H1B, J1, F1, Visa News – 2024-02-14
Welcome to the weekly news summary related to green card self-petition. This news page tries to capture immigration news that is relevant to self-petition applicants. It tries to gather broad immigration topics that may be of interest to self-petition EB1A, and EB2-NIW applicants. Hope you enjoy the news. All news sources are acknowledged. If you need additional details follow the source link.
News Articles
- March 2024 Visa Bulletin: Minimal Movement in Employment-Based Categories
- USCIS Announces Significant Increase in Immigration Filing Fees Effective April 2024
- Expedited I-130 Form Filing Procedure for U.S. Citizens Abroad Under Exceptional Circumstances
- USCIS Reports Significant Progress in Reducing Backlogs and Improving Efficiency in Fiscal Year 2023
- What is the process for self-petitioning?
- Can I file an NIW petition concurrently with my I-485 adjustment of status application?
- Navigating Legal Representation for U.S. Immigration Matters
- US Senate Introduces Bipartisan National Security Agreement with Immigration Reforms
- Updates on U.S. Immigration Policies: Fee Increases, Border Changes, and Visa Backlog Decreases
March 2024 Visa Bulletin: Minimal Movement in Employment-Based Categories
The U.S. Department of State has released the March 2024 Visa Bulletin. There is little movement in most employment-based categories. The EB1 cutoff date advances to October 1, 2020, for India and July 15, 2022, for China. The EB2 cutoff date remains at March 1, 2012, for India and January 1, 2020, for China. The EB3 cutoff date is unchanged for India and China, set at July 1, 2012, and September 1, 2020, respectively. The EB3 other workers cutoff date for India is also unchanged. The EB4 category cutoff dates move to December 1, 2019, for all countries. The EB5 cutoff date for China and India remains at December 15, 2015, and December 1, 2020, respectively.
Date: 2024/02/09
USCIS Announces Significant Increase in Immigration Filing Fees Effective April 2024
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a final rule that will significantly increase the filing fees for most immigration benefits, effective from April 1, 2024. These changes will impose substantial additional costs on employers who aim to sponsor foreign nationals to live and work in the United States. The fee changes are similar to those initially proposed, with several key modifications. A comprehensive list of the fee changes and additional details about the final rule are available on the USCIS website. Nonprofits are exempt from the Asylum Program Fee. If there are further changes, they will be posted on MurthyDotCom.
Date: 2024/02/09
Expedited I-130 Form Filing Procedure for U.S. Citizens Abroad Under Exceptional Circumstances
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of State (DOS) have an expedited I-130 form filing procedure for U.S. citizens living abroad facing exceptional circumstances. This can reduce processing timelines. The DOS can accept and adjudicate a family-based petition for expedited processing when a standard expedite request with the USCIS is insufficient. Exceptional circumstances can include medical emergencies, job relocations, threats to personal safety, and certain immigration-related situations. Only a U.S. citizen filing an I-130 petition for an immediate relative is eligible to file directly at a U.S. consulate under exceptional circumstances. Both the petitioner and the beneficiary must be physically present in the consular district. The beneficiary must remain in the foreign country throughout the visa processing time.
Date: 2024/02/08
USCIS Reports Significant Progress in Reducing Backlogs and Improving Efficiency in Fiscal Year 2023
In fiscal year 2023, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received 10.9 million filings, completed over 10 million pending cases, and reduced its backlogs by 15%. This marked the first time in over a decade that the backlog was reduced. The agency also naturalized over 857,500 new US citizens, including 12,000 military members, and reduced the median processing time for naturalization requests from 10.5 months to 6.1 months. USCIS implemented several new technology solutions to improve the customer experience, including a self-service tool for rescheduling biometrics appointments and an online system for changing addresses. The agency also issued over 192,000 employment-based immigrant visas and interviewed over 100,000 refugee applicants.
Date: 2024/02/13
What is the process for self-petitioning?
The process for self-petitioning in the EB1A category involves several steps. Idividuals with advanced degrees can take advantage of their educational qualifications and other background work that can help establish their extraordinary ability. Firstly, you need to demonstrate that you meet the criteria of extraordinary ability by providing evidence of sustained national or international acclaim in your field. This can be done through awards, memberships, published material, or a high salary in relation to others in the field. Once you have gathered the evidence, you can file Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker, with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). After the I-140 is approved, you can file Form I-485 to adjust your status to a permanent resident, if you are in the U.S., or apply for an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, if you are outside the U.S.
Date: 2024/02/14
Can I file an NIW petition concurrently with my I-485 adjustment of status application?
Yes, you can file an NIW petition concurrently with your I-485 adjustment of status application. This is called concurrent filing. It is important to note that your I-485 application can only be approved after your NIW petition is approved. However, concurrent filing allows you to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and Advance Parole (AP), which can provide work authorization and travel permission while your applications are pending. For individuals with advanced degrees, the EB2-NIW category is particularly beneficial as it waives the requirement of a job offer and labor certification, allowing them to self-petition. Therefore, concurrent filing could potentially expedite the process of obtaining a green card and working or traveling in the U.S while waiting for your applications to be processed.
Date: 2024/02/14
Navigating Legal Representation for U.S. Immigration Matters
The official .gov websites belong to U.S. government organizations and are secure for sharing sensitive information. For legal representation, an authorized representative must be enlisted. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the American Bar Association provide resources to find such representatives. The representative must file Form G-28 along with the related application. The USCIS will then send case information to both the individual and their representative. It’s important to be aware of scams and ensure that any legal advice comes from an authorized provider. In the U.S., ‘notarios’ or notary publics, are not authorized to provide immigration legal advice.
Date: 2024/02/10
US Senate Introduces Bipartisan National Security Agreement with Immigration Reforms
The US Senate has introduced the bipartisan National Security Agreement, which includes immigration reform measures in line with President Biden’s vision. The bill addresses border security concerns and seeks to expedite work permits to eligible H4 visa holders, introduce ageing-out protection for children of H1B visa professionals, and increase the cap on the number of Green Cards issued annually. The bill, if passed, would benefit 100,000 H4 dependents of H1B visa holders who have completed their immigration visa petitions by providing automatic work permits. The bill also proposes measures to clear the Green Card backlog, including increasing the annual limit of employment-based green cards and facilitating lawful pathways to citizenship.
Date: 2024/02/07
Updates on U.S. Immigration Policies: Fee Increases, Border Changes, and Visa Backlog Decreases
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plans to increase fees for various immigration applications from April 1, 2024. This is the first major fee adjustment since 2016, and it will significantly impact family-based immigration applications. The Supreme Court has sided with the Biden administration, allowing U.S. Customs and Border Protection to remove razor wire fences along the U.S.-Mexico border. Meanwhile, negotiations over a border policy proposal have stalled due to disagreements over the Biden administration’s immigration parole program. Lastly, the Department of State’s National Visa Center reported a 4% decrease in the immigrant visa backlog in December, and a 1% decrease in green card applicants ready for interview.
Date: 2024/02/07
Disclaimer: The summarized content on this webpage is provided for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and may not be applicable to specific situations or circumstances. Always consult the original source links for comprehensive information. This website assumes no liability for any errors.