Changes to Direct Filing Addresses for Certain H-1B Form I-129 Petitions

On Sept. 1, we will change the direct filing addresses for certain petitioners filing Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. The changes apply to the following cap-exempt H-1B petitions:

• Continuing previously approved employment from the same employer;
• Changing previously approved employment;
• New concurrent employment;
• Changing an employer;
• Changing status to H-1B;
• Notifying a U.S. consulate, port of entry, or pre-flight inspection; or
• Amending a petition.

This excludes petitions:

• Filed by cap-exempt petitioners or for cap-exempt entities;
• That are c

USCIS Policy Manual Update

Introduction

Our latest update to the USCIS Policy Manual defines “residence” as it relates to citizenship for children of certain U.S. government employees and members of the U.S. armed forces who are employed or stationed outside the United States, to conform with the definition of residence in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This guidance rescinds previously established USCIS policy, which stated that certain children who were living outside the United States were considered “residing in” the United States.

As a result, it changes the process that parents of such children must follow to obtain

Statement Regarding a Policy Update Defining “Residence” in Statutory Provisions Related to Citizenship

Today, Acting USCIS Director Ken Cuccinelli issued the following statement regarding a policy update Defining “Residence” in Statutory Provisions Related to Citizenship.

“This policy update does not affect who is born a U.S. citizen, period.  This only affects children who were born outside the United States and were not U.S. citizens.  This does NOT impact birthright citizenship.  This policy update does not deny citizenship to the children of US government employees or members of the military born abroad.  This policy aligns USCIS’ process with the Department of State’s procedure, that’s it.&r

USCIS Policy Manual Update

Introduction

Our latest update to the USCIS Policy Manual defines “residence” as it relates to citizenship for children of certain U.S. government employees and members of the U.S. armed forces who are employed or stationed outside the United States, to conform with the definition of residence in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This guidance rescinds previously established USCIS policy, which stated that certain children who were living outside the United States were considered “residing in” the United States.

As a result, it changes the process that parents of such children must follow to obtain

USCIS Helps Detect Marriage Fraud Ring

The Bridgeport resident pleaded guilty to arranging numerous fraudulent marriages so noncitizens could obtain Green Cards.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — John H. Durham, United States attorney for the District of  Connecticut; the acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Boston; and a supervisory immigration officer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), announced that Jodian Stephenson, also known as “Jodian Gordon,” 35, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty on Aug. 19, in New Haven federal court to a conspiracy charge stemming from her arrange

Tools Outage

USCIS will conduct a system maintenance starting at 11:59 pm on Thursday, August 22^nd until 3 a.m. on Friday, August 23rd.  All times are Eastern.

During this time you may experience technical difficulties with one or more online tools:

• Check My Case Status
• e-Request
• Change of Address Online
• Check Processing Times
• Civil Surgeon Locator
• FOIA Status Check
• Office Locator
• File Online
• myUSCIS Online Account

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

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USCIS Issues Guidance on Discretionary Employment Authorization for Parolees

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today issued policy guidance (PDF, 305 KB) in the USCIS Policy Manual to address its discretion to grant employment authorization to foreign nationals who are paroled into the United States, including those who are otherwise inadmissible.

Certain foreign nationals may be paroled into the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. Parolees are not entitled to emp

Visa Bulletin October 2019 Predictions

For official September 2019 Visa Bulletin and analysis, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2019/visa-bulletin-september-2019.aspx

Please see October 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	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	22FEB13	22FEB13	22FEB13	15AUG96	08AUG08
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	22AUG14	22AUG14	22AUG14	08AUG98	08SEP08
F3	08OCT07	08OCT07	08OCT07	08DEC95	01MAY98
F4	01JAN07	01JAN07	08OCT04	22JAN97	08OCT98

"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	08JUN13	08JUN13	08JUN13	15DEC99	01JAN09
F2A	22AUG19	22AUG19	22AUG19	22AUG19	22AUG19
F2B	01NOV14	01NOV14	01NOV14	01MAY99	08MAR09
F3	22FEB08	22FEB08	22FEB08	01SEP00	08SEP98
F4	08MAY07	08MAY07	01JUN05	08JAN99	01APR99

USCIS Returns Unselected Fiscal Year 2020 H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions

USCIS has returned all fiscal year (FY) 2020 H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected in our computer-generated random selection process. On May 17, USCIS announced that it had completed data entry of all selected H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2020.

September 2019 Visa Bulletin Analysis

For September 2019 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2019/visa-bulletin-september-2019.aspx

Please see below analysis of September 2019 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	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	+6 Months	+6 Months	+6 Months	No Change	+4 Months
F2A	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2B	+5 Months	+5 Months	+5 Months	+1 Month	+4 Months
F3	+2 Months 9 Days	+2 Months 9 Days	+2 Months 9 Days	No Change	+4 Months
F4	+1 Month	+1 Month	+7 Days	No Change	+2 Months

"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	+2 Months	+2 Months	+2 Months	+7 Days	+3 Months 10 Days
F2A	+1 Month	+1 Month	+1 Month	+1 Month	+1 Month
F2B	+1 Month 14 Days	+1 Month 14 Days	+1 Month 14 Days	+1 Month	+3 Months
F3	+1 Month	+1 Month	+1 Month	No Change	+4 Months
F4	+2 Months 24 Days	+2 Months 24 Days	+7 Days	+7 Days	+2 Months

September 2019 Visa Bulletin

For August 2019 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2019/visa-bulletin-august-2019.aspx

For analysis of September 2019 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2019/visa-bulletin-analysis-september-2019.aspx

September 2019 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	01JAN13	01JAN13	01JAN13	01AUG96	22JUN08
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	01JUN14	01JUN14	01JUN14	01JUL98	01AUG08
F3	01SEP07	01SEP07	01SEP07	01DEC95	01FEB98
F4	01NOV06	01NOV06	22SEP04	01JAN97	01JUL98

"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	01MAY13	01MAY13	01MAY13	08NOV99	01DEC08
F2A	01JUL19	01JUL19	01JUL19	01JUL19	01JUL19
F2B	15OCT14	15OCT14	15OCT14	01MAR99	01FEB09
F3	22JAN08	22JAN08	22JAN08	15JUL00	01AUG98
F4	08MAR07	08MAR07	22MAY05	22DEC98	01JAN99

September 2019 Visa Bulletin Special Notes

For the official September 2019 Visa Bulletin and analysis, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2019/visa-bulletin-september-2019.aspx

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

D. AVAILABILITY OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIRST, SECOND and FIFTH PREFERENCE NUMBERS

There has been a combination of a dramatic change in the USCIS demand pattern for adjustment of status applicants during July, and a larger than anticipated return of unused numbers which had been provided to consular offices for July use. As a result, it has been possible to advance the Employment First and Second preference September final action dates for most countries, as well as the India Employment Fifth preference.

E. SEVERAL EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CATEGORIES HAVE RETROGRESSED OR BECOME "UNAVAILABLE" FOR THE REMAINDER OF FISCAL YEAR 2019

Worldwide Employment Fourth (E4): Since June, USCIS demand for E4 numbers, primarily for Juvenile Court Dependent adjustment of status applicants, has increased dramatically. This has resulted in the E4 an

USCIS Announces Final Rule Enforcing Long-Standing Public Charge Inadmissibility Law

Regulation promotes self-sufficiency and immigrant success

WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a final rule that clearly defines long-standing law to better ensure that aliens seeking to enter and remain in the United States — either temporarily or permanently — are self-sufficient and rely on their own capabilities and the resources of family members, sponsors, and private organizations rather than on public resources.

This final rule amends DHS regulations by prescribing how DHS will dete

USCIS Will Adjust International Footprint to Seven Locations

Transition aimed at increasing efficiencies, reducing backlogs

WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today plans to maintain operations at its international field offices in Beijing and Guangzhou, China; Nairobi, Kenya; and New Delhi, India. Previously, Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli directed the agency to continue operating in Guatemala City, Guatemala; Mexico City, Mexico; and San Salvador, El Salvador, as part of a whole-of-government approach to address the crisis at the southern border.

While retaining these seven international offices, USCIS plans to close the remaining thirteen international field offices and three district offices b

USCIS Assists in Conviction of Visa Fraud Perpetrator

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal jury convicted Abhijit Prasad, 52, of Tracy, California, on 21 counts of visa fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft today. The case originated in Sacramento when the grand jury there indicted Prasad in 2016, but the case was ultimately tried in San Francisco after a court order transferred the case there.

U.S. Attorney David Anderson for the Northern District of California and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott for the Eastern District of California made the announcement.

According to the evidence at trial, Prasad filed 19 petitions for H-1B nonimmigrant visas containing false statements, made under penalty of perjury, about purported work projects to be performe

Tools Outage

USCIS will conduct a system maintenance from Wednesday, August 7, 2019 starting at 12 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. (Eastern).

During this time you may experience technical difficulties with one or more online tools:

• Check My Case Status
• e-Request
• Change of Address Online
• Check Processing Times
• Civil Surgeon Locator
• FOIA Status Check
• Office Locator
• File Online
• myUSCIS Online Account

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

USCIS Detects and Assists in Conviction of U-Visa Fraud Perpetrators

The South Carolina residents were convicted of attempting to fraudulently acquire U-visas for three foreign nationals in order to remain illegally in the United States

GREENVILLE, S.C. — A jury convicted two residents of South Carolina individuals of conspiracy to defraud the United States by attempting to fraudulently acquire “U-Visas” for three foreign nationals. Miguel Bautista-Manuel, age 41, of Mexico, and Travis Lee Nixon, age 29, of Greenville, were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Bautista-Manuel and Nixon attempted to fraudulently acquire “U-Visas” for Bautista-Manuel,

Reminder: USCIS Rejecting Form I-129 Petitions That Lack Required Name and Address

Updated rejection criteria includes time-sensitive H-2A visa classification

As previously announced, on August 5, USCIS will begin rejecting Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, petitions that do not include the petitioner’s or applicant’s name and primary U.S. office address in Part 1 of the form.

USCIS will subject all requests for nonimmigrant classifications filed on Form I-129 to this rejection criteria, including the time-sensitive H-2A visa classificatio

USCIS to End Certain Categorical Parole Programs

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced its intention to terminate two categorical parole programs, consistent with Executive Order (E.O.) 13767, Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements, and to better ensure that parole is used only on a case-by-case basis, consistent with the law. Parole is a process that allows foreign nationals to temporarily enter or remain in the United States, including those who are otherwise inadmissible. The programs to be terminated are the Haitian Family Reunification Parole program and the Filip

USCIS Releases U Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide to Better Support Certifying Agencies to Protect Victims of Crimes

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published the U Visa Law Enforcement Resource Guide (PDF, 1.58 MB) to provide law enforcement and other certifying agencies with helpful information and best practices for the U visa certification process. This guide will assist law enforcement and other certifying agencies, who play a critical role in the U visa adjudication process, and will ensure they have the resources they need to provide a properly completed certification for immigrant victims of crime.

“This guide will assist law enforcem