USCIS Blog Entries

New USCIS Rule Regarding Mailing of Notices and Documents

 Beginning today, 27 January 2015, USCIS will follow the following policies in sending out notices, approved documents etc.

1.     When unrepresented, notice to the applicant only.  USCIS will send notices only  to the applicant or petitioner when the applicant or petitioner is  unrepresented. (8 CFR 103.2(b)(19)(i)).

Premium Processing for Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions to Begin April 15, 2013

Released: March 15, 2013

WASHINGTON: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 cap on Monday, April 1, 2013. Cases will be considered accepted on the date that USCIS receives a properly filed petition for which the correct fee has been submitted; not the date that the petition is postmarked.

Following is a list of questions recently asked by a USCIS investigator of an H-1B employee working at a client site. If you are a member of our compliance group of employers, attend the free conference call scheduled for employers only on 7th July 2011. Membership in the group is by invitation only.

1. What is your name?
2. Can see your ID card?
3. How long you are in US?
4. Have you been visited your home country?
5. Who are you currently employed with?
6. How long have you been with your employer?
7. What is your job title?

If Congress is unable to reach an agreement regarding the budget on Friday, the government will close at midnight on Saturday April 9. From that time forward, only "essential" government workers remain on the job. Here is a breakdown by agency:
CBP: Inspection and law enforcement are considered "essential personnel" though they will probably have fewer officers on duty.

On August 13, 2010, President Obama signed Public Law 111-230, which contains provisions to increase certain H-1B and L-1 petition fees. The law, which already in effect, requires the submission of an additional fee of $2,000 for certain H-1B petitions and $2,250 for certain L-1A and L-1B petitions.vUSCIS has clarified certain matters that employers should bear in mind.

Questions and Answers
Q. To which petitioners does the new fee apply?

USCIS' Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) office has recently explained the three types of site visits that are currently being conducted:

1. Risk Assessment Program fraud study (RANDOM VISITS). This is a joint study by USCIS and ICE applicable to both family-based and employment-based cases. Cases are chosen for randomly for review and site visits  usually after a case is approved. The purpose of this study is to build a profile of the types of cases where fraud is most prevalent.

This issue has come up several times. Here is what USCIS says:

USCIS Considerations to expedite Cases

All expedite requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and are granted at the discretion of the Director. The criteria are as follows:

* Severe financial loss to company or individual
* Extreme emergent situation
* Humanitarian situation
* Nonprofit status of requesting organization in furtherance of the cultural and social interests of the United States