The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has implemented a final rule that increases several application processing fees and the fee for a Border Crossing Card for Mexican citizens aged 15 and above. The rule will come into effect on May 30, 2023, as documented in the Federal Register (88 FR 18243, March 28, 2023). The following fee changes have been…
On March 27, 2023, USCIS formally announced that they had received enough registrations to reach the FY 2024 H-1B cap and that the selection process had been completed. However, USCIS has not yet publicly released the total number of registrations, or the number of registrations selected for processing. Registrations can have different status classifications, including “Submitted,” “Selected,” “Denied,” or “Invalidated…
Noncitizens in the US applying for certain immigration benefits must use Form I-693 to show they are free from any health-related conditions that would make them inadmissible. Normally, completed Form I-693 is valid for 2 years after the civil surgeon signs it, if the signature is no more than 60 days before the applicant files for the underlying immigration benefit.…
DOS has released a preview of a final rule that will increase the fee for Border Crossing Cards for Mexican citizens aged 15 and above and for waiver of the two-year residency requirement for exchange visitors. Additionally, an interim final rule has been provided that permits J-1 sponsors to digitally sign Form DS-2019 and submit it electronically. Remzi Guvenc Kulen,…
USCIS opens new service center for humanitarian cases, which will start with virtual adjudication and eventually become fully virtual. The Humanitarian, Adjustment, Removing Conditions, and Travel Documents (HART) Service Center, a new service center, will prioritize processing cases related to humanitarian and vulnerable noncitizens. The HART Service Center will initially focus on the following case types: • Form I-601A, Application…
USCIS has announced a new process for obtaining ADIT stamps, which serve as temporary proof of permanent residency during the pendency of certain applications. Instead of obtaining the stamp in person, applicants can now request temporary evidence of permanent residency via phone through the USCIS Contact Center. To make a request, applicants must verify their identity and address with a…
