USCIS just released data on the I-918 U Visa approval and denial rates by petitioner state and year from FY2016 to FY2020. The U nonimmigrant status (U visa) is set aside for victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and are helpful to law enforcement or government officials in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity. In order to be eligible for a U visa,...
Below is a helpful flyer for LPRs returning from extended stays overseas. Please also see our related post: Potential Issues Faced by Returning LPRs after Extended Stays Overseas
Update Post June 15, 2021 Due to covid, there’s a significant backlog for immigrant (IV) and nonimmigrant visa (NIV) applicants waiting a visa interview. U.S. embassies and consulates are using a tiered approach to triage IV applications based on the category of immigrant visas as they resume and expand processing. Scheduling of appointments are prioritized as follows: TIER 1: Immediate...
Great news for those whose I-485s were rejected after many months of waiting caused by delays at USCIS and USPS postal. USCIS has been sending invitations to some applicants to re-file after their previously filed I-485s (filed between 10/01/2020 and 12/31/2020) were rejected due to incorrect responses to Item Numbers 9.a, 9.b, 9.c, or 10. Below is a sample invitation notice to refile. Note that...
USCIS announced today that F-1 students seeking optional practical training (OPT) can now file online if they are filing under one of these categories: (c)(3)(A) – Pre-Completion OPT;(c)(3)(B) – Post-Completion OPT; and(c)(3)(C) – 24-Month Extension of OPT for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students. Keep in mind that the online I-765 is only for OPT. If one files...
Those who just won the H-1B lottery will receive some more good news. Cap gap Extension is a benefit that many F-1 students take advatange of as a beneficiary of a receipted H-1B petition. The benefit helps those whose F-1 status is expiring between April 1 and September 29, and extends their F-1 and, if eligible, OPT to September 30 so that there is no gap between the end of their F-1 and the...
