Archive for August, 2008

USCIS Creates New Web Page for Redesigned Naturalization Test

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

Do you have a pending application for U.S. citizenship?  Are you hearing 'chatter' about a redesigned civics test and want to know which test will apply to you?  The Immigration Service has designed a new web site that will answer all of our questions, as well as provide you with ...

USCIS Revises Filing Instructions for Application to Remove Conditions on Residency

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has revised the filing instructions for the Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence (Form I-751).  Effective immediately, all petitioners filing a Form I-751 must file with the California or Vermont Service Center, depending on the state in which they reside. Petitioners who live in Alaska, ...

ICE Scraps Scheduled Departure Program

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

Immigration and Customs Enforcement decided to end its Scheduled Departure Program.  We wrote about the enactment of this program a few weeks ago.  It appears that in the nearly three week trial of scheduled departure, only eight people volunteered to leave.  That, of course, is no suprise!  You can read ...

DOS Releases September 2008 Visa Bulletin

Monday, August 18th, 2008

The U.S. Department of State released its September 2008 Visa Bulletin.  As  usual, there is good news and bad news.  The good news is that the employment-based category two (EB2) for nationals of India and China moved forward two months.  The bad news is that the employment-based category three (EB3) ...

Immigration Service Creates Genealogy Program

Sunday, August 17th, 2008

Do you want to know about your family’s immigration history? If so, you can now turn to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for help in researching your family’s immigration history through the agency’s new Genealogy Program. USCIS maintains historical records documenting the arrival and naturalization of millions of immigrants ...

Immigration Service Extends Temporary Protected Status for Sudan

Sunday, August 17th, 2008

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Sudan until May 2, 2010. The extension will offer those who have already been granted TPS an opportunity to re-register and maintain their status for an additional 18 months. TPS does not apply ...

USCIS Updates Naturalization Processing Times

Wednesday, August 13th, 2008

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it anticipates naturalization application processing will average 10-12 months nationally by the end of September 2008. During Fiscal Year 2007, USCIS received 1.4 million naturalization applications, nearly double the normal annual volume. In July alone, USCIS received 460,000 applications for naturalization prior ...

Immigrant Visa Recapture Bill Introduced in Senate

Friday, August 8th, 2008

A bill (S.3414) that would recapture family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant visas lost to bureaucratic delays was introduced in the U.S. Senate.  Similar to the bill passed by the House Judiciary Subcommittee, this bill would also prevent loses of family and employment-based immigrant visas in the future.   To read the entire ...

New U.S. Passport Card ‘OK’ For Employment Eligibility (I-9)

Friday, August 8th, 2008

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is informing the public that the new U.S. Passport Card may be used in the Employment Eligibility Verification form (I-9) process.  Last month, the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security announced that the new passport card was in full production.  The new card provides a ...

ICE Announces Scheduled Departure Program

Thursday, August 7th, 2008

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the launch of a pilot program, Scheduled Departure, which is often referred to as the “turn yourself in” program.  It will initially begin in five cities. The program allows fugitive aliens who have no criminal history and pose no threat to the community ...