fees for Form I-539 are currently $370.00, or $455.00 if biometrics are required. Filing Form I-539 online (with/without biometrics) will increase to $420.00 as of 04/01/2024. Filing a paper-based Form I-539 will increase to $470.00 as of 04/01/2024.
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be holding a national webinar, “H-2B Visa Program: Overview and Country Specific Allocations Recruitment Webinar“, Thursday, March 7, 2024, between 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (Eastern). The webinar covers the H-2B visa program and will provide an overview of country-specific allocations recruitment for workers from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Haiti.
Review the USCIS Upcoming National Engagements Web Page for more details: H-2B Visa Program: Overview and Country Specific Allocations Recruitment Webinar
To Register for this webinar:
The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.
The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2024 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/11/23); On October 11, 2023, the H-2B cap for the first half of FY 2024 was reached!
The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2024 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (2/22/24); 13,476 beneficiaries have been approved and 7,861 are pending for a total of 21,337.
We wanted to find a new way to engage our reader base. Every other Friday, we will post the ten (10) best/most frequently asked questions received during the week from our h1bvisalawyerblog, Facebook, and Twitter readers. We will answer those questions and provide the Q&A on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.
If you have a burning question, are seeking assistance with a difficult immigration related case, wish to discuss your views on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, DREAMers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, priority dates, the monthly visa bulletin, adjustment applications, etc., please contact us by submitting your question/comment/viewpoint in our comment box provided on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.
Our next “Q & A Forum” will take place this Friday, March 1, 2024. Act now and submit your questions!
The USCIS Forms Updates web page lists their most recently updated forms. The list includes forms as they publish them and includes a brief explanation for the update.
The updated form listed below is their most recent addition to the list, dated February 21, 2024!
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The Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) provides an updated ‘processing times’ in table form, with information on FY2024 first quarterly completions; October 2023 to December 2023. These figures indicate the time that it takes from the date the case is received at AAO coming from the Service Center or District Office to completion.
AAO Processing Times were released with processing dates as of 1/19/24. If you filed an appeal, please review the link below to determine the applicable processing time associated with your particular case.
Note: Starting with the January 2017 Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) Processing Times Report, the AAO has changed how it presents processing time data. The AAO will now provide, by form type, the total number of case completions for the fiscal year quarter and the percentage completed within 180 days, cases completed divided by their projected case goal.
The Department of State has released its latest Visa Bulletin.
Click the link to view the March 2024 Visa Bulletin
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be holding a national webinar, “FY 2025 H-1B Electronic Registration Process” on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, between 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm (Eastern).
The USCIS announcement states that during this webinar, USCIS representatives will:
H1B Visa Lawyer Blog