USCIS Increases Periods of Stay for Trade NAFTA Professional Workers from Canada and Mexico

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)has increased the maximum period of time a Trade-NAFTA (TN) professional worker from Canada or Mexico may remain in the United States before seeking readmission or obtaining an extension of stay. This final rule changes theinitial period of admission for TN workers from one to three years, making itequal to the initial period of admission given to H-1B professional workers.Eligible TN nonimmigrant’s may now be allowed to receive extensions of stay in increments of up to three years instead of the prior maximum period of stay ofone year...More

USCIS Reminds Customers - Use Correct Edition of Form I-765 to Request Employment Authorization

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds its customers touse the correct version of the Application for Employment Authorization (FormI-765) dated 05/27/08. The edition date appears in the lower right hand cornerof the form as "Form I-765 (Rev. 05/27/08)...More

USCIS to Offer Premium Processing For Certain Form I-140 Petitions

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that on June 16, 2008, it will begin accepting Premium Processing Service requests for Forms I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) filed on behalf of certain alien workers who are nearing the end of their sixth year in H-1B nonimmigrant status...More

USCIS to Issue Two-Year Employment Authorization Documents

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that beginning on June 30, 2008 it will issue Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) valid for two years...More

Form I-751 to be filed with the California or Vermont Service Centers

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will soon be revising the filing instructions for the Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence ( Form I-751) to require filing at the California or Vermont Service Centers, where all Forms I-751 are currently adjudicated. The adjudication functions for these petitions have already been assigned to these locations in anticipation of this change...More

USCIS Issues Revised Guidance on The Applicability of the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)

The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) amended the Immigration Nationality Act by changing how an alien is determined to be a child for purposes of immigrant classification. The Act permits an applicant for certain benefits to retain classification as a "child", even if he or she has reached the age of 21...More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today conducted the computer-generated random selection processes on H-1B petitions, to select which H-1B petitions for fiscal year 2009 (FY 2009) would continue to full adjudication. If approved these H-1B petitions will be eligible to receive an H-1B visa number... More 

Extension Of Optional Training Program for Qualified Students

Regulations Relating to Practical Training:

What is optional practical training?

Optional Practical Training (OPT) is temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student's major area of study. Under the prior rules, an -1 student could be authorized to receive up to a total of 12 months of practical training either before (pre-) and/or after (post-) completion of studies. ...More

Short-term, Immediate Measure for Beneficiaries of Selected H-1B Petitions

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it would allow F-1 students who are the beneficiaries of selected H-1B petitions for fiscal year (FY) 2009 to request a change of status in lieu of consular notification...More

USCIS Announces A Proposal To Increase Periods of Stay For TN Professional Workers From Canada Or Mexico

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it is publishing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to increase the maximum amount of time a Trade-NAFTA (TN) professional worker from Canada or Mexico can remain in the United States before seeking readmission or obtaining an extension of stay. The proposal will extend the maximum period of admission for TN workers from one year to three years, the same term that USCIS currently may grant to H-1B specialty occupation workers...More

USCIS Modifies Application For Employment Authorization 

Previous Versions of Form I-765 Accepted until July 8, 2008

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has revised Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. The form now includes additional eligibility codes. These changes have been made in accordance with the Department of Homeland Security's recent interim final rule regarding ...More

E-VERIFY Strengthening the Employment Eligibility Document Review Process for the Nation's Employers

E-Verify (formerly known as the Basic Pilot/Employment Eligibility Verification Program) is an Internet-based system operated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees...More