Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Notice of FY 2025 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Selection Process Completion and Cap Season Reminders

H-1B Initial Electronic Registration Selection Process Completed

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough electronic registrations for unique beneficiaries during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2025 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master's cap). We have randomly selected enough properly submitted registrations for unique beneficiaries projected as needed to reach the H-1B cap and have notified all prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for such beneficiaries.

Registrants' online accounts will now show one of the following statuses for each registration (that is, for each beneficiary registered):

  • Submitted: The registration has been submitted and is eligible f

Monday, April 22, 2024

Visa Bulletin June 2024 Predictions

For official May 2024 Visa Bulletin & Analysis, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2024/visa-bulletin-may-2024.aspx

Please see June 2024 Visa Bulletin Predictions below (for both Family Based and Employment Based categories for all countries):

Family Based:
Final Action Dates
Dates For Filing Applications
"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.
Family-
Sponsored
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-mainland
born
INDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
F101AUG1501AUG1501AUG1501NOV0122APR12
F2A22JUN2122JUN2122JUN2115JAN2122JUN21
F2B15APR1615APR1615APR1601JUN0401DEC11
F308FEB1008FEB1008FEB1015SEP9922AUG02
F401AUG0701AUG0701FEB0608FEB0115OCT03
"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.
Family-
Sponsored
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-mainland
born
INDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
F122SEP1722SEP1722SEP1715JUN0508JUN15
F2A22SEP2322SEP2322SEP2301OCT2322SEP23
F2B15FEB1715FEB1715FEB1701DEC0408NOV13
F308JUN1008JUN1008JUN1022JUN0101DEC03
F422MAR0822MAR0822JUN0615MAY0108JUL05

Saturday, April 20, 2024

USCIS Provides Third Gender Option on Form N-400

We have revised Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, to provide a third gender option, "X," defined as "Another Gender Identity." We are also updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual accordingly to account for this form revision and other forthcoming form revisions that will add a third gender option; see the Policy Alert (PDF, 344.77 KB).

The 04/01/24 edition of Form N-400 will be the first USCIS form to include the X ge

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

USCIS Revises Policy Manual to Align with New Fee Rule

We are revising our guidance (PDF, 364.37 KB) in the USCIS Policy Manual to align with the Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements Final Rule published in the Federal Register on Jan. 31, 2024, and effective on April 1, 2024.

Revisions to the policy manual apply to all applications and petitions postmarked on or after April 1.

We will use the postmark date of a filing to determine whic

Monday, April 15, 2024

USCIS Announces Filing Location Change for Certain Employment-Based I-485 and Related Forms

On, April 1, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is changing the filing location for concurrently filed Forms I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service; I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker; and I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and for related Forms I-131, Application for Travel Document; <a target='_blank' href="https://www.uscis.gov/i-765" target="_blank" r

Saturday, April 13, 2024

New Citizens Will Be Able to Seamlessly Request Social Security Updates

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that, starting April 1, applicants filing Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, will have the option to request an original or replacement Social Security number (SSN) or card and update their immigration status with the Social Security Administration (SSA) without having to visit an SSA office.

Noncitizens applying for naturalization using the new edition of Form N-400 (edition date 04/01/24) will be able to request an SSN or replacement card when submitting Form N-400. New citizens may no longer need to visit an SSA field office to apply for an SSN or replacement card or to provide documentation as evidence of their new U.S. citizenship statu

Thursday, April 11, 2024

H-1B Form I-129 Filing Location Change and FY 2025 H-1B Cap Season Updates and Reminders

H-1B Initial Registration Period Closed

The initial registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap season closed at noon Eastern on March 25, 2024. USCIS will soon randomly select enough unique beneficiaries of properly submitted registrations projected as needed to reach the FY 2025 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master's cap), and will notify all prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for such beneficiaries. We will issue another web alert when this process has been completed.

H-1B Form I-129 Filing Location Change to Lockbox

Starting April 1, 2024, H-1B and H-1B1 (HSC) Form I-129 petitions must no longer be filed at the USCIS service centers. All paper-based H-1B and H-1B1 (HSC) Form I-129 petitions must be filed