USCIS recently updated its Policy Manual to provide important guidance on evidence that can be used to support O-1A petitions which focuses on nonimmigrants of extraordinary ability in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). USCIS states that “Being named on a competitive government grant for STEM research can be a positive factor toward demonstrating that a beneficiary is at…
USCIS announced that it is extending flexibilities previously announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants and petitioners who are responding to certain agency requests in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This flexibility applies if the issuance date listed on the request, notice, or decision is between March 1, 2020, and October 23, 2022. This includes Requests for Evidence, Notice…
Agencies verifying the eligibility of applicants for benefits are frequently presented with an I-765 Employment Authorization Document (EAD). To assist agencies in determining the applicant’s eligibility, they refer to some specific EAD category codes and the provisions of the federal regulations. (c)(11) is one of those categories. Aliens paroled into the United States in the public interest or temporarily for…
Back in May 2021, Customs Border Protection issued guidance allowing U.S. citizens to use their expired U.S. passports, whose passport expired on or after Jan. 1, 2020, to return to the U.S. through June 30, 2022. This temporary rule was efficient to solve the issue of the long waiting period to renew a U.S. passport from abroad which was caused…
DOS posted the visa bulletin for August 2022. USCIS determined that for August 2022, all family-sponsored preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Visa Bulletin and all employment-based preference categories must use the Final Action Dates chart. According to the August 2022 visa bulletin, visa numbers will still be current for Second preference (F2A) – spouses…
On March 30, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule entitled, Implementation of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act.2. In this final rule, USCIS codifies multiple changes to the premium processing benefit and clarifies when USCIS is to implement premium processing updates. On May 24, 2022, USCIS announced that it will begin accepting Form I-907 (Premium Processing…
