DOS posted the visa bulletin for February 2023. USCIS determined that for February 2023, all family-sponsored preference categories and all employment-based preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart in the visa bulletin. According to February 2023 visa bulletin, visa numbers will still be current for Second preference (F2A) – spouses and children (unmarried and under 21 years of…
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 March 23, 2023. This includes Requests for Evidence, Notice…
USCIS is implementing the final phase of the premium processing form expansion for Form I-140 petitions under the EB-1 and EB-2 classifications starting January 30, 2023. This phase applies to new (initial) petitions, in addition to all previously filed Form I-140 petitions under an E13 multinational executive and manager classification or E21 classification as a member of professions with advanced…
Department of State extended the authority of consular officers to waive in-person interviews for certain nonimmigrant visa categories until December 31, 2023. The categories that might be eligible for interview waiver are certain H-2 (temporary agricultural and non-agricultural workers) applicants; certain students, professors, research scholars, short-term scholars, or specialists (F, M, and academic J visa applicants); and certain temporary workers…
Applicants for employment authorization under category (c)(8), Pending Asylum and Withholding of Removal Applicants and Applicants for Pending Asylum under the ABC Settlement Agreement may file Form I-765 online. Applicants who have pending asylum applications can file the I-765 form under (c)(8) category only 150 days after they file Form I-589, Application for Asylum and Withholding Removal. I-765 can be…
Green Card validity is extended for the applicants who have pending form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, and form I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status for 48 months starting from the card’s expiration date. The change has been effective since January 11, 2023, for I-829 and it has been effective since January 25,…
Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, is an application to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. On December 12, 2020, USCIS announced that they automatically extend the validity of a Permanent Resident Card (PRC) (Form I-551) through an Application for Naturalization (Form N-400) receipt notice, without regard to whether the applicant has filed an application to Replace Permanent Resident Card (Form I-90).…
DOS posted the visa bulletin for January 2023. USCIS determined that for January 2023, all family-sponsored preference categories and all employment-based preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart in the visa bulletin. According to January 2023 visa bulletin, visa numbers will still be current for Second preference (F2A) – spouses and children (unmarried and under 21 years of…
USCIS encourages applicants to include Form I-693, Medical Examination and Vaccination Record at the time of filing. Currently, USCIS is expanding potential waivers for interviews in family based green card applications. Based on the potential waiver of interviews in family-based adjustment of status applications, USCIS advises applicants to send their Form I-693 with their initial application. This will avoid the…
On December 19, 2022, USCIS published a new resource containing options available for nonimmigrant workers who have lost their employment. The page contains information for nonimmigrant workers whose employment terminated, either voluntarily or involuntarily. The workers may have the listed options below for remaining in the United States for a period of authorized stay based on existing rules and regulations.…
