USCIS Official Updates

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is honoring its dedicated workforce during Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) 2024. Celebrated annually during the first full week in May since 1985, PSRW is a time set aside to honor those who serve our nation as federal, state, county, and local government employees.   

Effective April 1, 2024, we centralized the intake process of Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, and related filings under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) for self-petitioning abused spouses, children, and parents at the Nebraska Service Center.

We have issued policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual clarifying when H-3 nonimmigrants may participate in training provided on the property of an academic or vocational institution.

USCIS’ San Francisco Asylum Office is opening an additional temporary location in Oakland, California. Effective May 15, 2024, asylum applicants under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Asylum Office may receive an interview notice to appear at the asylum office located in Oakland instead of San Francisco.

Effective May 22, 2024, we are updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual on family-based immigrant visa petitions (including Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative and, in limited situations, family-based Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant), including explaining how we handle correcting approval notice errors, requests for consular processing or adjustment of status on the beneficiary’s behalf, and routing procedures for approved petitions.

Effective May 6, 2024, all Forms I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition, filed for following to join refugees (FTJ-R) are being processed at the USCIS International Operations Division rather than the Asylum Vetting Center.

We are updating the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify how certain petitioners for special immigrant juvenile (SIJ) classification (or their representatives) may file Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widower, or Special Immigrant.

USCIS is issuing  guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual that interprets that the confidentiality protections under 8 U.S.C. 1367 end at naturalization, which will allow naturalized U.S. citizens previously protected under 8 U.S.C. 1367 (specifically, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitioners and those seeking or with approved T and U nonimmigrant status) the ability to fully access e-filing and other customer service tools.

Effective June 14, 2024, we have updated the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 5, Part D, to clarify how prospective adoptive parents can adopt a child under the Hague Adoption Convention.

We are extending the validity of certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) issued to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries under the designations of El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua and Sudan through March 9, 2025.

We have implemented provisions in the USCIS Policy Manual that provide guidance on customer service and safe address procedures for individuals protected under 8 U.S.C. 1367.

We are issuing policy guidance on new provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) that cover consequences for noncompliance with the EB-5 Regional Center program.

On June 18, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced actions to promote family unity in the immigration process. This announcement is consistent with the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to keep families together. DHS is establishing a process to consider, on a case-by-case basis, requests for parole in place from certain noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens who have been in the U.S. for at least a decade.

USCIS is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding provisions for children’s acquisition of citizenship.

Effective Oct. 1, 2024, we will increase the investment and revenue thresholds under the International Entrepreneur Rule, as required every three years. The application fee will not change, however.

In March, USCIS conducted an initial random selection on properly submitted electronic registrations for the fiscal year 2025 H-1B cap, including for beneficiaries eligible for the advanced degree exemption.

USCIS recently announced that we would need to select additional registrations for unique beneficiaries to reach the fiscal year 2025 H-1B regular cap numerical allocation.

On Aug. 12, the California Service Center will move to a new address. The new facility will help streamline processes by concentrating operations in the new location.

We are updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding when students may be eligible for optional practical training (OPT) extensions for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the opening of an international field office in Quito, Ecuador on Sept. 10. The Quito Field Office will focus on increasing refugee processing capacity, consistent with USCIS commitments under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, and helping reunite individuals with their family members already in the United States.