DHS Offers Protections for Lebanese Nationals Currently in the United States

Certain Lebanese nationals will be eligible for DED and TPS, allowing them to work and temporarily remain in the United States

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is announcing new actions to provide temporary immigration reprieve to eligible Lebanese nationals currently in the United States and allowing them the opportunity to request work authorization. Included in today's announcement are details related to the Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Lebanese nationals as previously announced in July, and a planned new Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Lebanon.

After consultation with interagency partners, Secretary Mayorkas is announcing a new TPS designation for Lebanon for 18 months due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and te

USCIS Updates Guidance on the International Entrepreneur Rule

We have updated guidance on the International Entrepreneur Rule in our Policy Manual to clarify the required triennial increase in investment, revenue, and other thresholds, and to clarify how we arrange biometrics appointments for certain applicants.

The updated guidance reflects the International Entrepreneur Program: Fiscal Year 2025 Automatic Increase of Investment and Revenue Amount Requirements Final Rule published in July of this year. The final rule codifies the automatic adjustment

USCIS Issues New Guidance on EB-1 Eligibility Criteria for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is issuing policy guidance in our Policy Manual to further clarify the types of evidence that we may evaluate to determine eligibility for extraordinary ability (E11) EB-1 immigrant visa classifications.

This policy guidance:

• Confirms that we consider a person's receipt of team awards under the criterion for lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor;
• Clarifies that we consider past memberships under the membership criterion;
• Removes language suggesting published material must demonstrate the value of the person's work and contributions to satisfy the published material criterion; and
• Explains that while the dictionary defines an "exhibition" as a public showing not limited to art, the relevant regulation expressly modifies that term with "ar

USCIS Makes Additional Updates to Policy Guidance for the “Sought to Acquire” Requirement Under the Child Status Protection Act

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating guidance in the Policy Manual (Volume 7, Part A, Chapter 7), to clarify how to calculate the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) age for noncitizens who demonstrate extraordinary circumstances.

The updated guidance:

• Clarifies that the CSPA age calculation of an applicant who established extraordinary circumstances and is excused from the "sought to acquire" re

Visa Bulletin December 2024 Predictions

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

Please see December 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	15NOV15	15NOV15	15NOV15	22MAR05	22APR12
F2A	08APR22	08APR22	08APR22	01JUL21	08APR22
F2B	22MAY16	22MAY16	22MAY16	15OCT05	01DEC11
F3	01JUN10	01JUN10	01JUN10	15JAN01	15SEP02
F4	08AUG07	08AUG07	22MAR06	15MAR01	22MAR04

"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	01NOV17	01NOV17	01NOV17	15OCT05	08JUN15
F2A	15AUG24	15AUG24	15AUG24	15AUG24	15AUG24
F2B	15FEB17	15FEB17	15FEB17	01SEP06	08NOV13
F3	01JUL12	01JUL12	01JUL12	22JUN01	22MAY04
F4	22MAR08	22MAR08	15AUG06	22MAY01	08NOV07

Guidance on Paying Fees and Completing Information for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers

Be sure to provide the correct payment and complete information when filing Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers. Since publishing both a new edition of this form and a new fee rule in April 2024, we have had to reject an unusually high number of Form I-140 petitions at intake because of incorrect fees and missing information. 

When you file Form I-140, provide a payment with your petition for the full $600 Asylum Program Fee, unless you qualify for a reduced Asylum Program Fee of either $300 or $0. If you do not provide the correct Asylum Program Fee, in addition to the $715 filing fee, we may reject your f

November 2024 Visa Bulletin

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

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

November 2024 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from November 1 to November 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	22OCT15	22OCT15	22OCT15	22NOV04	01MAR12
F2A	01JAN22	01JAN22	01JAN22	15APR21	01JAN22
F2B	01MAY16	01MAY16	01MAY16	01JUL05	22OCT11
F3	15APR10	15APR10	15APR10	22OCT00	08SEP02
F4	01AUG07	01AUG07	08MAR06	01MAR01	01FEB04

"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	01OCT05	22APR15
F2A	15JUL24	15JUL24	15JUL24	15JUL24	15JUL24
F2B	01JAN17	01JAN17	01JAN17	01JUL06	01OCT13
F3	22APR12	22APR12	22APR12	15JUN01	08MAY04
F4	01MAR08	01MAR08	01AUG06	30APR01	22JUL07

November 2024 Visa Bulletin Analysis

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

Please see below analysis of November 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	+1 Year 10 Months 21 Days	No Change
F2A	+1 Month 9 Days	+1 Month 9 Days	+1 Month 9 Days	+1 Month 7 Days	+1 Month 9 Days
F2B	No Change	No Change	No Change	+5 Months 17 Days	No Change
F3	+14 Days	+14 Days	+14 Days	+2 Months	No Change
F4	No Change	No Change	+7 Days	+7 Days	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	+11 Months	No Change
F3	+9 Months 21 Days	+9 Months 21 Days	+9 Months 21 Days	No Change	No Change
F4	No Change	No Change	+1 Month 16 Days	No Change	+11 Months 21 Days

USCIS Announces Employment Authorization Procedures for Liberians Covered by Deferred Enforced Departure

Eligible Liberians can now apply for an EAD valid through June 30, 2026

WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today posted a Federal Register notice establishing procedures for Liberians covered by Deferred Enforced Departure to apply for Employment Authorization Documents that will be valid through June 30, 2026.

President Joe Biden issued a <a target='_blank' href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-relea

USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First Half of Fiscal Year 2025

We have received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap on H-2B visas for temporary nonagricultural workers for the first half of fiscal year 2025. Sept. 18 was the final receipt date for new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before April 1, 2025. We will reject new cap-subject H-2B petitions we receive after Sept. 18 that request an employment start date before April 1, 2025.

We are still accepting H-2B petitions that are exempt from the congressionally mandated cap, including:

• Current H-2B workers in the United States who extend their stay, change employers, or change the terms and conditions of their employment;
• Fish roe processors, fish roe technicians, and/or supervisors of fish roe processing; and
• Workers performing labor or services in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and/or