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WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced in response to recent stakeholder feedback, that it is currently reviewing its policy on H-1B cap exemptions for non-profit entities that are related to or affiliated with an institution of higher education. Until further guidance is issued, USCIS is temporarily applying interim procedures to H-1B non-profit entity petitions filed with the agency seeking an exemption from the statutory H-1B numerical cap based on an affiliation with or relation to an institution of higher education.

Please check the attachment to see the CRS report on Noncitizen Health Insurance Coverage And Use Of Select Safety-Net Providers.

USCIS Publishes Stakeholder Engagement Presentation Slides On Form I-730.

Please check the attachment for Presentation Slides.

This advisory is for Japanese and other foreign nationals from the Pacific stranded in the United States due to the earthquakes and tsunami devastation in the Pacific. If you have exceeded or are about to exceed your authorized stay in the U.S. you may be permitted up to an additional 30 days to depart.

Visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP):

WASHINGTON— As part of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Blue Campaign to combat human trafficking, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will permit victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation and others who have filed civil action against their employer and held A-3 and G-5 visas to remain and work legally in the U.S. while their civil cases are pending.

Effective March 7, 2011, new H&L category visa appointments are no longer available at the U.S. Consulate General in Mumbai. H&L visa appointments may be scheduled in New Delhi, Chennai, or Hyderabad through VFS. More information is found here.

[Federal Register: March 7, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 44)]
[Rules and Regulations]              
[Page 12269-12271]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07mr11-1]                        

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Rules and Regulations
                                                Federal Register
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WASHINGTON - U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced it will permanently close its field office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, on March 31, 2011. 

As of March 25, applications and petitions previously accepted by the USCIS Ho Chi Minh City Field Office may be filed with the U.S. Department of State Consular Section there. Where authorized, the Consular Section will assume responsibility for processing certain cases.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that some existing Salvadoran Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries will receive interim Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) during the continued processing of their re-registration applications. USCIS mailed approximately 4,500 EADs, to be delivered no later than March 9, 2011, to Salvadorans who have not yet received a final action on their re-registration applications.