U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is temporarily waiving the requirement that the civil surgeon sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, no more than 60 days before an applicant files an application for the underlying immigration benefit (including Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), until Sept. 30, 2022.This …
Continue reading USCIS Temporarily Waiving 60-Day Rule for Civil Surgeon Signatures
While having a green card (permanent residence) allows you to live and work in the United States indefinitely, U.S. citizenship affords you many more rights and benefits. Generally, a permanent resident can apply for citizenship 57 months after their green card is issued (33 months for spouses of U.S. citizens). Here are five of the …
Continue reading 10 Reasons Why U.S. Citizenship May Be Right for You (Part 1)
As of Nov. 29, all applicants eligible to file for TPS under one of the current designations may file Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, online. The following countries are currently designated for TPS: Burma (Myanmar)El SalvadorHaitiHondurasNepalNicaraguaSomaliaSouth SudanSudanSyriaVenezuelaYemen First-time TPS applicants and TPS beneficiaries who are re-registering …
In settlement of several lawsuits, the USCIS recently announced significant changes to its policy regarding employment authorization documents (EAD) for certain H-4, E-2, and L-2 dependent spouses. The following policy guidance is effective as of November 12, 2021: The automatic extension rule will apply to renewals of H-4, E-2, and L-2 EAD if (1) the …
Social security cards are available for certain immigrants, including those who have an employment authorization document (EAD) or green card. Recently, the USCIS and the Social Security Administration (SSA) have made it a little easier for EAD and green card applicants to request a social security card. These applicants no longer need to visit their …
Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will exempt filing fees and streamline application processing for Afghan nationals who were paroled into the United States for humanitarian reasons on or after July 30, 2021. These actions will help facilitate their resettlement in the U.S. by streamlining the processing of requests for work …
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will honor Veterans Day this year by holding more than 90 ceremonies naturalizing more than 4,440 current and former members of the military and their families. Each year, on Nov. 11, the nation honors members of the U.S. armed forces who have served our country and defended our freedom. “USCIS …
Continue reading USCIS Commemorates Veterans Day with Special Naturalization Ceremonies
The Department of State publishes immigrant visa availability information in a monthly Visa Bulletin which establishes cut off dates for filing of adjustment of status applications or immigrant visa applications. The cut-off dates are determined based on predictions of immigrant visa demand. The Visa Bulletin contains two different charts, the Application Final Action Dates and …
Continue reading November Visa Bulletin: Retrogression For EB-3 India and China
Due to the pandemic, DHS is seeking public input on its proposed modifications for employers when reviewing I-9 employment eligibility documents: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking comments from employers, employer organizations, employee groups, and other members of the public on document examination practices for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. BackgroundOn March 20, …
On November 8, 2021, the COVID-19 regional travel bans, which prohibited entry into the United States of persons physically present in Brazil, China, India, Iran, Ireland, the Schengen Area, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, will end. Instead, all adult foreign national travelers, with some exceptions, must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. More information about …
Ann Massey Badmus 