OCIVerse 🌍

We are updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part B, Chapter 3, to reflect that immigration medical examination documentation for certain Afghan nationals who arrived in the United States during Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) is valid indefinitely.

We are revising our guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to align with the Classification for Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons; Eligibility for “T” Nonimmigrant Status Final Rule.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is announcing new actions to provide temporary immigration reprieve to eligible Lebanese nationals currently in the United States and allowing them the opportunity to request work authorization.

We have updated guidance on the International Entrepreneur Rule in our Policy Manual to clarify the required triennial increase in investment, revenue, and other thresholds, and to clarify how we arrange biometrics appointments for certain applicants.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is issuing policy guidance in our Policy Manual to further clarify the types of evidence that we may evaluate to determine eligibility for extraordinary ability (E11) EB-1 immigrant visa classifications.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating guidance in the Policy Manual (Volume 7, Part A, Chapter 7), to clarify how to calculate the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) age for noncitizens who demonstrate extraordinary circumstances.

Be sure to provide the correct payment and complete information when filing Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today posted a Federal Register notice establishing procedures for Liberians covered by Deferred Enforced Departure to apply for Employment Authorization Documents that will be valid through June 30, 2026.

We have received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap on H-2B visas for temporary nonagricultural workers for the first half of fiscal year 2025. Sept. 18 was the final receipt date for new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before April 1, 2025.

Effective Sept. 10, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services automatically extended the validity of Permanent Resident Cards (also known as Green Cards) to 36 months for lawful permanent residents who file Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card.

On Aug. 12, the California Service Center (CSC) moved to a new facility as USCIS centralizes processing for immigration benefits.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the opening of an international field office in Quito, Ecuador on Sept. 10. The Quito Field Office will focus on increasing refugee processing capacity, consistent with USCIS commitments under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, and helping reunite individuals with their family members already in the United States.

We are updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding when students may be eligible for optional practical training (OPT) extensions for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

On Aug. 12, the California Service Center will move to a new address. The new facility will help streamline processes by concentrating operations in the new location.

USCIS recently announced that we would need to select additional registrations for unique beneficiaries to reach the fiscal year 2025 H-1B regular cap numerical allocation.

In March, USCIS conducted an initial random selection on properly submitted electronic registrations for the fiscal year 2025 H-1B cap, including for beneficiaries eligible for the advanced degree exemption.

Effective Oct. 1, 2024, we will increase the investment and revenue thresholds under the International Entrepreneur Rule, as required every three years. The application fee will not change, however.

USCIS is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding provisions for children’s acquisition of citizenship.

On June 18, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced actions to promote family unity in the immigration process. This announcement is consistent with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to keep families together. DHS is establishing a process to consider, on a case-by-case basis, requests for parole in place from certain noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens who have been in the U.S. for at least a decade.

We are issuing policy guidance on new provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that cover consequences for noncompliance with the EB-5 Regional Center program.