The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an exemption from the biometric services fee for Form I-539, the Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. Starting from October 1, USCIS is waiving the $85 biometric services fee as a part of the Form I-539 application process. If your application is postmarked on or after October 1, you won’t need to…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a reminder to affirmative asylum applicants: Starting from September 13, 2023, it became mandatory to have an interpreter accompany the applicant for their asylum interview if they are not proficient in English or prefer to conduct the interview in a language other than English. Please note that the only exception to this rule is…
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has submitted a proposed regulation aimed at modernizing the H-1B visa program to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. This marks the initial step in the regulatory process, and the complete procedure, which involves soliciting public feedback, will span several months before the rule is finalized. The proposed rule is…
DOS released the visa bulletin for September 2023. USCIS has specified that all family-sponsored preference categories must refer to the Dates for Filing chart, while all employment-based preference categories must follow the Final Action Dates chart in the visa bulletin. According to the September 2023 visa bulletin, the priority date for the Second preference (F2A) – spouses and children (unmarried…
In order to meet the H-1B numerical allocations for FY 2024, USCIS has randomly selected additional registrations from the pool of properly submitted registrations. Those selected have been notified and are allowed to file H-1B cap-subject petitions for the specified beneficiaries. Only selected registrations are eligible for filing, within a 90-day period, by paper submission along with the relevant registration…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced an online form for individuals, attorneys, and accredited representatives to request in-person appointments at local field offices without needing to call the USCIS Contact Center. This form is for appointments related to ADIT stamps, Emergency Advance Parole, Immigration Judge Grants, and more. It’s not a self-scheduling tool; rather, it allows users to…
