USCIS Automatically Extends Employment Authorization Documents Through September 2009 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) automatically extendes the employment authorization for six months, through Sept. 30, 2009, for qualified Liberians and those persons without nationality who last habitually resided in Liberia, who are covered under Deferred Enforced Departure (DED). This action was taken in response [...] Read more »
Questions and Answers: USCIS Initiates Procedures for Unaccompanied Children Seeking Asylum
Introduction U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is now responsible for initial adjudication of applications for asylum from Unaccompanied Alien Children, (UAC). The new procedures were created to carry out the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA). The TVPRA provides USCIS with initial jurisdiction over any asylum applications filed by unaccompanied [...] Read more »
USCIS Lists Foreign Countries and Geographic Entities Having No Available Child Abuse Registries
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reminds customers preparing paperwork for adoptions from Hague Convention countries of the need to check available child abuse registries for potential adoptive parents and other adult household members who have lived in foreign countries. This is a reporting requirement for the home study which must be attached to the Form [...] Read more »
Questions and Answers: Employ American Workers Act and its Effect on H-1B Petitions
Introduction U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced additional requirements for employers, who receive funds through the Troubled Asset Relief Program or under section 13 of the Federal Reserve Act before they may hire a foreign national to work in the H-1B specialty occupation category. Background On Feb. 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law [...] Read more »
USCIS to Accept H-1B Petitions for FY 2010 Beginning April 1, 2009
Petitioners Are Reminded to Follow Regulatory Requirements U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year 2010 (FY 2010) cap on April 1, 2009. Cases will be considered accepted on the date that USCIS takes possession of the petition; not the date that the petition is postmarked. The [...] Read more »
USCIS Announces New Requirements for Hiring H-1B Foreign Workers
Changes Apply to Companies that Receive TARP Funding U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced additional requirements for employers, who receive funds through the Troubled Asset Relief Program or under section 13 of the Federal Reserve Act (covered funding), before they may hire a foreign national to work in the H-1B specialty occupation category. The [...] Read more »
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) requires all citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer’s identity and nationality to enter or depart the United States from within the Western Hemisphere. The travel document requirements make up the departments of State and [...] Read more »
USCIS Announces $1.2 Million Citizenship Grant Program
Up to 12 Grants Offered to Community-Based Organizations Serving Immigrant Population U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that a competitive grant program is being offered through Grants.gov for a $1.2 million grant program to support citizenship preparation programs for legal permanent residents. USCIS, through the competitive grant program, will provide funding to community-based organizations [...] Read more »
USCIS Adds Passport Data in E-Verify Process for Foreign-Born Citizens
Enhancement Reducing Tentative Nonconfirmations Last month, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) incorporated Department of State passport data into the E-Verify employment authorization program. This enhancement is already reducing the incidences of mismatches among foreign-born citizens. A September 2007 E-Verify program evaluation found that foreign-born citizens were more likely to receive mismatches, known as Tentative [...] Read more »
Intercountry Adoption — Adoption Alert, Kyrgyzstan
The U.S. Department of State does not recommend that U.S. citizens consider adoption from Kyrgyzstan at this time. Currently, no adoption cases are being processed, including at least sixty-five adoption cases by U.S. citizens already in progress. In addition, the Kyrgyz government is considering significant changes to its adoption regulations. The Kyrgyz Government has formed [...] Read more »
