New USCIS Asylum Office to Open in Tampa on Aug. 2

Office will adjudicate asylum claims from Florida residents

TAMPA, Florida—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will open a new asylum office in Tampa on Aug. 2, in response to an increasing asylum workload in Florida. The new office becomes the 11th asylum office in the country and the second in Florida, joining the existing Miami Asylum Office. The Tampa and Miami asylum offices will divide the state's  asylum workload.  

Florida currently leads the country in asylum applications filed with USCIS, and more than a quarter of the national pending caseload is from Florida residents. The addition of the Tampa Asylum Office will help USCIS resolve urgent cases quickly and better address the large number of asylum applications pending with USCIS in the state. 

USCI

DHS Announces Registration Process for Temporary Protected Status for Haiti

Designation Allows Eligible Haitians Who Resided in the U.S. as of July 29 to Apply for TPS and Employment Authorization Documents 

WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security today posted for public inspection a Federal Register notice that provides information about how to register for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas previously announced this 18-month designation of Haiti for TPS on May 22. 

The registration process will open next week when the FRN is publi

USCIS Conducts Second Random Selection from Previously Submitted FY 2022 H-1B Cap Registrations

In March 2021, USCIS conducted an initial random selection on properly submitted electronic registrations for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 H-1B cap, including for beneficiaries eligible for the advanced degree exemption. Per regulation, we use historical data related to approvals, denials, revocations, and other relevant factors to calculate the number of registrations needed to meet the H-1B cap for a given fiscal year. Only those petitioners with selected registrations for FY 2022 are eligible to file H-1B cap-subject petitions. The initial filing period for those with selected registrations for FY 2022 was from April 1, 2021, through June 30, 2021.

We recently determ

Immigration Help Available to Those Affected by Natural Disasters and Other Unforeseen Circumstances

USCIS is reminding the public that we offer immigration services that may help people affected by unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters. Examples of unforeseen circumstances include, but are not limited to, the wildfires in the western United States and the recent building collapse in Surfside, Florida.

The following measures may be available on a case-by-case basis upon request:

• Changing a nonimmigrant status or extending a nonimmigrant stay for an individual currently in the United States. Failure to apply for the extension or change before expiration of your authorized period of admission may be excused if the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control;
• Re-parole of individuals previously granted parole by USCIS;
• Expedited processing of advance parole requests;
• Expedited adjudication of requests f

Employers May File H-2B Petitions for Returning Workers for FY 2021

USCIS is announcing today that employers may file H-2B petitions for returning workers under the FY 2021 H-2B supplemental visa temporary final rule. Employers may take this action if they are likely to suffer irreparable harm without these additional workers. A petitioner must file a new Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, together with an approved and valid temporary labor certification that states an employment start date for the second half of the fiscal

Filing Location Updates for Certain Forms I-131

On July 22, we adjusted the addresses for certain applicants filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. We have not changed any filing locations but have refined attention lines and ZIP codes to improve internal processes at our lockboxes. This address update affects:

• Applicants with a pending Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, who are filing Form I-131 alone with a Form I-485 receipt notice;
• Haitian family members filing for advance parole under the Haitian Family Reunification Parole (HFRP) program;</

TPS Applicants from Five Designated Countries Can Now File Initial Applications Online

WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applicants who are eligible nationals of Burma, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela or Yemen, or individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in one of those countries, can now file Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, online, if they are applying for TPS for the first time.

"USCIS is using innovation and technology to meet the needs of applicants, petitioners and employees," said USCIS Acting Director Tracy L. Renaud. "Regardless of the paper or electronic format of an application or petition, USCIS is committed to ensuring a secure and efficient pr