On May 9, USCIS launched a pilot study that offers customers optional checklists to assist in the submission of form packages. The checklists are designed to help customers easily identify what documents they need to include when they initially file an application or petition, and to remind them of the important items needed to complete the form, such as including a signature.
USCIS posted an updated edition of Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver. The new edition is dated 04/25/16.
USCIS announced on May 2, 2016, that it has completed data entry of all fiscal year 2017 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in USCIS's computer-generated random process. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected. Due to the high volume of filings, USCIS is unable to provide a definite time frame for returning these petitions. USCIS asks petitioners not to inquire about the status of submitted cap-subject petitions until they receive a receipt notice or an unselected petition is returned.
The employment-based fourth preference (EB-4) visa limits have been reached for fiscal year 2016 for special immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
On April 13, 2016, USCIS revised Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The revised version is available at uscis.gov/n-400. You may continue to use the 9/13/13 edition of the form until August 9, 2016. USCIS will reject and return previous versions of Form N-400 submitted on or after August 10, 2016.
USCIS offers immigration relief measures for people affected by natural disasters, such as the severe earthquakes that recently occurred in Ecuador, Japan and Burma.
These measures may be available upon request:
On May 12, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin premium processing for cap-subject H-1B petitions requesting premium processing, including petitions seeking an exemption for individuals with a U.S. master’s degree or higher.
USCIS has created a new Workload Transfer Updates page on their website where customers can keep track of workload transfers between the five service centers. Occasionally, USCIS will transfer cases from one service center to another in order to balance workloads and ensure timely processing. In the past, USCIS has issued a Web alert for each transfer. Now, the new Web page will list all of the transfers that USCIS makes as well as any additional information that customers should know about the transfer.
For two weeks after premium processing resumes for H-1B cap-subject petitions, USCIS will not use pre-paid mailers to send out final notices for premium processing H-1B cap-subject petitions. Instead, USCIS will use regular mail. USCIS will be doing this due to resource limitations as work to process all premium processing petitions in a timely manner. After the two week period, USCIS will resume sending out final notices in the pre-paid mailers provided by petitioners.
The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for May 2016 reflects a final action date of January 1, 2010, for EB-4 visas for special immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.