USCIS Alerts Those Affected by Hurricane Harvey to Available Immigration Services

From USCIS Alerts:

USCIS offers immigration services that may help people affected by unforeseen circumstances, including disasters such as Hurricane Harvey.

The following measures may be available on a case-by-case basis upon request:

• Changing a nonimmigrant status or extending a nonimmigrant stay for an individual currently in the United States. Failure to apply for the extension or change before expiration of your authorized period of admission may be excused if the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control;
• Re-parole of individuals previously granted parole by USCIS;
• Expedited processing of advance parole requests;
• Expedited adjudication of requests for off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship;
• Expedited adjudication of employment auth

USCIS to Expand In-Person Interview Requirements for Certain Permanent Residency Applicants

From USCIS News:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin expanding in-person interviews for certain immigration benefit applicants whose benefit, if granted, would allow them to permanently reside in the United States. This change complies with Executive Order 13780, “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States,” and is part of the agency’s comprehensive strategy to further improve the detection and prevention of fraud and further enhance the integrity of the immigration system.
 
Effective Oct. 1, USCIS will begin to phase-in interviews for the following:
 
• Adjustment of status applications based on employment (Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status).
 
• Refugee/asylee relative petitions (Form I-730, Refugee/Asy

New Legislation Increases Availability of Visas for CNMI Workers for Fiscal Year 2017

From USCIS News:

WASHINGTON – On Aug. 22, 2017, President Trump signed the Northern Mariana Islands Economic Expansion Act, H.R. 339, revising the visa classification for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Transitional Workers. This visa classification, referred to as the CW-1 visa, allows employers within the CNMI to apply for permission to employ foreign (nonimmigrant) workers who are otherwise ineligible to work under other nonimmigrant worker categories.

The legislation added 350 CW-1 visas to the fiscal year (FY) 2017 CW-1 cap, raising the total number of visas that may be issued from 12,998 to 13,348. The additional 350 visas are immediately and exclusively availabl

USCIS Investigation Results in Guilty Plea from Former Airline Staffing Executive

From USCIS News:

LOS ANGELES—Thanks to the investigative efforts of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Eleno Quinteros Jr., the former vice president of operations for two airline mechanicstaffing companies, plead guilty yesterday to charges of making false statements in support of lawful permanent resident petitions for dozens of the companies’ mechanics.

“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has zero tolerance for those who try to fraudulently misuse our country’s lawful immigration system,” said Susan Curda, director of the USCIS Los Angeles District. “We are proud of our role in uncovering this scheme and bringing the perpetrator to justice.”

Quinteros admitted he falsely certified that he had received no payments, when in fact he had demanded and collected hundreds of thousands of dollars

Visa Bulletin October 2017 Predictions

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

Please see October 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	22MAY10	22MAY10	22MAY10	01MAR96	15FEB07
F2A	01NOV15	01NOV15	01NOV15	22OCT15	01NOV15
F2B	22NOV10	22NOV10	22NOV10	22JUL96	01FEB07
F3	01AUG05	01AUG05	01AUG05	22APR95	08MAR95
F4	22JAN02	22JAN02	01FEB02	01OCT97	08JUL94

"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	08SEP11	08SEP11	08SEP11	01MAY96	01NOV07
F2A	22APR16	22APR16	22APR16	22APR16	22APR16
F2B	15SEP11	15SEP11	15SEP11	22AUG96	01SEP07
F3	08DEC05	08DEC05	08DEC05	08MAY95	22MAR95
F4	01DEC04	01DEC04	15JUL04	01FEB98	01APR95

Visa Bulletin September 2017

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

September 2017 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from September 1 to September 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	01MAY10	01MAY10	01MAY10	01FEB96	01JAN07
F2A	01OCT15	01OCT15	01OCT15	22SEP15	01OCT15
F2B	01NOV10	01NOV10	01NOV10	01JUL96	01JAN07
F3	08JUL05	08JUL05	08JUL05	08APR95	15FEB95
F4	01JAN02	01JAN02	01JAN02	15SEP97	01JUN94

"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	01MAR95
F4	15NOV04	15NOV04	22JUN04	08JAN98	08FEB95

Customer Service Tools Outage

From USCIS Alerts:

USCIS will conduct system maintenance on Sunday, August 6, 2017, from 5 am to 6 pm (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

Stamford Resident Admits to Operating Extensive Immigration Fraud Scheme

From USCIS News:

USCIS Assists in Investigation

HARTFORD, Conn.— Deirdre M. Daly, U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that David Nikolashvili, 52, a citizen of the Republic of Georgia residing in Stamford, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to engaging in an immigration fraud scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Nikolashvili operated an immigration fraud scheme through which he obtained false immigration status from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for approximately 50 to 60 citizens of European countries. The foreign nationals paid Nikolashvili between $12,000 and $16,000 to arrange sham marriages with U.S. citizens in order to obtain immigration benefits. The U.S. citizens were paid to enter into the sham marriages.

Nikolashvili pleaded