USCIS Announces New Guidance on Form I-693 Validity Period

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced (PDF, 317.28 KB) that any Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, that was properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon on or after Nov. 1, 2023, does not expire and can be used indefinite

USCIS Increases Automatic Extension of Certain Employment Authorization Documents to Improve Access to Work Permits

WASHINGTON— Building on extensive modernization efforts that have streamlined and improved access to work permits for eligible noncitizens, USCIS today announced a temporary final rule (TFR) to increase the automatic extension period for certain employment authorization documents (EADs) from up to 180 days to up to 540 days. This announcement follows improvements that have reduced processing times for EADs significantly over the past year.

The temporary measure announced today will prevent already work-authorized noncitizens from having their employment authorization and documentation lapse while waiting for USCIS to adjudicate their pending EAD renewal applications and bette

Notice of FY 2025 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Selection Process Completion and Cap Season Reminders

H-1B Initial Electronic Registration Selection Process Completed

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough electronic registrations for unique beneficiaries during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2025 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master's cap). We have randomly selected enough properly submitted registrations for unique beneficiaries projected as needed to reach the H-1B cap and have notified all prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for such beneficiaries.

Registrants' online accounts will now show one of the following statuses for each registration (that is, for each beneficiary registered):

• Submitted: The registration has been submitted and is eligible f

Visa Bulletin June 2024 Predictions

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

Please see June 2024 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	01AUG15	01AUG15	01AUG15	01NOV01	22APR12
F2A	22JUN21	22JUN21	22JUN21	15JAN21	22JUN21
F2B	15APR16	15APR16	15APR16	01JUN04	01DEC11
F3	08FEB10	08FEB10	08FEB10	15SEP99	22AUG02
F4	01AUG07	01AUG07	01FEB06	08FEB01	15OCT03

"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	22SEP17	22SEP17	22SEP17	15JUN05	08JUN15
F2A	22SEP23	22SEP23	22SEP23	01OCT23	22SEP23
F2B	15FEB17	15FEB17	15FEB17	01DEC04	08NOV13
F3	08JUN10	08JUN10	08JUN10	22JUN01	01DEC03
F4	22MAR08	22MAR08	22JUN06	15MAY01	08JUL05

USCIS Provides Third Gender Option on Form N-400

We have revised Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, to provide a third gender option, "X," defined as "Another Gender Identity." We are also updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual accordingly to account for this form revision and other forthcoming form revisions that will add a third gender option; see the Policy Alert (PDF, 344.77 KB).

The 04/01/24 edition of Form N-400 will be the first USCIS form to include the X ge

USCIS Revises Policy Manual to Align with New Fee Rule

We are revising our guidance (PDF, 364.37 KB) in the USCIS Policy Manual to align with the Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements Final Rule published in the Federal Register on Jan. 31, 2024, and effective on April 1, 2024.

Revisions to the policy manual apply to all applications and petitions postmarked on or after April 1.

We will use the postmark date of a filing to determine whic

USCIS Announces Filing Location Change for Certain Employment-Based I-485 and Related Forms

On, April 1, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is changing the filing location for concurrently filed Forms I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service; I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker; and I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and for related Forms I-131, Application for Travel Document; <a target='_blank' href="https://www.uscis.gov/i-765" target="_blank" r

New Citizens Will Be Able to Seamlessly Request Social Security Updates

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that, starting April 1, applicants filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, will have the option to request an original or replacement Social Security number (SSN) or card and update their immigration status with the Social Security Administration (SSA) without having to visit an SSA office.

Noncitizens applying for naturalization using the new edition of Form N-400 (edition date 04/01/24) will be able to request an SSN or replacement card when submitting Form N-400. New citizens may no longer need to visit an SSA field office to apply for an SSN or replacement card or to provide documentation as evidence of their new U.S. citizenship statu

H-1B Form I-129 Filing Location Change and FY 2025 H-1B Cap Season Updates and Reminders

H-1B Initial Registration Period Closed

The initial registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap season closed at noon Eastern on March 25, 2024. USCIS will soon randomly select enough unique beneficiaries of properly submitted registrations projected as needed to reach the FY 2025 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master's cap), and will notify all prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for such beneficiaries. We will issue another web alert when this process has been completed.

H-1B Form I-129 Filing Location Change to Lockbox

Starting April 1, 2024, H-1B and H-1B1 (HSC) Form I-129 petitions must no longer be filed at the USCIS service centers. All paper-based H-1B and H-1B1 (HSC) Form I-129 petitions must be filed

May 2024 Visa Bulletin

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

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

May 2024 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from May 1 to May 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	08JUL15	08JUL15	08JUL15	15OCT01	01MAR12
F2A	01JUN21	01JUN21	01JUN21	08NOV20	01JUN21
F2B	01APR16	01APR16	01APR16	01MAR04	22OCT11
F3	01JAN10	01JAN10	01JAN10	22JUL99	01AUG02
F4	22JUL07	22JUL07	15JAN06	22JAN01	08SEP03

"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	01SEP04	01OCT13
F3	01JUN10	01JUN10	01JUN10	15JUN01	08NOV03
F4	01MAR08	01MAR08	15JUN06	22APR01	01JUN05

May 2024 Visa Bulletin Analysis

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

Please see below analysis of May 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	+5 Months	+5 Months	+5 Months	+5 Months 14 Days	No Change
F2A	+8 Months 23 Days	+8 Months 23 Days	+8 Months 23 Days	+2 Months 24 Days	+8 Months 23 Days
F2B	+4 Months 9 Days	+4 Months 9 Days	+4 Months 9 Days	+4 Months 10 Days	No Change
F3	+3 Months	+3 Months	+3 Months	+10 Months 14 Days	+1 Month 23 Days
F4	+1 Month 14 Days	+1 Month 14 Days	+1 Month	+3 Months 7 Days	+2 Months 23 Days

"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	+1 Month	No Change
F3	+3 Months	+3 Months	+3 Months	No Change	No Change
F4	No Change	No Change	+2 Months 7 Days	+7 Days	+1 Month 9 Days