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…
I-907 is a form that petitioners use to expedite the processing of form I-129, Petition for a non-immigrant worker, and I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers. According to this notice, starting May 31, 2022, USCIS will not accept a single, combined fee payment when an applicant or petitioner files Form I-907 with another form. The Form I-907 fee must be…
Starting June 12, 2022, CDC will no longer require air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to provide a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight. This means all air passengers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, are no longer required to show a negative viral COVID-19 test…
The diversity visa program allows up to 50,000 lottery winners from many countries a path to permanent residency in the U.S. each year. The program receives about 14 million applications annually. Passport Rule for Diversity Visa Applicants promulgated in 2019, required applicants to possess a valid passport just to enter the lottery for a chance to receive a visa to…
DOS posted the visa bulletin for July 2022. USCIS determined that for July 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 July 2022 visa bulletin, visa numbers will still be current for Second preference (F2A) – spouses and children (unmarried…
In 2017, USCIS implemented a regulation facilitating an automatic, 180-day extension of EADs for certain categories of EAD holders, which took effect with the provision that the individual filed a timely request for EAD extension. The increased challenges faced by USCIS due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a massive backlog and a 180-day extension was no longer sufficient to solve…
USCIS establishes a program that permits eligible Ukrainian citizens and certain immediate family members who have been displaced by Russian aggression to be sponsored online for humanitarian parole to the United States by an eligible U.S.-based sponsor. To be eligible for humanitarian parole under Uniting for Ukraine, applicants will need to: Resided in Ukraine immediately before the Russian invasion (through Feb.…
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have been I-94 forms with new designations for L-2 and E visa dependents since January 31, 2022. The new designations for L-2 and E dependent spouses specifically have been serving as evidence that holders are authorized to be employed based on their nonimmigrant status. USCIS is now issuing I-797 approval notices for L-2 and E-2…
DOS posted the visa bulletin for June 2022. Visa numbers will still be current for Second preference (F2A) – spouses and children (unmarried and under 21 years of age) of lawful permanent residents and employment-based petitions. Most regions have been set to “Current” for June 2022 in an effort to maximize number use during the DV-2022 program year. Remzi Guvenc…
Since 2011 USCIS has been issuing employment and travel authorization on a single card which is called a combo card for the green card applicants who are filing an Adjustment of Status Application. This card allows applicants to carry a single document that can be used for travel and as work authorization. Because of the serious EAD backlog, USCIS has…
