USCIS

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds customers affected by Hurricane Sandy of certain U.S. immigration benefits or relief that may be available to them.
USCIS understands that a natural disaster can affect an individual’s ability to maintain lawful immigration status or obtain certain other immigration benefits. Eligible individuals may request or apply for temporary relief measures, including:

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has many avenues for the public to make complaints involving DHS employees or programs, alleged violations of civil rights and civil liberties, immigration filing, travel redress, and other types of grievances. This guide brings together information about these avenues.

Please check attachment.

Department of State (DOS) announced today that the Agreement between the United States of America and

 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) advises the public that Public Law 112-176, signed by the President on Sept. 28, 2012, extends the following USCIS programs until Sept. 30, 2015:

• E-Verify
• Immigrant Investor (EB-5) Pilot Program
• Special immigrant visa category for non-minister special immigrant religious workers
• The date by which J-1 nonimmigrant exchange visitors must obtain that status in order to qualify for the Conrad 30 program.

Program Details

• Canadian TN Nonimmigrants

  On Oct. 1, 2012, USCIS will begin accepting the Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, filed on behalf of Canadian citizens who are outside the United States and seeking classification as a TN nonimmigrant.

  With respect to the TN classification, USCIS currently only accepts Form I-129 in connection with a request to extend a TN nonimmigrant’s stay or to change a nonimmigrant’s status to TN.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) launched a Spanish-language version of I-9 Central, an online resource center designed to provide information and assistance related to the most frequently accessed form on USCIS.gov: Form I-9, Employee Eligibility Verification.

• *USCIS wants to notify customers and stakeholders that some work that USCIS performs at the four USCIS service centers (Vermont, Nebraska, Texas and California) will be transferred to a Field Office or the National Benefits Center (NBC) in order to balance the overall workload with processing capacity. The chart below summarizes these changes.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano has extended Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Next week, the Department of Homeland Security will publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing this decision.

The Federal Register notice will provide additional guidance on:

Do you have questions about the SAVE program?

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds Syrian nationals (and persons without nationality who last habitually resided in Syria) that the registration deadline for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is Sept. 25, 2012.

Syrian nationals who have continuously resided in the United States since March 29, 2012, and who meet other TPS eligibility requirements, must file their applications for TPS with a postmark date no later than Sept. 25, 2012. The TPS designation for Syria will remain in effect through Sept. 30, 2013.