USCIS Proposes New Filing Fees (05/12/2016)
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week a proposal to increase the fees of certain U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) applications. Fee increases generally range from 8 to 60%. However, filing fees related to the EB-5 green card process have been the most dramatic with increases ranging from 145...
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USCIS Announces Expansion of In-Person Interviews
On August 28, 2017, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an expansion of in-person interviews. In compliance with Executive Order 13780, “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States,” this expansion will apply to several types of immigration applications for perman...
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Premium Processing for FY 2018 Cap Petitions Resume
On September 18, 2017, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has resumed premium processing for all H-1B visa petitions selected under the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 cap. Likewise, premium processing has also resumed for the annual 20,000 petitions that are set aside for hiring workers with a U.S...
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USCIS New Policy on Accrual of Unlawful Presence by Students and Exchange Visitors
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is changing how it calculates unlawful presence for F-1, J-1, and M-1 nonimmigrants and their dependents. These changes are designed to clarify how USCIS implements the unlawful presence grounds of inadmissibility. In particular, individuals in F, J, or M status who fail to mai...
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USCIS Confirms Processing Delays for Many Application Types
On June 28, 2018, Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman Julie Kirchner published her most recent annual report to Congress, revealing USCIS’ intensified anti-fraud initiatives as well as confirming processing delays for multiple applications.
The Ombudsman’s Office is an independent entity, created ...
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USCIS Implements Targeted Anti-Fraud Initiatives
On June 28, 2018, Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman Julie Kirchner published her most recent annual report to Congress, revealing USCIS’ intensified anti-fraud initiatives as well as confirming processing delays for multiple applications.
The Ombudsman’s Office is an independent entity, created by Congress, design...
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USCIS Issues New Guidance on Notices to Appear
On June 28, 2018, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provided This new guidance states that USCIS officers will now issues NTAs for a wider range of cases where the individual is removable and there is evidence of fraud, criminal activity, or where an applicant is denied an immigration benefit and is unla...
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Notices to Appear and Harsh Consequences Possible for H and L Holders
According to a recent USCIS will greatly expand its mandate for issuing NTAs without first consulting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). USCIS officers will now issue NTAs and thereby place individuals in removal proceedings upon the denial of an application or petition for immigration benefits if the individual is deemed re...
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New Guidance for No Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny
On July 13, 2018, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provided a According to this new guidance, effective September 11, 2018, USCIS adjudicators will have full discretion to deny applications, petitions, and requests without first receiving a Request for Evidence (RFE) or a Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID),...
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USCIS Postpones Implementation of Guidance on Notices to Appear
Previously, that the United States and Immigration Services (USCIS) provided regarding issuances of Notices to Appear (NTA). Specifically, this new guidance stated that USCIS officers would issue NTAs for a wider range of cases where the individual is removable and there is evidence of fraud, criminal activity, or where the applica...
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