USCIS Issues Final Rule to Adjust Certain Immigration and Naturalization Fees

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees for the first time since 2016. The final rule will allow USCIS to recover a greater share of its operating costs and support more timely processing of new applications.

The final rule is the result of a comprehensive fee review, as required by law, and follows the January 2023 publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking. The review concluded that the current fee schedule falls far short in recovering the full cost of agency operations, including the necessary expansion of humanitarian programs, federally mandated pay raises, add

USCIS Changes Fee Payment Process for Filing In-Person

We are starting a new process for most applicants, petitioners, and requestors, and their attorneys and accredited representatives to pay for certain benefit request forms by mail or remotely instead of in person at a field office. Under the new process, applicants may mail either a check or Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, to the field office with their benefit request. Applicants, petitioners, and requestors, and their attorneys and accredited representatives should carefully read the filing instructions to ensure that their benefit request form can be submitted by mail or remotely and that they are filing at the correct location. We will return any incorrect filings to

Secretary Mayorkas Announces Extension and Redesignation of Syria for Temporary Protected Status

Redesignation Allows Additional Eligible Syrian Nationals to Apply for TPS and Employment Authorization Documents 

WASHINGTON – Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas today announced the extension and redesignation of Syria for Temporary Protected Status for 18 months, from April 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions in Syria that prevent individuals from safely returning. The corresponding Federal Register notice provides information about how to register as a new or current beneficiary for TPS under Syria 's extension and redesignation.

Secretary Mayorkas made the decision to extend and redes

USCIS Updates Guidance on Untimely Filed Extension of Stay and Change of Status Requests

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced an update to its Policy Manual providing that USCIS, in our discretion and under certain conditions, may excuse a nonimmigrant's failure to timely file an extension of stay or change of status request if the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the applicant or petitioner.

The update (PDF, 312.15 KB) clarifies th

Visa Bulletin March 2024 Predictions

For official February 2024 Visa Bulletin & Analysis, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2024/visa-bulletin-february-2024.aspx

Please see March 2024 Visa Bulletin Predictions below (for both Family Based and Employment Based categories for all countries):

Let us know in the comments below what your prediction is for March 2024 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	08MAR15	08MAR15	08MAR15	15MAY01	22APR12
F2A	01MAR20	01MAR20	01MAR20	01MAR20	01MAR20
F2B	15NOV15	15NOV15	15NOV15	08JAN04	01DEC11
F3	08MAY09	08MAY09	08MAY09	08OCT98	01JUL02
F4	15JUN07	15JUN07	08DEC05	08OCT00	15NOV02

"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	08OCT17	08OCT17	08OCT17	15JUN05	08JUN15
F2A	22SEP23	22SEP23	22SEP23	01OCT23	22SEP23
F2B	15FEB17	15FEB17	15FEB17	22OCT04	08NOV13
F3	08MAR10	08MAR10	08MAR10	22JUN01	01DEC03
F4	08MAR08	08MAR08	15MAR06	08MAY01	22MAY04

Cap Reached for Additional Returning Worker H-2B Visas for the First Half of FY 2024

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the cap for the additional 20,716 H-2B visas made available for returning workers for the first half of fiscal year 2024 with start dates on or before March 31, 2024, under the H-2B supplemental cap temporary final rule (FY 2024 TFR). Jan.9, 2024, was the final receipt date for petitions requesting supplemental H-2B visas under the FY 2024 first half returning worker allocation.

We are still accepting petitions for H-2B nonimmigrant workers with start dates on or before March 31, 2024, for the additional 20,000 visas allotted for nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, and Costa

USCIS to Launch Organizational Accounts, Enabling Online Collaboration and Submission of H-1B Registrations

Will Also Introduce Online Filing for I-129 H-1B Petitions and H-1B I-907 Premium Processing Service 

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the upcoming launch of a package of customer experience improvements for H-1B cap season. The measures are expected to increase efficiency and ease collaboration for organizations and their legal representatives.

USCIS will launch organizational accounts for non-cap filings and the fiscal year (FY) 2025 H-1B cap season. The introduction of organizational accounts will allow multiple individuals within an organization, such as a company or other business entity, and their legal representatives to collaborate on and prepare H-1B registrations, Form I-129, Petiti

February 2024 Visa Bulletin

For January 2024 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2024/visa-bulletin-january-2024.aspx

For analysis of February 2024 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2024/visa-bulletin-analysis-february-2024.aspx

February 2024 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from February 1 to February 29 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	01JAN15	01JAN15	01JAN15	01MAY01	01MAR12
F2A	08FEB20	08FEB20	08FEB20	01FEB20	08FEB20
F2B	01OCT15	01OCT15	01OCT15	22OCT03	22OCT11
F3	22APR09	22APR09	22APR09	08SEP98	08JUN02
F4	22MAY07	22MAY07	15NOV05	15SEP00	15OCT02

"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	01SEP17	01SEP17	01SEP17	01APR05	22APR15
F2A	01SEP23	01SEP23	01SEP23	01SEP23	01SEP23
F2B	01JAN17	01JAN17	01JAN17	01AUG04	01OCT13
F3	01MAR10	01MAR10	01MAR10	15JUN01	08NOV03
F4	01MAR08	01MAR08	22FEB06	15APR01	22APR04

February 2024 Visa Bulletin Analysis

For February 2024 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2024/visa-bulletin-february-2024.aspx

Please see below analysis of February 2024 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	No Change	No Change
F2A	+3 Months 7 Days	+3 Months 7 Days	+3 Months 7 Days	+3 Months 10 Days	+3 Months 7 Days
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

"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

USCIS Issues Policy Guidance on “Ability to Pay” Requirement When Adjustment of Status Applicants Change Employers

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today issued policy guidance (PDF, 322.3 KB) on how we analyze an employer's ability to pay the proffered wage for immigrant petitions in certain first, second, and third preference employment-based immigrant visa classifications, including instances when the sponsored worker is changing employers. 

Generally, employers seeking to classify prospective or current employees under the first-, second-, and third-preference employment-based immigrant visa classifications that require a job offer must demonstrate their continuing ability to pay the proffered wage to the benefic