USCIS

USCIS has revised Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility (Revision Date 04/06/09 N, OMB Expiration Date 04/30/11) to make it easier for applicants to complete. Applicants may now select from a list of grounds of inadmissibility on the form itself and mark all which apply to them in order to request a waiver. In addition to the list, the form includes a section where applicants can describe, in their own words, why they believe they are inadmissible.

On June 25, President Obama announced that in the next 90 days USCIS would launch a vastly improved USCIS.gov public website to help customers navigate the immigration system and remain up-to-date regarding their case status. USCIS has committed to delivering on this promise by incorporating both internal and external stakeholder feedback. 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is reminding the public that beginning Oct. 1, all citizenship applicants must take the new naturalization test, regardless of when they filed their Application for Naturalization (Form N-400).

“Becoming a United States citizen carries with it extraordinary rights and responsibilities,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas.  “Our new test captures the meaning of citizenship and is consistent with our values and history as a nation.” 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that filing location of forms relating to the adoption of a foreign child under the Hague Adoption Convention has changed.  Beginning today, U.S.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)  announced a new address for prospective adoptive parents to submit Form I 600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative, and Form I 600A, Application for Advance Processing of Orphan Petition.  While the change takes affect today, applicants have a 30-day transistion period before USCIS will return incorrectly filed petitions.
 
Applicants were previously required to file at a local USCIS field office.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that a revised Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative (Form G-28) and the new Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney in Matters Outside the Geographical Confines of the United States (Form G-28I) has been issued.

NOTE: The questions/answers below refer to the attachment. Please open the attachment and then read this article.

Q: Why is the wait so long for my employment-based green card?

As of September 18, 2009, approximately 46,000 H-1B cap-subject petitions had been received by USCIS and counted towards the H-1B cap. Approximately 20,000 petitions qualifying for the advanced degree cap exemption had been filed. USCIS will continue to accept both cap-subject petitions and advanced degree petitions until a sufficient number of H-1B petitions have been received to reach the statutory limits.