Release Date: 01/12/2024

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reached the cap for the additional 20,716 H-2B visas designated for returning workers in the first half of fiscal year 2024, with start dates on or before March 31, 2024. This allocation was made available under the H-2B supplemental cap temporary final rule (FY 2024 TFR). The final receipt date for petitions seeking supplemental H-2B visas under the FY 2024 first-half returning worker allocation was January 9, 2024.

While the cap for returning workers has been met, USCIS continues to accept petitions for H-2B nonimmigrant workers with start dates on or before March 31, 2024. This includes the additional 20,000 visas allotted for nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, and Costa Rica (country-specific allocation), as well as those exempt from the congressionally mandated cap.

As of today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented changes to the filing location for certain affirmative asylum applications submitted by mail. This alteration is expected to streamline asylum processing and enhance adjudication efficiency by transitioning to a digital filing system.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the enlargement of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, offering financial support for citizenship preparation initiatives nationwide. The program, now open for submissions, allocates up to $25 million in grants to aid immigrants in their naturalization journey and foster civic integration by enhancing proficiency in English, U.S. history, and civics.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is enhancing the guidance in our Policy Manual to provide clarity on voter registration accessibility during administrative naturalization ceremonies.

The updated guidance:

Confirms USCIS's commitment to offering voter registration services at every administrative naturalization ceremony, including details about voting points-of-contact and voter registration;

States that USCIS offices request the presence of election officials from state or local government election offices at ceremonies to manage the distribution, collection, and review of voter registration applications, and to officially register new citizens to vote;

Reiterates that USCIS offices collaborate with non-partisan, non-governmental organizations for voter registration services when state and local government election officials are unavailable; and

Specifies that, where feasible, USCIS offices extend invitations to governmental or non-governmental organizations providing on-site voter registration services to introduce themselves and address the naturalization candidates before the ceremony.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is releasing revised instructions for asylum applications filed by individuals whose removal proceedings were dismissed or terminated by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

Effective October 16, 2023, if your removal proceedings were dismissed or terminated by EOIR and you opt to pursue an asylum claim, you must submit the current version of Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, to the USCIS lockbox that has jurisdiction over your place of residence.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released policy guidance addressing the F and M student nonimmigrant classifications, outlining the agency's role in processing applications for employment authorization, change of status, extension of stay, and reinstatement of status for these students and their dependents within the United States.

Effective November 1, 2023, all H-2A, H-2B, CNMI-related Form I-129 petitions, Form I-129CW petitions, and CNMI-related Form I-539 applications must be submitted directly to the Texas Service Center.

To facilitate a smooth transition, there will be a 60-day grace period, allowing forms filed at the California Service Center (CSC) or Vermont Service Center (VSC) during this period to be accepted, and misdirected forms will not be rejected.

Our Suitability and Home Study Information page provides valuable insights for prospective adoptive parents and adoption service providers involved in Hague Convention adoptions.

Form I-800A Requirements: Complete Form I-800A, Supplement 1, Listing of Adult Member of the Household, for each adult residing in your household.

Please refrain from including this checklist with your Form I-800A. It serves as an optional tool to aid you in preparing your form but does not substitute statutory, regulatory, and form instruction requirements. We strongly advise reviewing these requirements before completing and submitting your form.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued new policy guidance (PDF, 322.3 KB) outlining the assessment of an employer's ability to pay the proffered wage for immigrant petitions. This applies to specific employment-based immigrant visa classifications (first, second, and third preferences), particularly in cases where the sponsored worker decides to change employers.