U Visas: Offering Visa Options for Victims of Crime
The U visa is an immigration benefit that can be sought by victims of certain crimes who are currently assisting or have previously assisted law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of a crime, or who are likely to be helpful in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. The U visa provides eligible victims with non-immigrant status to temporarily remain in the United States (U.S.) while assisting law enforcement.
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USCIS Announces New Security Measures for H-1B Visa Process
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a final rule aimed at reinforcing the integrity and fairness of the H-1B visa registration process. The new measures are designed to prevent fraud, equalize selection opportunities, and streamline application procedures. Detailed information includes: 1. Enhanced H-1B Registration Process: • The final rule introduces a beneficiary-centric selection method, meaning applicants will be chosen based on unique individual criteria rather than by
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Domestic H-1B Visa Renewal Pilot Begins January 29, 2024
Overview Program Scope: H-1B principal visa holders only. Purpose: To assess the impact of domestic visa renewals on visa processing capabilities. Selected Missions: Mission India and Mission Canada, representing a global population sample. Eligibility Criteria Time Frame: January 29, 2024 – April 1, 2024. Prior Visa: Issued by Mission Canada (Jan 1, 2020 – Apr 1, 2023) or Mission India (Feb 1, 2021 – Sep 30, 2021). Other
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USCIS Announces new procedures for obtaining Alien Documentation, Identification and Telecommunication (ADIT) Stamp
On March 16, 2023, USCIS announced a new procedure to obtain ADIT stamps, which constitute temporary evidence of permanent residence, typically issued while Form I-90, I-751, or N-400 applications are pending. This new procedure is due to USCIS’s delays in processing these applications. Under the prior procedure, residents were required to call the USCIS Contact Center, request an InfoPass appointment, wait for that appointment to be scheduled, and then attend the appointment
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USCIS Announces End of COVID-Related Flexibilities
Release Date: 03/23/2023 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that certain flexibilities it first announced in March 2020, to address the COVID-19 pandemic will end on March 23, 2023. USCIS previously notified the public in its Jan. 24, 2023, announcement that barring any changes presented by the pandemic, the extension of these flexibilities announced on Jan. 24 would be the last. You must respond to any notices or requests from USCIS
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USCIS recommends immediate (EB-3 to EB-2) interfiling (if eligible)
USCIS has released a statement on January 21, 2022, confirming that there are an exceptionally high number of employment-based visas available for this fiscal year (October 2021 through September 2022). Many more visas are available in the EB-1 & EB-2 categories compared to the number of AOS applications that are currently pending with USCIS. Hence, USCIS recommends that individuals who have the option of interfiling based on EB-2 (I-140) to
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USCIS Conducts Third Random Selection from Previously Submitted FY 2022 H-1B Cap Registrations
USCIS has recently determined that we needed to select additional registrations to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2022 H-1B numerical allocations, including the advanced degree exemption. On Nov. 19, USCIS selected from among previously submitted electronic registrations using a random selection process. The petition filing period based on registrations selected on Nov. 19 will begin on Nov. 22, 2021, and close on Feb. 23, 2022. Individuals with selected registrations will have their myUSCIS accounts updated to include a selection notice, which includes details about when and where to file. H-1B cap-subject petitions must be properly filed
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