F2A Category for Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents Retrogresses

Posted by on Sep 24, 2013 in Family Immigration, News, Visa Bulletin | 0 comments In our last newsletter, we reported that the Family-based Category 2A will be current for the months of August and September 2013. This allowed thousands of Lawful Permanent Residents to file applications for residency for their spouses and children under the age of 21. Unfortunately, due to the high demand, as of October 1st, 2013, the F2A category will regress slightly and have a cutoff date of...
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New Process for Verifying Identity at USCIS Interviews

Posted by on Sep 24, 2013 in General, I-485 Adjustment of Status, News, USCIS Office Updates | 0 comments As of September 9, 2013, United Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began using a new verification tool called “Customer Identity Verification” (CIV) at its local field offices.  The new program should be in use at all local offices by October 21st. The purpose of CIV is to provide an additional method of verifying the identity of certain applicants for immigration...
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Only 1% of DACA Cases Denied a Year After Program Inception

Posted by on Sep 24, 2013 in Deferred Action, News | 0 comments One year after the inception of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, The Brookings Institute has assembled data to analyze whether the program is benefitting eligible applicants to provide limited-term protection from deportation. Between August 15, 2012 and June 30, 2013, USCIS accepted 537,662 DACA applications to review. One of the most intriguing findings by the...
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DOS Releases October 2013 Visa Bulletin

Posted by on Sep 12, 2013 in News, Visa Bulletin | 0 comments The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released its October 2013 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin sets forth per country priority dates that regulate the ability of an individual to file an adjustment of status application or consular process at a U.S. Embassy.  Foreign nationals can file the adjustment application if their priority dates are prior to the cutoff dates specified by the DOS in...
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USCIS Approves 10,000 U Visas

Posted by on Sep 12, 2013 in News, U Visa | 0 comments U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has approved the statutory maximum 10,000 petitions for U nonimmigrant status (U visas) for fiscal year 2013. Each year, 10,000 U visas are available for victims of crime who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse and are willing to help law enforcement authorities investigate or prosecute those crimes. A U-visa petition requires...
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