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Green Card Renewals Receive 24 months of Automatic Extension

USCIS announced on 09/28/2022 that applicants who have filed renewal of their GC via Form I-90 will receive a 24-month of extension of their current valid or expired Green Card. USCIS had previously provided a 12-month extension. The language on Form I-90 receipt notices will indicate the validity of a green card for 24 months. USCIS will also send out amended receipt notices for those with a...

Current Venezuelan TPS Holders May Now Extend Their TPS and EADs Until March 2024

DHS has announced the re-registration process for current Venezuela Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries. The announcement came at the very last minute as the initial TPS was set to expire on September 9, 2021. USCIS did announce that there will be a renewal option months before but the formal instructions just came out a few days before the expiration. As a form of accommodation,...

New Public Charge Rule Announced

USCIS has announced new public charge rule to be published in the final register. The new rule tries to steer clear of being labeled a "wealth test". Non-cash benefits like SNAP, Child Health Insurance, most Medicaid, housing benefits, are no longer part of public charge determination.  The final rule will be effective on Dec. 23, 2022, and will apply to applications postmarked (or...

Covid Policy of Accepting Copies of Signed Forms Will Become Permanent

As part of its efforts to provide flexibility and accommodations during the Covid pandemic, USCIS has been accepting all benefit forms and documents with reproduced original signatures since 03/20/2020. A document may be scanned, faxed, photocopied, or similarly reproduced provided that the copy must be of an original document containing an original handwritten signature, unless otherwise...

New Policy Guidance on 3/10 Year Unlawful Presence Bars – May Serve the 3/10 Year Bar Inside the U.S.

On June 24, 2022, USCIS issued new policy guidance regarding the effect of returning to the United States during the statutory 3-year or 10-year period after departure or removal. In general, a noncitizen is inadmissible under INA 212(a)(9)(B) if the noncitizen accrues more than 180 days of unlawful presence, departs or is removed (whichever applies), and again seeks admission within 3-years (if...