Philadelphia, PA / USA – June 14, 2019: A Vietnam veteran proudly wears an American flag during Flag Day ceremonies at Independence National Historical Park, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Shutterstock) WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will celebrate Independence Day this year by welcoming more than 6,600 new citizens in more than 140 naturalization ceremonies […]
New York, NY – June 1, 2022: Precious Ogwu receives certificate of US citizenship during Memorial Day naturalization ceremony at USCIS New York District Office (Shutterstock) WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) submitted its annual report to Congress which provides recommendations for creating a more effective and efficient […]
By USCIS WASHINGTON— The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the open application period for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, which provides funding for citizenship preparation programs in communities across the country. The program will provide up to $20 million in grants, an increase from $10 million in funding last year. “Through our Citizenship […]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has released two new forms under the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022, which revised INA 203(b)(5). The new forms are: Form I-956F, Application for Approval of an Investment in a Commercial Enterprise, and Form I-956G, Regional Center Annual Statement. Form I-956F is a new form that can only be filed […]
By Emma Winger, Immigration Impact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a temporary rule last week that automatically extends employment authorization for certain noncitizens waiting for USCIS to process their work permit renewal applications. As of December 2021, over 80,000 noncitizens had lost or would soon lose the right to work because of adjudication delays and a growing […]
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) that increases the automatic extension period for employment authorization and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), available to certain EAD renewal applicants, to up to 540 days. The increase, which will be effective immediately on May 4, 2022, will help avoid gaps in employment for noncitizens with pending […]
Washington, DC – October 23, 2017: Immigration reform protesters demonstrate outside the White House calling for no further deportations and a means to gain legal residency and a path to citizenship. (Shutterstock) By Linda Nwoke In December 2019, Trump’s administration decided to slightly modify an immigration condition which they described as a ‘mere clarification ‘that […]
By Andrew Lim, Immigration Impact In February, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reversed Trump administration guidance that limited recognition of marriages performed abroad only to those considered “valid” in the country where they took place. This narrow interpretation of the “place-of-celebration” rule left many refugees and asylees without a way to reunite with their […]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on March 7, 2022 announced that it is updating the USCIS Policy Manual to consider deferred action and related employment authorization for noncitizens who have an approved Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, for Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification but who cannot apply to adjust status […]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Refugee, Asylum and International Operations Directorate (RAIO) announced guidance recognizing that a spousal relationship may exist for the purpose of obtaining derivative refugee or asylee status, in certain circumstances, if there is evidence of an informal marriage. This guidance applies to the adjudication of a pending or newly filed Form I-589, […]