USCIS Reaches CW-1 Cap for Fiscal Year 2018

From USCIS Alerts:

As of May 25, 2017, USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the maximum possible numerical limit (the “cap”) of workers who may be issued CNMI-Only Transitional Worker (CW-1) visas or otherwise provided with CW-1 status for fiscal year (FY) 2018. Although the FY 2018 cap has not been set, it is required by statute to be less than the 12,998 workers set for FY 2017.

We will issue subsequent guidance when the FY 2018 cap is set and when we are able to announce the final receipt date. Because the final receipt date will depend on the FY 2018 cap, it is also possible that USCIS will not accept some petitions received on or before May 25, 2017.

What Happens After the Cap is Reached

We will reject CW-1 petitions we received on or af

Temporary Protected Status for Haiti Extended for Six Months

From USCIS News:

WASHINGTON— Secretary of Homeland Security John F. Kelly has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Haiti (and eligible individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Haiti) through Jan. 22, 2018. After consulting with the appropriate U.S. government agencies and reviewing country conditions, Secretary Kelly has determined that a limited, six-month extension is warranted. Although Haiti has made significant progress in recovering from the January 2010 earthquake that prompted its designation, conditions in Haiti supporting its designation continue to be met at this time.

Current beneficiaries of Haiti’s TPS designation seeking to extend their TPS must re-register by July 24, 2017. TPS beneficiaries who re-register may request a new Employment Authorization Documen

USCIS Efforts in Investigating Large-Scale Immigration Fraud Leads to Sentencing

From USCIS News:

TAMPA, Fla. — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) assisted in an investigation that led to U.S. District Judge Charlene E. Honeywell sentencing Rosa Cingari to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison and Domenico Cingari to 8 years and 1 month in federal prison for conspiracy, making false statements in immigration applications and petitions, and mail fraud. The Court also ordered the Cingaris to forfeit real property located at 130 West Park Street in Lakeland, which was used to facilitate the offenses. As part of their sentence, the Court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $740,880, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

 A federal jury found Rosa and Domenico Cingari guilty on November 9, 2016. They were indicted on July 9, 2015.

According to evidence

Customer Service Tools Outage

From USCIS Alerts:

USCIS will conduct system maintenance on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 from 9:00 p.m. – 11:59 p.m. (Eastern)

During this time, our online tools may be unavailable, including:

• Check My Case Status
• e-Request
• Change of Address Online
• Check Processing Times
• Civil Surgeon Locator
• FOIA Status Check
• Office Locator
• Forms by Mail

Visa Bulletin July 2017 Predictions

For the official June 2017 Visa Bulletin, please click here: http://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2017/visa-bulletin-june-2017.aspx

Please see July 2017 Visa Bulletin Predictions below (for both Family Based and Employment Based):

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	15FEB11	15FEB11	15FEB11	15SEP95	01JUN06
F2A	08SEP15	08SEP15	08SEP15	15AUG15	08SEP15
F2B	22NOV10	22NOV10	22NOV10	22APR96	01NOV06
F3	15JUL05	15JUL05	15JUL05	01MAR95	01NOV94
F4	01JUN04	15JUN04	08DEC03	22JUL97	22DEC93

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	15SEP11	15SEP11	15SEP11	01MAY96	08NOV07
F2A	22APR16	22APR16	22APR16	22APR16	22APR16
F2B	22SEP11	22SEP11	22SEP11	15AUG96	08SEP07
F3	08DEC05	08DEC05	08DEC05	08MAY95	22FEB95
F4	01DEC04	01DEC04	15JUL04	01FEB98	08APR95

Visa Bulletin June 2017

For May 2017 Visa Bulletin, please click here: http://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2017/visa-bulletin-may-2017.aspx

June 2017 Visa Bulletin has been released (valid from June 1 to June 30 only). Please see below for more details.

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	22DEC10	22DEC10	22DEC10	01SEP95	22APR06
F2A	15AUG15	15AUG15	15AUG15	22JUL15	15AUG15
F2B	22OCT10	22OCT10	22OCT10	08APR96	22SEP06
F3	01JUL05	01JUL05	01JUL05	22FEB95	08OCT94
F4	08MAY04	08MAY04	15SEP03	15JUL97	22NOV93

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	22JUL11	22JUL11	22JUL11	01APR96	08SEP07
F2A	08APR16	08APR16	08APR16	08APR16	08APR16
F2B	01SEP11	01SEP11	01SEP11	08AUG96	22JUL07
F3	01DEC05	01DEC05	01DEC05	01MAY95	01FEB95
F4	15NOV04	15NOV04	22JUN04	08JAN98	08FEB95

Visa Bulletin June 2017 Special Notes

For the official June 2017 Visa Bulletin, please click here: http://blog.mygcvisa.com/2017/05/visa-bulletin-june-2017.html

Apart from posting current dates, State Department has also added special notes to Visa Bulletin mentioned above. Please see full details below:

D.  OVERSUBSCRIPTION OF THE CHINA AND INDIA
     EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIRST (E1) PREFERENCE CATEGORIES

Readers were advised in item D of the May Visa Bulletin number 5, that it would be necessary to impose a date for these two countries in the near future. The continued high level of demand for E1 numbers for USCIS adjustment of status applicants has required the establishment of a date for June. This has been done in an attempt to hold number use within the Worldwide E1 annual limit. The E1 date for these two countries will once again become CURRENT for October, the first month of fiscal year 2018.

E.  EXTENSION OF TWO EMPLOYMENT VISA CATEGORIES

An extension of both the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) and Employment Fifth Preference Pilot (I5 and R5) Categories was signed in

USCIS Completes Data Entry of Fiscal Year 2018 H-1B Cap Subject Petitions

From USCIS Alerts:

USCIS announced on May 3, 2017, that it has completed data entry of all fiscal year 2018 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in our computer-generated random process. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected. Due to the high volume of filings, USCIS is unable to provide a definite time frame for returning these petitions. USCIS asks petitioners not to inquire about the status of submitted cap-subject petitions until they receive a receipt notice or an unselected petition is returned. USCIS will issue an announcement once all the unselected petitions have been returned.

Additionally, USCIS is transferring some Form I-129 H-1B cap subject petitions from the Vermont Service Center to the California Service Center to balance the distribution of cap cases. If your case is transferred, you will re

Customer Service Tools Outage

From USCIS Alerts:

USCIS will conduct system maintenance on Wednesday, May 3, 2017 from 9 p.m. – midnight (Eastern)

During this time, our online tools may be unavailable, including:

• Check My Case Status
• e-Request
• Change of Address Online
• Check Processing Times
• Civil Surgeon Locator
• FOIA Status Check
• Office Locator
• Forms by Mail