DHS Publishes Federal Register Notice Designating Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status

Eligible Lebanese Nationals May Apply for TPS and Employment Authorization Documents

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security today posted a Federal Register notice designating Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status for 18 months. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced on Oct. 17, 2024, the designation of Lebanon for TPS. The corresponding FRN provides information about how to register for TPS under this designation.

The designation of Lebanon for TPS allows an estimated 11,000 Lebanese nationals (and individuals having no

USCIS Updates Guidance on Determining Custody for Children Acquiring U.S. Citizenship

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration and Services is issuing guidance regarding the legal and physical custody requirements for purposes of acquisition of U.S. citizenship under section 320 and naturalization under section 322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). We are also expanding guidance on derivation of citizenship before the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, under former INA section 321.

The update clarifies and expands the current guidance on determining legal and physical custody of children of U.S. citizens for acquisition of citizenship purposes. Specifically, the updated guidance:

• Expands guidance on when USCIS considers a child to be in the legal custody of the U.S. citizen parent, clarifies the effect of a nunc pro tunc (retroactive) correction of a custody order, and clarifies when USCIS may recognize private custody agreements;
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DHS Announces Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (State), has announced the lists of countries whose nationals are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs for the next 12 months. The notice listing the eligible countries was published in the Federal Register on Nov. 8, 2024.

Effective Nov. 8, 2024, the Secretary of Homeland Security, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, has decided to:

• Add Belize to the list of countries eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B programs.
• Not remove any country previously designated to be eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B programs.

DHS,

Visa Bulletin January 2025 Predictions

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

Please see January 2025 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	15MAR22	15MAR22	15MAR22	01JUN21	15MAR22
F2B	22MAY16	22MAY16	22MAY16	01SEP05	01DEC11
F3	15MAY10	15MAY10	15MAY10	01JAN01	15SEP02
F4	22AUG07	22AUG07	15MAR06	15MAR01	15MAR04

"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

DHS to Supplement H-2B Cap with Nearly 65,000 Additional Visas for Fiscal Year 2025

Increase Will Help Address the Need for Seasonal Workers and Reduce Irregular Migration

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL), announced that it expects to make an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas available for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, on top of the congressionally mandated 66,000 H-2B visas that are available each fiscal year. These additional H-2B visas represent the maximum permitted under the authority provided by Congress and are identical to the additional temporary visas provided in FY 2024. DHS, in coordination with DOL, has authorized supplemental cap numbers in FY 2017, FY 2018, FY 2019, FY 2021, FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024 in accordance with the time-limited statutory authority granted for each of those fiscal yea

USCIS Updates Guidance on Lawful Admission for Permanent Residence Requirement for Naturalization

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify that a naturalization applicant's burden to demonstrate they have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence applies only to their initial admission as a lawful permanent resident (LPR) or adjustment to LPR status.

USCIS is updating Volume 12, Part D, Chapter 2 in the Policy Manual to clarify that an applicant for naturalization must show that they have been lawfully admitted to the U

Immigration Medical Examination Documentation Will Be Valid Indefinitely for Certain Afghan Nationals

We are updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part B, Chapter 3, to reflect that immigration medical examination documentation for certain Afghan nationals who arrived in the United States during Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) is valid indefinitely. This means that Afghan nationals who arrived in the United States during OAW and meet certain conditions will not have to repeat an immigration medical examination when they apply to adjust their status to lawful permanent resident (also known as getting a Green Card).

This updated guidance is effective immediately and applies to any <a target='_blank' href="https://www.uscis.gov/i-485" data-entity-typ

December 2024 Visa Bulletin

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

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

December 2024 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from December 1 to December 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	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

December 2024 Visa Bulletin Analysis

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

Please see below analysis of December 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	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

"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 Updates Policy Manual Guidance for T Visa

We are revising our guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to align with the Classification for Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons; Eligibility for "T" Nonimmigrant Status Final Rule. This rule was published in the Federal Register on April 30, 2024.

T nonimmigra