USCIS has updated Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, to include a third gender option, denoted as “X” and defined as “Another Gender Identity.” Concurrently, USCIS is revising the USCIS Policy Manual to accommodate this form update and forthcoming revisions that will incorporate a third gender option.

WASHINGTON— In a continued effort to modernize and enhance access to work permits for eligible noncitizens, USCIS has introduced a temporary final rule (TFR) aimed at extending the automatic extension period for specific employment authorization documents (EADs) from up to 180 days to a maximum of 540 days.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has released new guidelines (PDF, 317.28 KB) regarding the validity period of Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. Effective November 1, 2023, any Form I-693 that has been appropriately completed and signed by a civil surgeon will no longer have an expiration date and can be utilized indefinitely as evidence to demonstrate the applicant's non-inadmissibility on health-related grounds.

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.