A nonimmigrant visa, placed in your passport, allows temporary travel to the United States. Typically, citizens of foreign countries must apply for and obtain a U.S. visa suitable for their travel purpose. A flyer for applicants to understand the process of obtaining a nonimmigrant visa, including completing the DS-160 online visa application and scheduling and attending a visa appointment. https://www.aila.org/aila-files/172340EF-A6BB-4784-A821-3D9FA7B646DA/Client-Flyer-Nonimmigrant-Visas.pdf…
It has been closely monitoring that processing challenges linked to the adjudication of long-pending Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Concerning the prolonged processing times of USCIS, particularly for Immediate Relative (IR) category petitions pending over 14 months and F2A category (spouses and children of lawful permanent residents) petitions pending over 24 months (approximately 2 years). These delays significantly disrupt…
In recent weeks, it has been monitoring issues regarding improper rejections of Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, and related submissions. After gathering numerous examples, as it was brought to USCIS’s attention, seeking guidance on rectifying these erroneous rejections. Despite submitting the correct fee of $2,805 for premium processing of Forms I-129 and I-140, some forms have been mistakenly…
A flyer issued by AILA designed to assist applicants in understanding their obligations when signing an Affidavit of Support. By signing Form I-864, individuals are legally promising to provide financial support to the person they are sponsoring. This serves as a guarantee that the sponsored individual won’t need to rely on government assistance. https://www.aila.org/aila-files/9C71E40A-6FAA-4041-86D4-60E000672FF6/Client-Flyer-I-864.pdf Remzi Guvenc Kulen, Esq. Kulen Law Firm,…
USCIS has issued policy guidance regarding family-based immigrant visa petitions, outlining its procedures for correcting approval notice errors, handling requests for consular processing or adjustment, and routing approved petitions. This guidance is effective immediately and applies to petitions pending or filed on or after May 22, 2024. You can access the answers to these questions from the USCIS 20240522-Family-BasedImmigrantApprovals.pdf (aila.org)…
USCIS has announced plans to open international field offices in Doha, Qatar, and Ankara, Turkey. These offices aim to enhance refugee processing capacity, strengthen partnerships, and improve interagency cooperation. Turkey, being a crucial location and regional refugee processing center, hosts the headquarters office for the Resettlement Support Center for Turkey and the Middle East, as well as refugee coordinators from…
Visa Bulletin For May 2024 (state.gov), applicants in all family-sponsored preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart and all employment-based preference categories must use the Final Action Dates chart. According to the May 2024 visa bulletin, the priority date for the Second preference (F2A) – spouses and children (unmarried and under 21 years of age) of lawful permanent…
The Department of State (DOS) has issued a final rule regarding the General Provisions of the Exchange Visitor Program. This rule applies to sponsors designated to conduct international educational and cultural exchange programs and allows for the use of digital signatures and electronic transmission for Form DS-2019. The rule will be effective from May 23, 2024. Previously, on March 28,…
USCIS has recently implemented a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) that extends the auto-extension period for certain employment authorization documents from 180 days to 540 days. The 180-day auto-extension period specified in the regulations is often insufficient to address delays in EAD adjudication, leading to work authorization disruptions for many individuals, including vulnerable populations like refugees and Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries,…
USCIS has filled the quota for additional returning worker H-2B visas for the early second half of FY2024, receiving enough petitions to reach the cap of 19,000 visas. These visas are for returning workers with start dates from April 1, 2024, to May 14, 2024. However, USCIS is still accepting petitions for the additional country-specific allocation of 20,000 H-2B visas.…
