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Perm processing dates as of 2/28/10.

Release Date: March 9, 2010

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the designation of Greece as a member of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)—strengthening passenger information sharing and ensuring strict security standards while streamlining travel for Greek citizens visiting the United States.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced  that it will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2011 cap on April 1, 2010.  Cases will be considered accepted on the date that USCIS takes possession of a properly filed petition with the correct fee; not the date that the petition is postmarked.

 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an addition to the recently posted filing instructions for the Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition, Form I-824.   The revised instructions include a note in the “Where to File” section, to clarify that applicants who are filing Form I-824 concurrently with another form, should mail their applications according to the filing instructions on the other form.

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification and the Wage and Hour Division have conducted 3 public briefings to advise stakeholders of the contents of the new H-2A Final Rule, which will be effective March 15, 2010. For the materials used in the briefings, click here.

AAO Processing Times as of March 01, 2010.

 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has posted a revised Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant (Form I-360).  The new form is dated “12/30/09,” and due to the changes, no previous versions of the form will be accepted 30 days after publication.

Introduction

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the availability of two different grants designed to help prepare lawful permanent residents (LPRs) for citizenship and advance integration in the United States. This year’s program will make nearly $7 million available for citizenship education in communities across the country.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has posted a revised Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, Form I-485.  In addition to a revised form, there are new filing locations.  The changes are part of an overall effort to transition the intake of USCIS benefit forms from Service Centers to Lockbox facilities.  Centralizing form and fee intake allows USCIS to provide the public more efficient and effective initial processing of applications and fees.

Under normal circumstances, a child immigrating to the United States from Haiti as the adopted orphan child of a U.S. citizen is adopted before leaving Haiti, and is then admitted to the United States with an immigrant visa for Lawful Permanent Residence (LPR) status. The adopted child then acquires citizenship upon entry as specified in section 320 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).