USCIS Guidance on DACA Renewal Requests Affected by Mail Service Issues

From USCIS Alerts:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received reports that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has identified USPS mail service delays that affected a number of DACA renewal requests. Because the DACA policy has been rescinded and individuals can no longer request deferred action under DACA, and in light of the mail service delays identified by USPS, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke has directed USCIS to accept DACA renewal requests from individuals who resubmit their DACA renewal request with individualized proof that the request was originally mailed in a timely manner and that the cause for receipt after the Oct. 5, 2017, deadline was the result of USPS mail service error. Affected DACA requestors who do not have such proof may contact USPS, which will review the cases on an individual basis and provide

Tools Outage

From USCIS Alerts:

USCIS will conduct system maintenance on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017, from 9 p.m. to 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

As CNMI Transitional Worker Program Draws Down, USCIS Announces Cap for Final Three Fiscal Years

From USCIS News:

WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the number of visas the agency will grant for the last three fiscal years (FYs) of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)-Only Transitional Worker (CW-1) program. Congress previously mandated that USCIS end the program by reducing the number of workers in the program to zero by Dec. 31, 2019.

Under the CW-1 program, employers in the CNMI can apply for permission to employ foreign workers who are ineligible to work in the territory under other nonimmigrant worker categories. The intent of phasing out this foreign worker program is to e

USCIS Guidance on DACA Renewal Requests Affected by Mail Service Issues

From USCIS Alerts:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received reports that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) has identified USPS mail service delays that affected a number of DACA renewal requests. Because the DACA policy has been rescinded and individuals can no longer request deferred action under DACA, and in light of the mail service delays identified by USPS, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke has directed USCIS to accept DACA renewal requests from individuals who resubmit their DACA renewal request with individualized proof that the request was originally mailed in a timely manner and that the cause for receipt after the Oct. 5, 2017, deadline was the result of USPS mail service error. Affected DACA requestors who do not have such proof may contact USPS, which will review the cases on an individual basis and provide

Status of the Central American Minors Program

From USCIS Alerts:

On Nov. 9, 2017, the Department of State stopped accepting new applications for the Central American Minors (CAM) refugee program. USCIS will stop interviewing CAM cases on Jan. 31, 2018. After that date, individuals with pending applications who have not been interviewed will receive a notice with further instructions.

The decision to terminate the CAM refugee program was made as part of the U.S. government review of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for FY 2018.

The CAM program was established in 2014 to provide certain minors in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras the opportunity to be considered, while still in their home country, for refugee resettlement in the United States. Individuals who were determined to be ineligible for

Visa Bulletin January 2018 Predictions

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

Please see January 2018 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	08MAR11	08MAR11	08MAR11	01MAY96	22FEB05
F2A	15JAN16	15JAN16	15JAN16	08DEC15	15JAN16
F2B	08DEC10	08DEC10	08DEC10	15AUG96	08JUL06
F3	22SEP05	22SEP05	22SEP05	01JUN95	22MAR95
F4	22JUN04	01JUL04	08DEC03	22OCT97	08SEP94

"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	01FEB12	01FEB12	01FEB12	15DEC96	15NOV07
F2A	01DEC16	01DEC16	01DEC16	01DEC16	01DEC16
F2B	15SEP11	15SEP11	15SEP11	15JAN97	15SEP07
F3	08DEC05	08DEC05	08DEC05	15OCT95	01JUL95
F4	01DEC04	01DEC04	15JUL04	01MAR98	01APR95

Visa Bulletin December 2017

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

December 2017 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from December 1 to December 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	01FEB11	01FEB11	01FEB11	01APR96	01JAN05
F2A	22DEC15	22DEC15	22DEC15	15NOV15	22DEC15
F2B	22NOV10	22NOV10	22NOV10	22JUL96	01JUL06
F3	08SEP05	08SEP05	08SEP05	22MAY95	08MAR95
F4	08JUN04	08JUN04	22NOV03	08OCT97	01AUG94

"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	01JAN12	01JAN12	01JAN12	01NOV96	01OCT07
F2A	01NOV16	01NOV16	01NOV16	01NOV16	01NOV16
F2B	01SEP11	01SEP11	01SEP11	01JAN97	01SEP07
F3	01DEC05	01DEC05	01DEC05	01OCT95	15JUN95
F4	15NOV04	15NOV04	22JUN04	08FEB98	01MAR95