Latest News

ICE updated its list of Student and Exchange Visitor Program approved schools on 29th June 2009.

 The Department has released FAQs for H-2Bs in the entertainment industry.

USCIS announced that the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 (Rev. 02/02/09) currently on the USCIS website will continue to be valid for use beyond June 30, 2009.

USCIS has requested that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approve the continued use of the current version of Form I-9. While this request is pending, the Form I-9 (Rev. 02/02/09) will not expire.

As ofJune 26, 2009, approximately 44,800 H-1B cap-subject petitions and approximately 20,000 petitions qualifying for the advanced degree cap exemption had been filed. USCIS will continue to accept both cap-subject petitions and advanced degree petitions until a sufficient number of H-1B petitions have been received to reach the statutory limits, taking into account the fact that some of these petitions may be denied, revoked, or withdrawn.

USCIS announced that individuals with a pending Form I-360 religious worker petition with USCIS, may be eligible for benefits under Ruiz-Diaz v. United States, No. C07-1881RSL (W.D. Wash. June 11, 2009). To see the USCIS notice and the court issued notice in Ruiz-Diaz v. US, No. C07-1881RSL, see attachment.

I-485 pending cases and procedure to expedite the name check

In cases where I-485 cases are still pending for FBI background checks and if the checks have been pending more than 180 days then there is a procedure to expedite the name check. Contacting the NSC’s congressional liaison and advising them when the name check is cleared will help unless there are no other reasons why the case is being held as sometimes the cases are held back for other security processing.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that, in partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), it has met all milestones set forth in a joint business plan announced April 2, 2008, resulting in the elimination of the FBI National Name Check Program (NNCP) backlog.

USCIS announced that effective June 29, 2009, it will resume Premium Processing Service for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, in accordance with 8 CFR 103.2(f)(2).

After an evaluation of its I-140 backlog reduction efforts and increased I-140 adjudicative efficiencies, USCIS has concluded that it is now able to provide Premium Process Service for this benefit.

USCIS issued a guidance memorandum that provides USCIS adjudication officers with instructions related to the timing of job creation and the meaning of “full-time” positions in the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program.

The guidance memorandum update to the Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM), clarifies that for purposes of the Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur (Form I-526) adjudication and the job creation requirements, USCIS will consider the two-year period to begin six months after the adjudication of the Form I-526.
For details check the attachment.

CBP issued Fact Sheet offering guidance on automatic revalidation for F-1, J-1 and M-1 nonimmigrants. Pursuant to 22 CFR 4 1.1 12 and 8 CFR 214.1 automatic revalidation applies to expired nonimmigrant visas of aliens who have been out of the U.S. for thirty days or less in contiguous territory (Canada and Mexico).

For Fact Sheet please check the attachment.