Celebrating Independence Day with Naturalization Ceremonies

From USCIS News:

On July 4, we celebrate our nation’s 241^st birthday and the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

USCIS marks Independence Day with naturalization ceremonies across the country. This year, we will welcome nearly 15,000 new citizens during more than 65 Independence Day-themed naturalization ceremonies across the country. A list of highlighted ceremonies is below.

We invite you to share your experiences and photos from naturalization ceremonies on social media, using the hashtags #newUScitizen and #July4th. You can follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/<a target='_

USCIS Introduces Redesigned Form for Green Card Applicants

From USCIS News:

WASHINGTON - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today published a revised Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485). The new Form I-485 and instructions have been substantially updated to reduce complexity after collecting comments from the public and stakeholders.

The revised version gives applicants better information to accurately complete Form I-485, including clear navigation to the parts of the form and instructions that are relevant to the applicants’ specific situations. These updates should increase the efficiency of the adjudication process by reducing errors and requests for evidence.

Applicants living in the United States file Form I-485 to adjust their immigration status and become lawful permanent residents, which allows one to live and work permanent

USCIS to Resume H-1B Premium Processing for Physicians under the Conrad 30 Waiver Program

From USCIS News:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that starting Monday, June 26, the agency will resume premium processing for all H-1B petitions filed for medical doctors under the Conrad 30 Waiver program, as well as interested government agency waivers. The Conrad 30 program allows certain medical doctors to stay in the United States on a temporary visa after completing their medical training to work in rural and urban areas that have shortage of physicians.

“This program improves health care access for Americans living in underserved areas, and we are pleased to resume premium processing for these petition

Estati Pwoteksyon Tanporè pou Ayiti a Pwolonje pou sis mwa

From USCIS News:

WASHINGTON— Sekretè Sekirite Enteryè John F. Kelly pwolonje Estati Pwoteksyon Tanporè (TPS) pou resòtisan ayisyen ki kalifye (ak moun ki pa gen nasyonalite ki kalifye epi dènye kote yo te abitye viv se Ayiti) jiska 22 janvye 2018. Apre li te konsilte avèk ajans konpetan gouvènman Etazini an epi analize kondisyon nan peyi a, Sekretè Kelly te detèmine ke sitiyasyon an te merite yon pwolongasyon limite, pou sis mwa. Malgre Ayiti te fè gwo pwogrè pou l rekipere apre tranbleman tè janvye 2010 la ki te motive deziyasyon sa a, kondisyon an Ayiti ki te sipòte deziyasyon an toujou egziste kounye a.

Moun ki benefisye deziyasyon TPS Ayiti kounye a yo ki ta vle pwolonje TPS yo dwe reenskri anvan 24 jiyè 2017. Moun ki benefisye TP

Visa Bulletin August 2017 Predictions

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

Please see August 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	08FEB96	01NOV06
F2A	01OCT15	01OCT15	01OCT15	22SEP15	01OCT15
F2B	01DEC10	01DEC10	01DEC10	22JUN96	08DEC06
F3	01AUG05	01AUG05	01AUG05	01APR95	08JAN95
F4	01JUN04	15JUN04	15DEC03	08AUG97	22MAR94

"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 July 2017

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

July 2017 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from July 1 to July 31 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	15JAN96	15SEP06
F2A	08SEP15	08SEP15	08SEP15	22AUG15	08SEP15
F2B	01NOV10	01NOV10	01NOV10	01JUN96	01NOV06
F3	08JUL05	08JUL05	08JUL05	22MAR95	15DEC94
F4	08MAY04	08MAY04	22SEP03	01AUG97	15FEB94

"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 July 2017 Special Notes

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

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 EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE
     CATEGORIES

CHINA Employment-based Third (E3) preference category:  Readers were advised in item F of the June Visa Bulletin number 6, that it would be necessary to impose a date no later than August. The continued high level of demand for E3 numbers for USCIS adjustment of status applicants has required the establishment of a date for July. This has been done in an attempt to hold number use within the China E3 annual limit. The China E3 date will return to October 1, 2014 for October, the first month of fiscal year 2018.

INDIA Employment-based Fourth (E4) AND Certain Religious Workers (SR) preference categories:  As readers were advised in the June Visa Bulletin number 6, there has been extremely high demand in the E4 and SR categories.  Pursuant to

Customer Service Tools Outage

From USCIS Alerts:

USCIS will conduct system maintenance on Sunday, June 4, 2017, from 5:00 a.m. until 8:00 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