DHS to Begin Screening Aliens’ Social Media Activity for Antisemitism

posted on: April 14, 2025

WASHINGTON— Today U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin considering aliens’ antisemitic activity on social media and the physical harassment of Jewish individuals as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests. This will immediately affect aliens applying for lawful permanent resident status, foreign students and aliens affiliated with educational institutions linked to antisemitic activity. Consistent […]

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IRAP Explainer on the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) Suspension

posted on: March 21, 2025

On January 20, 2025, the Trump Administration issued an executive order (EO) titled “Realigning the United States Refugee Admissions Program.” The order suspended final decisions on refugee cases and refugee entries to the United States; shortly thereafter, the Departments of State, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services indefinitely suspended new applications, case processing, and […]

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H-1B Final Rule, H-2 Final Rule, and Revised Form I-129 Effective Jan. 17, 2025

posted on: January 17, 2025

The Department of Homeland Security’s H-1B final rule and H-2 final rule take effect on Friday, January 17, 2025, modernizing and improving requirements for the H-1B nonimmigrant and H-2 nonimmigrant visa programs. USCIS will also publish a revised Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (edition date 01/17/25) on Jan. 17, reflecting combined changes associated with the two final rules. As previously […]

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USCIS Updates Guidance on EB-2 National Interest Waiver Petitions

posted on: January 15, 2025

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating its policy guidance to clarify how we evaluate eligibility for the second preference employment-based (EB-2) classification for immigrant petitions filed with a request for a national interest waiver (NIW). In general, an employer files an EB-2 petition using Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, after obtaining a labor certification from the Department of […]

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USCIS Updates Guidance on Determining Custody for Children Acquiring U.S. Citizenship

posted on: November 19, 2024

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration and Services is issuing guidance regarding the legal and physical custody requirements for purposes of acquisition of U.S. citizenship under section 320 and naturalization under section 322 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). We are also expanding guidance on derivation of citizenship before the Child Citizenship Act of 2000, under […]

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Immigration Medical Examination Documentation Will Be Valid Indefinitely for Certain Afghan Nationals

posted on: November 13, 2024

We are updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part B, Chapter 3, to reflect that immigration medical examination documentation for certain Afghan nationals who arrived in the United States during Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) is valid indefinitely. This means that Afghan nationals who arrived in the United States during OAW and meet certain […]

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USCIS Updates Guidance on the International Entrepreneur Rule

posted on: October 18, 2024

We have updated guidance on the International Entrepreneur Rule in our Policy Manual to clarify the required triennial increase in investment, revenue, and other thresholds, and to clarify how we arrange biometrics appointments for certain applicants. The updated guidance reflects the International Entrepreneur Program: Fiscal Year 2025 Automatic Increase of Investment and Revenue Amount Requirements Final Rule published in […]

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USCIS Issues New Guidance on EB-1 Eligibility Criteria for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability

posted on: October 3, 2024

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is issuing policy guidance in our Policy Manual to further clarify the types of evidence that we may evaluate to determine eligibility for extraordinary ability (E11) EB-1 immigrant visa classifications. This policy guidance: Confirms that we consider a person’s receipt of team awards under the criterion for lesser nationally or […]

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USCIS Extends Certain Fee Exemptions and Expedited Processing for Afghan Nationals

posted on: September 27, 2024

Today, in continued support of Enduring Welcome, and by congressional directive, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced it is extending and expanding some previously announced filing fee exemptions and expedited application processing for certain Afghan nationals. This will help Afghan nationals continue to resettle and, in many cases, reunite with family in the United States. It will enable USCIS to more quickly process requests for long-term status, status for immediate relatives, and […]

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USCIS Makes Additional Updates to Policy Guidance for the “Sought to Acquire” Requirement Under the Child Status Protection Act

posted on: September 25, 2024

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating guidance in the Policy Manual (Volume 7, Part A, Chapter 7), to clarify how to calculate the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) age for noncitizens who demonstrate extraordinary circumstances. The updated guidance: Clarifies that the CSPA age calculation of an applicant who established extraordinary circumstances and is excused from the “sought […]

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