On November 19th, 2018 SPS Immigration posted on how USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna stated that USCIS would cease denying Advance Parole applications when a foreign national travels internationally. Director Cissna stated that USCIS would notify the public when it implemented this change.
USCIS recently updated the form instructions to Form I-131, confirming this policy shift back […]
During the USCIS Ombudsman Annual Conference on November 16, 2018, USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna confirmed that USCIS will end its recently-adopted practice of denying pending Advance Parole applications (Form I-131) when an applicant travels abroad during the time the Advance Parole is pending at USCIS. USCIS had previously, for years, adjudicated Advance Parole documents […]
USCIS announced Tuesday, October 16th, 2018, that it is updating its policy manual to extend the validity date of Medical Exams (Form I-693) from one year to two years. This change begins November 1, 2018. It is important to note that medical exams will be valid for a two-year period following the date the civil […]
In an unpublished notice today in the Federal Registrar, USCIS announced that it is increasing the Premium Processing fee 14.92% from $1225 to $1410. This increase will likely take effect October 1, 2018, or 30 days after the notice is formally published in the Federal Registrar, which is expected to be August 31, 2018.
The […]
Today, August 28th, 2018, USCIS announced that it is extending and expanding its previously announced temporary suspension of premium processing for cap-subject H-1B petitions. Beginning September 11, 2018, USCIS is extending the premium processing suspension through February 19, 2019, and expanding it to all H-1B Petitions except those that meet the following criteria:
Monday, July 30, 2018, USCIS announced that it is delaying implementation of its June 28th Notice to Appear memo until it has finagled and implemented operational guidance.
SPS previously wrote on this memo, and its serious impact on business immigration matters. Once USCIS finalizes operational guidance, it will announce the new implementation of […]
In a policy memorandum dated June 28th, 2018, USCIS announced a dramatic change in practice on how it will proceed with denied employment based cases. USCIS announced that it will now issue a Notice to Appear (“NTA”) in employment-based immigration cases where there is evidence of fraud, criminal activity, or where an applicant is denied […]
In direct contradiction to prior statements, Tuesday, March 20th, 2018, USCIS announced that it is suspending the premium processing service on all H-1B cap cases until September 10, 2018. USCIS confirmed that it will continue to honor its existing criteria to request an expedite on a case. USCIS also confirmed that non-cap cases may […]
The Washington Post announced Friday, March 16, 2018, that USCIS is in the process of establishing a new internal oversight division to oversee the way adjudicators handle their cases. The Washington Post obtained this information from staffers and internal documents.
USCIS’ Organization of Professional Responsibility will have three divisions, including an Investigations Division to “manage the […]
By midnight, January 20th, 2018, the U.S. Congress failed to pass a budget which effectively shut down the federal government. While certain “essential” government positions remain unaffected, such as the U.S. military, the impact on the U.S. immigration system for employers and employees is significant. What follows is a brief breakdown of the impact on […]
