USCIS Extends Transitional Parole for CNMI Long-Term Resident Status Applicants

USCIS announced today that it will automatically extend parole, and employment authorization, if applicable, for parolees who timely applied for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) long-term resident status.  

This specific extension of parole applies only to current parolees who timely filed Form I-955, Application for CNMI Long-Term Resident Status, and <a data-entity-substitution="canonical" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="983b2b27-2406-41b0-a21b-c5c916fc669c" href="https://www.uscis.gov/i-765" rel="noreferrer" targe

USCIS Ending Two Categorical Parole Programs

Haitian Family Reunification Parole and Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Programs to be Terminated

WASHINGTON— In keeping with the agency's August 2019 announcement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a Federal Register notice requesting public comments on revisions to <a target='_blank' href="http://www.uscis.

Visa Bulletin February 2021 Predictions

For official January 2021 Visa Bulletin & Analysis, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2021/visa-bulletin-january-2021.aspx

Please see February 2021 Visa Bulletin Predictions below (for both Family Based and Employment Based categories for all countries):

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	22OCT14	22OCT14	22OCT14	01FEB98	01APR12
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	08AUG15	08AUG15	08AUG15	22MAY99	01NOV11
F3	01AUG08	01AUG08	01AUG08	01SEP96	01JUN02
F4	15OCT06	15OCT06	22MAR05	15JUL98	01MAY02

"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	01SEP15	01SEP15	01SEP15	01MAR00	15JAN13
F2A	22AUG20	22AUG20	22AUG20	22AUG20	22AUG20
F2B	01JUN16	01JUN16	01JUN16	22DEC99	22JUN12
F3	01JUL09	01JUL09	01JUL09	22AUG00	08APR03
F4	08OCT07	08OCT07	01DEC05	01MAY99	01DEC02

USCIS Extends Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors who are responding to certain:

• Requests for Evidence;
• Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14);
• Notices of Intent to Deny;
• Notices of Intent to Revoke;
• Notices of Intent to Rescind;
• Notices of Intent to Terminate regional centers;
• Motions to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant;
• Filing date requirements for Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA); or
• Filing date requirements for Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion.

Notice/Request/Decision Issuance D

January 2021 Visa Bulletin

For December 2020 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2020/visa-bulletin-december-2020.aspx

For analysis of January 2021 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2021/visa-bulletin-analysis-january-2021.aspx

January 2021 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from January 1 to January 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	15SEP14	15SEP14	15SEP14	15JAN98	01JAN12
F2A	C	C	C	C	C
F2B	08JUL15	08JUL15	08JUL15	01MAY99	15AUG11
F3	08JUL08	08JUL08	08JUL08	22AUG96	01MAR02
F4	08OCT06	08OCT06	15MAR05	01JUL98	01FEB02

"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	22JUL15	22JUL15	22JUL15	22FEB00	08OCT12
F2A	01AUG20	01AUG20	01AUG20	01AUG20	01AUG20
F2B	01MAY16	01MAY16	01MAY16	01DEC99	01APR12
F3	01JUN09	01JUN09	01JUN09	15AUG00	22DEC02
F4	15SEP07	15SEP07	22NOV05	22APR99	01SEP02

January 2021 Visa Bulletin Analysis

For January 2021 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2021/visa-bulletin-january-2021.aspx

Please see below analysis of January 2021 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	No Change	No Change	No Change	+7 Days	+17 Days
F2A	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2B	No Change	No Change	No Change	+23 Days	+14 Days
F3	+23 Days	+23 Days	+23 Days	+21 Days	+14 Days
F4	+16 Days	+16 Days	+7 Days	+9 Days	+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	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2A	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2B	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F3	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F4	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change

January 2021 Visa Bulletin Special Notes

For the official January 2021 Visa Bulletin & Analysis, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2021/visa-bulletin-january-2021.aspx

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

D. FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON VISA PROCESSING AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, PLEASE VISIT THE BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT TRAVEL.STATE.GOV

E. SCHEDULED EXPIRATION OF TWO EMPLOYMENT VISA CATEGORIES

The one week continuing resolution signed into law on December 21, 2020 extended both the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) and Employment Fifth Preference Pilot (I5 and R5) Categories until December 28, 2020. Readers should monitor legislative action regarding the future status of these categories beyond that date.

Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR):

If there is further legislative action extending this category, the December dates would continue to be applied, potentially for the remainder of the month. If there is no legislative action

USCIS Updates Discretionary Criteria for Case-by-Case Interview Determinations of Adjustment of Status Applications Based on Refugee or Asylee Status

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced updated guidance (PDF, 319.68 KB) expanding the discretionary criteria USCIS officers use to determine whether to interview applicants filing Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, based on refugee or asylee status.

The updated criteria are well within the parameters of USCIS' regulatory authority to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether an interview is necessary to determine the admissibility of an alien applying fo

Update: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

In compliance with an order of a United States District Court, effective December 7, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is:

• Accepting first-time requests for consideration of deferred action under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) based on the terms of the DACA policy in effect prior to September 5, 2017, and in accordance with the Court's December 4, 2020, order;
• Accepting DACA renewal requests based on the terms of the DACA policy in effect prior to September 5, 2017, and in accordance with the Court's December 4, 2020, order;
• Accepting applications for advance parole documents based on the terms of the DACA policy prior to September 5, 2017, and in accordance with the Court's December

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Vacates the Strengthening the H-1B Program Interim Final Rule

A Dec. 1, 2020, order issued by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California vacated the Strengthening the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Classification Program Interim Final Rule (PDF) (IFR). The Dec. 1 order prevents the IFR from taking effect, and the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from implementing the IFR. USCIS will fully comply with the court's decision.

DHS published the H-1B Strengthening IFR in the Federal Register on Oct. 8, 2020, with a 60-day effective date; the IFR was scheduled to go into effect on Monday, Dec. 7, 2020. The IFR was intended to better protect U.S. workers, improve the integrity of the H-1B program, and better ensure that H-1B petitions are approved only for qualified beneficiaries and petitioner

USCIS Updates Guidance for Schedule A Occupations

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced updated guidance for adjudicating EB-2 and EB-3 Schedule A petitions for registered nurses, physical therapists, and aliens of exceptional ability.

The update does not change any policy, but does clarify how USCIS adjudicators should apply Department of Homeland Security and Department of Labor (DOL) regulations when deciding these Schedule A petitions. Generally, EB-2 and EB-3 petitioners must obtain a labor certification from DOL that verifies that there are no qualified U.S. workers available for the petition. However, for certain occupations, known as Schedule A, DOL has pre-certified this so the petitioners do not need to obtain a labor certification from DOL. Instead, EB-2 and EB-3 Schedule A petitioners file the Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, and uncertified labor certification

USCIS Expands Interviews for Refugees and Asylees Petitioning for Family Members

USCIS has issued a policy memorandum (PDF, 277.32 KB) directing the phased expansion of in-person interviews for petitioners filing Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition. These additional interviews will provide an opportunity to evaluate a petitioner's credibility, supporting our mission to detect and prevent fraud and risks of harm to the United States and ensure the integrity of the immigration system. Eligibility requirements for Form I-730 benefits remain the same.

USCIS has historically required interviews of all Form I-730 beneficiaries res

USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First Half of FY 2021

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap on H-2B visas for temporary nonagricultural workers for the first half of fiscal year 2021. Nov. 16 was the final receipt date for new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before April 1, 2021. USCIS will reject new cap-subject H-2B petitions received after Nov. 16, that request an employment start date before April 1, 2021.

On Nov. 16, the number of beneficiaries USCIS received petitions for surpassed the total number of remaining H-2B visas available for the H-2B cap for the first half of FY 2021. In accordance with regulations, USCIS determined it was necessary to use a computer-generated process, commonly known as a lottery, to ensure the fair and orderly allocation of H-2B visa numbers to meet, but not exceed, the cap for the f