Extension of Temporary Waiver of 60-Day Rule for Civil Surgeon Signatures on Form I-693
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending our temporary waiver of the requirement that civil surgeons must sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, no more than 60 days before an individual applies for the underlying immigration benefit (including Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status). We have extended the waiver’s original expiration date of September 30, 2022, to March 31, 2023 in order to lessen processing delays and associated challenges with finishing the immigration medical examination on time. Regardless of when the application was submitted to USCIS or when a civil surgeon signed the Form I-693, this waiver is applicable to all Forms I-693 connected to underlying immigration benefit applications that have not yet been decided.
Source: USCIS
USCIS Extends Green Card Validity Extension to 24 Months for Green Card Renewals
As of September 26, lawful permanent residents who submit Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, will automatically have their Permanent Resident Cards (commonly known as Green Cards) valid for an additional 24 months. This extension may be granted to lawful permanent residents who properly file Form I-90 to renew an expiring or expired Green Card. The validity of a Green Card had previously been extended by 12 months through Form I-90 receipt notices.
Source: USCIS
USCIS Stops Accepting CW-1 Petitions Under the Disaster Recovery Workforce Act
On or after October 1, 2022, USCIS will no longer accept CW-1 petitions submitted by employers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (the CNMI) in accordance with the Disaster Recovery Workforce Act.
The Disaster Recovery Workforce Act, Title IX, Div. P, Pub. L. 116-94 was incorporated in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020. (48 U.S.C. 1801 note). The Disaster Recovery Workforce Act raised the CW-1 cap for certain workers performing service or labor directly connected to, or associated with recovery from, a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency, or for preparation for a future disaster or emergency, by 3,000 for the fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022.
Source: USCIS
H-1B: Presidential commission recommends stamping of visas inside US
If President Joe Biden follows through on the suggestion, it will be a huge relief for thousands of foreign workers, especially those from India. The recommendation was unanimously endorsed by the presidential panel on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. A non-immigrant visa called the H-1B allows US businesses to hire foreign nationals for specialized jobs that need for theoretical or technical competence. It is essential to the hiring of tens of thousands of workers each year from nations like China and India by technology companies.
Source: The Economics Time, The Siasat Daily
Immigration Judges Complete Record Number of Cases
Immigration judges have increased case completions by a record 50% since 2019, according to a new report. Judges have closed more than 375,000 court cases in recent months, and will reach at least 400,000 court completions by the end of this fiscal year. Reasons for the increase include more judges, as well as more cases being dismissed because DHS failed to file the correct paperwork with the court.
Source: Boundless
