USCIS is extending the validity period of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) to 5 years for refugees, paroled refugees, asylees, and people with withholding of removal. Previously, these documents had shorter validity periods. This…
USCIS is waiving the biometric services fee for all applicants filing Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status). This fee exemption reduces costs for visitors, students, and workers seeking to extend or change their…
A federal court in Texas ruled on September 13, 2023, that the DACA Final Rule is unlawful and expanded an earlier injunction blocking it. This decision creates legal uncertainty for DACA recipients and may affect eligibility for new…
USCIS has clarified its guidance on EB-1 eligibility, specifically defining what evidence it will accept to prove extraordinary ability (E11) and outstanding professor or researcher status (E12). The updated Policy Manual provides clearer…
Starting September 13, 2023, affirmative asylum applicants must bring their own interpreter to their USCIS interview if they are not fluent in English or want to conduct the interview in a non-English language. USCIS will no longer…
DHS has extended the re-registration window for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from 60 days to 18 months for six countries: El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan. This change gives TPS holders significantly more time…
USCIS has updated its policy manual to clarify how it applies exceptions to the 'sought to acquire' requirement under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), following a February 2023 policy change. This guidance affects family-based…
USCIS has launched a new online appointment request form that lets individuals, attorneys, and representatives book in-person field office visits directly without calling the USCIS Contact Center. This streamlines access to local field…
USCIS will reopen its international field office in Havana, Cuba, resuming in-person visa and immigration services in the country. This restores access to critical services for Cubans and others seeking to immigrate or travel to the United…
USCIS has updated its receipts process for Form I-129S, which is used by L-1 intracompany transferees (executives, managers, and specialists) under blanket L petitions. The change affects how USCIS issues receipts and confirms filing for…
USCIS has completed a second random selection of H-1B registrations for fiscal year 2024 to fill remaining cap-subject positions. This selection drew from previously submitted registrations that were not selected in the initial March 2023…
USCIS will conduct a second random selection from FY 2024 H-1B cap registrations to reach the numerical allocations, after an initial selection in March 2023. Only registrants selected in either drawing are eligible to file H-1B…
USCIS is publishing a revised Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) effective August 1, 2023. The updated form reflects changes to employment verification requirements and procedures. All employers must use the new form version…
USCIS reorganized its Policy Manual to consolidate public charge inadmissibility guidance into a single chapter for easier reference. The update moves detailed category-specific information from appendices into Chapter 3 of Volume 8, Part…
USCIS announced an updated visa availability approach for processing Form I-526 petitions (Immigrant Petitions by Alien Investor) to improve efficiency in managing the pipeline. The revised approach will help reduce processing times and…
USCIS expanded its myProgress tool to show personalized processing times for Form I-765 (Employment Authorization) and Form I-131 (Travel Document) applications. This gives applicants real-time visibility into how long their specific cases…
USCIS released new policy guidance explaining who qualifies for employment authorization documents (EADs) in compelling circumstances. The guidance clarifies eligibility criteria for both initial and renewal applications under existing…
USCIS now offers premium processing for Form I-539 (status change) applications when the applicant is changing to F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, or J-2 nonimmigrant status. Premium processing typically speeds up decisions in exchange for a fee.…
Certain Afghan parolees are now authorized to work based on their parole status, effective June 8, 2023. This applies to Afghan parolees with a "PAR" class of admission on their I-94 arrival record, provided their parole has not been…
USCIS updated its Lockbox Filing Location Updates webpage to also include service center filing location information. This consolidates information about where different forms should be mailed or filed. The change helps applicants submit…
USCIS has changed where people must file certain affirmative asylum applications by mail, effective immediately. The agency updated filing locations and documentation requirements to streamline the process. Applicants should verify the…
USCIS now automatically creates and provides official documents proving immigration status to newly approved asylees and permanent residents once an immigration judge or the Board of Immigration Appeals grants their case. This eliminates…
USCIS updated its policy manual to clarify how citizenship and naturalization rules apply to adopted children, effective immediately. The guidance removes ambiguity about eligibility and requirements for foreign-born adoptees seeking U.S.…
USCIS extended its temporary waiver of biometrics submission requirements for certain applicants requesting to extend or change status to H-4, L-2, or E nonimmigrant categories on Form I-539. The extension reduces documentation burden and…