The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) often issues a variety of inked stamps in the passports of foreign nationals. These stamps are simple in appearance, but the government has long used specialized security ink for such stamps. Starting in the summer of 2014, the...
For some time, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has been taking steps to reduce the processing times for "stand alone" I-130 petitions filed on behalf of immediate relatives - that is, family-based cases filed for the parent, spouse, or (unmarried, minor) child of...
The U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed in an August 27, 2014 teleconference with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) that there are ongoing delays in processing employment authorization document (EAD) applications. Such delays have potentially serious implications for both individuals and employers....
On July 29, 2014, in his first appearance before Congress since becoming Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Leon Rodriguez provided testimony on broad range of issues. Having led the USCIS for less than a month, Director Rodriguez set a positive tone,...
Earlier today, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) advised the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) that, in recent weeks, certain applicants for permanent residency who have already successfully completed biometrics were inadvertently scheduled for a second biometrics appointment. Through AILA, the USCIS stated that...
Since May 2012, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has endeavored to create a secure and paperless work environment allowing for the online submission of requests for immigration benefits. The system is known as the USCIS Electronic Immigration System, or ELIS. A July 2014 report...
During a public teleconference held this afternoon (14.Aug.2014) by the U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS), Director Leon Rodriguez provided a brief update on the status of the proposed rule to make certain H-4 spouses eligible for employment authorization. Director Rodriguez could not provide any...
On July 11, 2014, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum that provides updated guidance to adjudicators to determine whether a particular nursing position meets the H1B category's specialty occupation requirement. This issue was last addressed by the USCIS in 2002. The...
In March 2014, the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Ombudsman recommended a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy change regarding the narrow interpretation of a provision in the law that impacts J-2 spouses of J-1 physicians. Under the USCIS interpretation of the law, these...
Leon Rodriguez was sworn in as the new Director of the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on July 9, 2014, following his confirmation by the U.S. Senate in June. Director Rodriquez is the fourth USCIS Director, since the agency was created in 2003. New...
