U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has attained the H-2B cap quota for the latter half of fiscal year (FY) 2024 and has delineated the filing dates for supplementary H-2B visas for the remainder of FY 2024, as per the FY 2024 H-2B supplemental visa temporary final rule.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has introduced comprehensive anti-discrimination guidance across the agency, focusing on interactions with the public and reaffirming our commitment to public service principles. 

The updated Policy Manual underscores USCIS's stance against any form of discriminatory treatment towards individuals.

USCIS has initiated the implementation of a streamlined procedure for Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, aimed at expediting the issuance of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) to eligible refugees upon their admission to the United States.

Closure of H-1B Initial Registration Period 

The initial registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap season concluded at noon Eastern Time on March 25, 2024. USCIS will imminently conduct random selections of sufficient unique beneficiaries from correctly submitted registrations to fulfill the FY 2025 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the master's cap exemption.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the reopening of an international field office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The Tegucigalpa Field Office will primarily focus on enhancing refugee processing capacity and facilitating the reunion of individuals with their family members who are already in the United States.

USCIS has decided to prolong the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2025 H-1B cap. Originally slated to conclude at noon Eastern on March 22, 2024, the registration period will now remain open until noon Eastern on March 25, 2024. This extension comes in response to a temporary system outage experienced by certain registrants, and is intended to afford additional time due to this issue.

The USCIS has updated its policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to provide clarity on how expedite requests are evaluated, particularly concerning government interests and emergency situations, including travel-related matters. This update also offers insights into the process of submitting expedite requests and outlines the procedures for handling them.

For the purposes of administering the diversity program under this subsection, the following guidelines apply: (i) Africa. (ii) Asia. (iii) Europe. (iv) North America (excluding Mexico). (v) Oceania. (vi) South America, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

(i) No visas for natives of high-admission states

The percentage of visas allocated under this paragraph to natives of a high-admission state is 0.

(ii) For low-admission states in low-admission regions

Subject to clauses (iv) and (v), the percentage of visas allocated under this paragraph to natives (excluding natives of a high-admission state) in a low-admission region is calculated as the product of:

(I) the percentage determined under subparagraph (C), and

(II) the population ratio for that region determined under subparagraph (D)(ii).

(iii) For low-admission states in high-admission regions

Subject to clauses (iv) and (v), the percentage of visas allocated under this paragraph to natives (excluding natives of a high-admission state) in a high-admission region is calculated as the product of:

(I) 100 percent minus the percentage determined under subparagraph (C), and

(II) the population ratio for that region determined under subparagraph (D)(iii).

(iv) Redistribution of unused visa numbers

If the Secretary of State estimates that the number of immigrant visas to be issued to natives in any region for a fiscal year under this paragraph is less than the number of immigrant visas made available to such natives under this paragraph for the fiscal year, subject to clause (v), the excess visa numbers shall be allocated to natives (excluding natives of a high-admission state) of the other regions in proportion to the percentages otherwise specified in clauses (ii) and (iii).

(v) Limitation on visas for natives of a single foreign state

The percentage of visas allocated under this paragraph to natives of any single foreign state for any fiscal year shall not exceed 7 percent.

(1) In general

Except as provided in paragraph (2), aliens eligible for diversity immigrant visas, subject to the worldwide level specified in section 1151(e) of this title, shall be allocated visas each fiscal year as follows:

(A) Determination of preference immigration

The Attorney General shall determine, based on data available for the most recent previous 5-fiscal-year period, the total number of aliens who are natives of each foreign state and who (i) were admitted or otherwise granted lawful permanent resident status (other than under this subsection), and (ii) were subject to the numerical limitations of section 1151(a) of this title (other than paragraph (3) thereof), or who were admitted or otherwise granted lawful permanent resident status as an immediate relative or other alien described in section 1151(b)(2) of this title.