Friday, November 30, 2018

DHS Proposes Merit-Based Rule for More Effective and Efficient H-1B Visa Program

WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today a notice of proposed rulemaking that would require petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions to first electronically register with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) during a designated registration period. Under the proposed rule, USCIS would also reverse the order by which USCIS selects H-1B petitions under the H-1B cap and the advanced degree exemption, likely increasing the number of beneficiaries with a master’s or higher degree from a U.S. institution of higher education to be selected for an H-1B cap number, and introducing a more meritorious selection of beneficiaries.



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Thursday, November 29, 2018

USCIS Clarifies the L-1 One-Year Foreign Employment Requirement

USCIS has published a policy memorandum (PDF, 121 KB) (PM) clarifying the requirement that a qualifying organization employ a principal L-1 beneficiary abroad for one continuous year out of the three years before the time of petition filing (“one-year foreign employment requirement”). This clarification is intended to ensure consistent adjudication of L-1 petitions by providing a standard basis for calculating time for the one-year foreign employment requirement.

The L-1 nonimmigrant classification allows a U.S. employer to transfer an executive or manager (L-1A) or an employee with specialized knowledge (<a ta



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Thursday, November 22, 2018

Immigration Services Available for Those Affected by Super Typhoon Yutu in the CNMI

USCIS offers immigration services that may help people affected by unforeseen circumstances, including the Super Typhoon Yutu in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).

The following services may be available on a discretionary basis, only upon request. These services may include changing a nonimmigrant status or extending a nonimmigrant stay for an individual currently in the United States; 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 authorization applications, where appropriate; and rescheduling interviews or biometrics appointments with USCIS. Please visit the Special Situations web page for additional inform



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Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Queens Immigration Attorney Found Guilty Of Operating Asylum Fraud Scheme

Release Date: Nov. 20, 2018

Andreea Dumitru Knowingly Made False Statements and Representations On More Than 100 Asylum Applications

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Andreea Dumitru, also known as “Andreea Dumitru Parcalaboiu,” an immigration attorney based in Queens, New York, was found guilty in Manhattan federal court of asylum fraud, making false statements to immigration authorities, and aggravated identity theft on Nov. 19, 2018, following a two-week trial before United States District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. 

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said, “Andreea Dumitru, an immigration attorney, scammed the asylum program, which was designed to provide safe harbor for the world’s most vulnerable people.  She will now serve time in pris



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Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Tools Outage

USCIS will conduct system maintenance on. Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, from 9 p.m. until 11:30 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

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.



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Saturday, November 17, 2018

USCIS Simplifies Access to Online Data

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has consolidated the data pages on its website to include all data on one page. The new Immigration and Citizenship Data page makes information more easily accessible to users.

In addition to the redesigned data page, USCIS has published an Understanding Our Data page to help users understand data the agency publishes.

“This new and improved data page on our agency website is another step we’ve taken to modernize the information sharing process, provide transparency, and shed additional light on the USCIS mission,” said USCIS Director L. Franci



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Friday, November 16, 2018

USCIS Issuing Biometric Appointment Notices for Domestic N-565 and N-600 Applicants

On Nov. 1, 2018, USCIS began requesting that domestic applicants filing Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document, go to an Application Support Center (ASC) appointment to submit biometric information (including photos, signature, and index fingerprint). USCIS will also ask applicants filing Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship, to begin submitting biometric information at ASCs early next year.

Applicants will not have to pay a biometrics fee at this time.



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Visa Bulletin January 2019 Predictions

For official December 2018 Visa Bulletin and analysis, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2018/visa-bulletin-december-2018.aspx

Please see January 2019 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
INDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
F122AUG1122AUG1122AUG1108SEP9722APR07
F2A01NOV1601NOV1601NOV1615OCT1601NOV16
F2B22MAR1222MAR1222MAR1201JUL9708JUL07
F301SEP0601SEP0601SEP0608JAN9615JUL95
F415MAY0515MAY0522JUN0415FEB9815AUG95
"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
INDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
F108MAY1208MAY1208MAY1208JUL9901MAR08
F2A01JAN1801JAN1801JAN1801JAN1801JAN18
F2B08JUN1408JUN1408JUN1415AUG9722DEC07
F308FEB0708FEB0708FEB0708FEB0001AUG97
F408MAR0608MAR0615JAN0501OCT9801JUL97



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Thursday, November 15, 2018

Brazilian National Found Guilty of Making False Statements in Naturalization Proceedings

Release Date: Nov. 13, 2018

On Nov. 9, 2018, Etevaldo Ferreira De Souza, 47, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was found guilty by a jury of one count of making false statements in a naturalization proceeding, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1015(a).

Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Mark Selby, special agent in charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

According to the evidence presented at trial, De Souza was charged with aggravated homicide and armed conspiracy in Brazil in 1993. According to the Brazilian charges, De Souza, although not himself a police officer, conspired with corrupt police officers to commit a murder. In or before 1998, De Souza entered the United States illegally.  In 2012, De So



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Tuesday, November 13, 2018

December 2018 Visa Bulletin Analysis

For December 2018 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2018/visa-bulletin-december-2018.aspx

Please see below analysis of December 2018 Visa Bulletin:

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
INDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
F1+1 Month 16 Days+1 Month 16 Days+1 Month 16 DaysNo Change+14 Days
F2A+23 Days+23 Days+23 Days+21 Days+23 Days
F2B+1 Month 14 Days+1 Month 14 Days+1 Month 14 DaysNo Change+7 Days
F3+24 Days+24 Days+24 DaysNo Change+16 Days
F4+1 Month+1 Month+7 DaysNo Change+1 Month
"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
INDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
F1No ChangeNo ChangeNo Change+6 Months 14 DaysNo Change
F2ANo ChangeNo ChangeNo ChangeNo ChangeNo Change
F2BNo ChangeNo ChangeNo Change+1 Month 9 DaysNo Change
F3No ChangeNo ChangeNo Change+9 Months 17 DaysNo Change
F4+8 Months+8 MonthsNo Change+2 Months 23 Days+1 Year 14 Days



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Visa Bulletin December 2018

For November 2018 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2018/visa-bulletin-november-2018.aspx

For analysis of December 2018 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2018/visa-bulletin-analysis-december-2018.aspx

December 2018 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 08AUG11
08AUG11 08AUG11 01AUG97 15FEB07
F2A 08OCT16 08OCT16 08OCT16 22SEP16 08OCT16
F2B 15FEB12 15FEB12 15FEB12 08JUN97 08JUN07
F3 01AUG06 01AUG06 01AUG06 22DEC95  08JUL95
F4 22APR05 22APR05 08JUN04 08FEB98 15JUL95
"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 08MAR12 08MAR12 08MAR12 22APR99 15FEB08
F2A 01DEC17 01DEC17 01DEC17 01DEC17 01DEC17
F2B 22MAR14 22MAR14 22MAR14 01AUG97 15DEC07
F3 08JAN07 08JAN07 08JAN07 08OCT99 01JUN97
F4 01FEB06 01FEB06 01JAN05 15SEP98 22APR97



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Friday, November 9, 2018

USCIS to Continue Implementing New Policy Memorandum on Notices to Appear

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is continuing to implement the June 28, 2018, Policy Memorandum (PM), Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens (PDF, 140 KB).

Starting Nov. 19, 2018, USCIS may issue NTAs as described below based on denials of I-914/I-914A, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status; I-918/I-918A, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status; <a target='_blank' href="https://www.uscis.gov/no



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Friday, November 2, 2018

Tools Outage

USCIS will conduct system maintenance on. Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, from 5 a.m. until 6:00 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

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.



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Thursday, November 1, 2018

USCIS and CBP Extend Form I-129 Pilot Program for Canadian L-1 Nonimmigrants

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are extending the joint agency pilot program for Canadian citizens seeking L-1 nonimmigrant status under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) through April 30, 2019. Earlier this year, the USCIS California Service Center (CSC) and the CBP Blaine, Washington, port of entry (POE) announced this pilot program which was scheduled to run from April 30, 2018, through Oct. 31, 2018.

This pilot program allows, but does not require, Canadian citizens to request that USCIS remotely adjudicate their petitioning employer’s Form I-129 or I-129S prior to their arrival or when they arrive at the Blaine POE. USCIS continues to



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