USCIS

Emergencies or Unforeseen Circumstances

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Unforeseen circumstances, such as natural catastrophes (hurricanes, wildfires, severe weather, etc.), national emergencies (public health emergencies), severe illness, or conflicts abroad, can sometimes affect the processing of your USCIS application, petition, or immigration request. USCIS has discretion to take the below measures on a case-by-case basis upon request, if you have been affected by an unforeseen circumstance. You can request assistance by calling the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283. In order to request an expedite through the Contact Center, you must have already filed a benefit request and have a USCIS receipt number. When you request help, you will need to explain how the impact of an unforeseen circumstance (domestic or international) created a need for the requested assistance. For example, if you lost all evidence of status or employment authorization, include an explanation in your description and a copy of a police report, insurance claim, or other report, if available, to support your request. Always keep your address up-to-date with USCIS to ensure you receive all correspondence and benefits from us in a timely manner and avoid possible delays related to your case. To update your address with USCIS, visit How to Change Your Address page of USCIS.gov. Note that changing your address with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) will not change your address with USCIS. Please contact USPS if you need to temporarily hold or forward your mail due to unforeseen circumstances or a temporary relocation. Specific Requests Expedited Processing If you need USCIS to consider your request for a service or benefit more quickly, you may make that request when filing or after you file. In order to request an expedite through the Contact Center, you must have already filed a benefit request and have a receipt number. Read more about expedited processing on our website. Extensions and Changes You may request an extension of stay or change of status using Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, or in the case of certain employment-based classifications, Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. If an unforeseen circumstance prevented your planned and timely departure, you may extend or change your status and provide an explanation for your failure to depart. If you do not apply for the extension or change of status before your authorized period of admission expires, USCIS may excuse the delay if it was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond your control. Fee Waivers If you are unable to pay the fee for a USCIS service or benefit, you may request a fee waiver for certain forms by filing Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver. Document Replacement You may also request expedited processing for the replacement of lost or damaged immigration documents, such as your Green Card, your Employment Authorization Document (EAD), or Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record. If your documents were lost, stolen, or damaged, and you need proof of employment eligibility, see the list of Form I-9 acceptable documents and receipts for other ways to complete Form I-9. Visit I-9 Central for more information. To replace a/n… You must file a… Green Card Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Residence Card, or request interim evidence of permanent residence stamp (I-551 stamp) from a USCIS Field Office.You may file Form I-90 online. Form I-94 Form I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document Employment Authorization Document Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization Employment Authorization Employees If your documents were lost, stolen, or damaged, see the list of Form I-9 acceptable documents and receipts for more information on other ways to complete Form I-9. Visit I-9 Central for more information. To replace an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), you must file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. You may also request expedited processing for the replacement of a lost or damaged EAD. Employers All requirements for Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, completion and E- Verify remain in place. E-Verify remains available to employers affected by unforeseen circumstances, both directly through the E-Verify web portal and E-Verify employer agents. If you have any questions or issues about using E-Verify from a remote location, please contact E-Verify Support at 888-464-4218 (for employers) or 888-897-7781 (for employees). Severe Economic Hardship to F-1 Students Caused by Unforeseen Circumstances If you experience severe economic hardship because of unforeseen circumstances beyond your control, you may request employment authorization to work off-campus (if you meet certain regulatory requirements). See 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9). Examples of unforeseen circumstances include (but are not limited to): To apply, you must submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, along with a copy of your Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, and any other supporting materials to USCIS. Your Form I-20 must include the employment page completed by your Designated School Official, certifying your eligibility for off-campus employment due to severe economic hardship caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond your control. If your request is approved, you may be able to work off-campus in one-year intervals up to the expected date of completion of your current course of study. See 8 CFR 214.2(f)(9)(ii). Special Student Relief Special Student Relief (SSR) is the suspension of certain regulatory requirements by the secretary of Homeland Security for F‑1 students from parts of the world that are experiencing emergent circumstances. Examples of emergent circumstances include natural catastrophe, war and military conflicts, and national or international financial crises. DHS designates SSR by publication of a Federal Register notice, which provides the start and end dates of the suspension of those requirements, which may include any or all requirements for on-campus or off-campus employment. A list of active SSR notices is available on the ICE Student and Exchange Visitor Program What’s New webpage. You may be eligible to apply for off-campus employment authorization if you: To apply, you must submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, along with a copy of your Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, and any other supporting materials to USCIS. Failure to Appear for an Interview or to Respond to a Request for Evidence If you did … Read more

USCIS Enhancing Transparency Introducing myProgress for Application Tracking

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The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has taken a significant stride towards improving the application processing experience with the introduction of myProgress, formerly known as personalized processing times. What is myProgress? myProgress offers enhanced transparency for applicants, allowing them to track the progress of their Form I-485 or Form I-821 in real-time. This service is currently available for family-based or Afghan special immigrant Form I-485 applicants. It’s a user-friendly tool accessible through the USCIS online account. Who is Eligible to Use myProgress? For now, the service will only be available for family-based or Afghan special immigrant Form I-485, Applicants for Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status. Key Features of myProgress Applicants with a pending Form I-485 or Form I-821 can now: How to Access myProgress To utilize myProgress, applicants need to follow these simple steps: Forms Supported by myProgress myProgress is currently available for the following forms: Additional Information While myProgress is a valuable tool, all applicants and petitioners must still use the Check Case Processing Times webpage to determine eligibility for filing a service request outside of normal processing times. For more detailed information on myProgress, please refer to the full announcement. This development marks a crucial step in USCIS’s ongoing efforts to enhance the application process, increase transparency, and reduce contact center wait times. Applicants are encouraged to take advantage of myProgress to stay informed about their case processing journey.

New USCIS Form Editions (Form I-601A, G-325A, & I-907)

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New USCIS Forms

On November 13, 2023, USCIS released a new edition of the Form I-601A, Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver. The new edition is the 08/31/21. You can find the edition date of a form on the bottom of the page. See uscis.gov/forms/forms-update for information about updates to USCIS forms. On October 31, 2023, USCIS announced a new edition of the Form G-325A, Biographical Information (for Deferred Action). The new edition date for the G-325A is the 10/25/23 edition, which will be the only edition accepted starting today, November 14, 2023. New 08/31/2021 Edition Form I-601A Updated Form I-601A, Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver Form G-325A Update to Form G-325A, Biographic Information (for Deferred Action). New Edition Dated 10/25/23.

FORM I-485 CHECKLIST FROM USCIS

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ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS (I-485) CHECKLIST USCIS sent out an email linking to their new page with this checklist. The USCIS.gov website states: Please do not submit this checklist with your Form I-485. It is an optional tool to use as you prepare your form, but does not replace statutory, regulatory, and form instruction requirements. We recommend that you review these requirements before completing and submitting your form. Do not send original documents unless specifically requested in the form instructions or applicable regulations. You may view the form instructions at uscis.gov/i-485. If you submit any documents (copies or original documents, if requested) in a foreign language, you must include a full English translation along with a certification from the translator verifying that the translation is complete and accurate, and that they are competent to translate from the foreign language to English. There are three different checklists depending on the basis for which the applicant is filing their I-485 application.  1. Checklist of Required Initial Evidence for Immediate Relatives and Family-Based Preference Form I-485 Applicants. 2.  Checklist of Required Initial Evidence for Employment-Based Form I-485 Applicants. 3.  Checklist of Required Initial Evidence for Special Immigrant Juveniles. There are subsets under those three.  For example, the family based visas in the first section have subsections for family preference category petitions, immediate relative petitions, and other family members as you can see below: CHECKLIST FOR IMMEDIATE RELATIVES Did you provide the following? Family Members: If you are the spouse or child of a U.S. citizen’s immediate relative, you must independently qualify for adjustment of status and file your own application. You cannot qualify for adjustment of status as the derivative beneficiary based on the immediate relative’s application.  CHECKLIST FOR FAMILY PREFERENCE IMMIGRANTS If you are a principal applicant, did you provide the following? If you are the spouse or unmarried child under 21 years of age of a family-based principal applicant, did you provide the following? Where to file with USCIS? USCIS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Residency Category Codes

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IMMIGRANT CLASSES OF ADMISSION A lawful permanent resident (LPR) or “green card” recipient may live and work anywhere in the United States and may apply to become U.S. citizens if they meet certain eligibility and admissibility requirements. The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides several broad classes of admission for foreign nationals to gain LPR status, the largest of which focuses on admitting immigrants for the purpose of family reunification. Other major categories include economic and humanitarian immigrants, as well as immigrants from countries with relatively low levels of immigration to the United States. Immediate Relative Petitions Family Preference Petitions Employment Petitions Refugee & Asylum Diversity Visas Other IMMEDIATE RELATIVE PETITIONS The largest category of new LPRs consists of immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens age 21 and older). Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are not subject to numerical limits and typically account for more than 40 percent of new LPRs annually. IR1 Spouses, new arrivals IR6 Spouses, adjustments CR1 Spouses, new arrivals, conditional CR6 Spouses, adjustments, conditional IB1 Spouses, new arrivals, self petitioning IB6 Spouses, adjustments, self petitioning IW1 Spouses, widows or widowers, new arrivals IW6 Spouses, widows or widowers, adjustments CF1 Spouses, entered as fiance(e), adjustments, conditional IF1 Spouses, entered as fiance(e), adjustments IR2 Children, new arrivals IR7 Children, adjustments CR2 Children, new arrivals, conditional CR7 Children, adjustments, conditional AR1 Children, Amerasian, new arrivals AR6 Children, Amerasian, adjustments IB2 Children, new arrivals, self petitioning IB7 Children, adjustments, self petitioning IB3 Children of IB1 or IB6, new arrivals IB8 Children of IB1 or IB6, adjustments IW2 Children of IW1 or IW6, new arrivals IW7 Children of IW1 or IW6, adjustments CF2 Children of CF1, adjustments, conditional IF2 Children of IF1, adjustments IH3 Children adopted abroad under the Hague Convention, new arrivals IH8 Children adopted abroad under the Hague Convention, adjustments IH4 Children to be adopted under the Hague Convention, new arrivals IH9 Children to be adopted under the Hague Convention, adjustments IR3 Orphans adopted abroad, new arrivals IR8 Orphans adopted abroad, adjustments IR4 Orphans to be adopted, new arrivals IR9 Orphans to be adopted, adjustments IR5 Parents of adult U.S. citizens, new arrivals IR0 Parents of adult U.S. citizens, adjustments IB5 Parents battered or abused, of U.S. citizens, new arrivals, self petitioning IB0 Parents battered or abused, of U.S. citizens, adjustments, self petitioning FAMILY PREFERENCE CATEGORIES Family members not included in the immediate relative class of admission may be eligible for immigration under family-sponsored preferences. Categories are organized by priority. A11 Unmarried Amerasian sons/daughters of U.S. citizens, new arrivals A16 Unmarried Amerasian sons/daughters of U.S. citizens, adjustments F11 Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens, new arrivals F16 Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens, adjustments B11 Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens, new arrivals, self petitioning B16 Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens, adjustments, self petitioning A12 Children of A11 or A16, new arrivals A17 Children of A11 or A16, adjustments F12 Children of F11 or F16, new arrivals F17 Children of F11 or F16, adjustments B12 Children of B11 or B16, new arrivals B17 Children of B11 or B16, adjustments F21 Spouses of alien residents, subject to country limits, new arrivals F26 Spouses of alien residents, subject to country limits, adjustments B21 Spouses of alien residents, subject to country limits, new arrivals, self petitioning B26 Spouses of alien residents, subject to country limits, adjustments, self petitioning C21 Spouses of alien residents, subject to country limits, new arrivals, conditional C26 Spouses of alien residents, subject to country limits, adjustments, conditional FX1 Spouses of alien residents, exempt from country limits, new arrivals FX6 Spouses of alien residents, exempt from country limits, adjustments BX1 Spouses of alien residents, exempt from country limits, new arrivals, self petitioning BX6 Spouses of alien residents, exempt from country limits, adjustments, self petitioning CX1 Spouses of alien residents, exempt from country limits, new arrivals, conditional CX6 Spouses of alien residents, exempt from country limits, adjustments, conditional F22 Children of alien residents, subject to country limits, new arrivals F27 Children of alien residents, subject to country limits, adjustments B22 Children of alien residents, subject to country limits, new arrivals, self petitioning B27 Children of alien residents, subject to country limits, adjustments, self petitioning C23 Children of C21, C22, C26, or C27, subject to country limits, new arrivals, conditional C28 Children of C21, C22, C26, or C27, subject to country limits, adjustments, conditional B23 Children of B21, B22, B26, or B27, subject to country limits, new arrivals B28 Children of B21, B22, B26, or B27, subject to country limits, adjustments F23 Children of F21, F22, F26, or F27, subject to country limits, new arrivals F28 Children of F21, F22, F26, or F27, subject to country limits, adjustments C25 Children of C24 or C29, subject to country limits, new arrivals, conditional C20 Children of C24 or C29, subject to country limits, adjustments, conditional B25 Children of B24 or B29, subject to country limits, new arrivals B20 Children of B24 or B29, subject to country limits, adjustments F25 Children of F24 or F29, subject to country limits, new arrivals F20 Children of F24 or F29, subject to country limits, adjustments C22 Children of alien residents, subject to country limits, new arrivals, conditional C27 Children of alien residents, subject to country limits, adjustments, conditional FX2 Children of alien residents, exempt from country limits, new arrivals FX7 Children of alien residents, exempt from country limits, adjustments BX2 Children of alien residents, exempt from country limits, new arrivals, self petitioning BX7 Children of alien residents, exempt from country limits, adjustments, self petitioning CX3 Children of CX2 or CX7, exempt from country limits, new arrivals, conditional CX8 Children of CX2 or CX7, exempt from country limits, adjustments, conditional BX3 Children of BX1, BX2, BX6, or BX7, exempt from country limits, new arrivals BX8 Children of BX1, BX2, BX6, or BX7, exempt from country limits, adjustments FX3 Children of FX1, FX2, FX7, or FX8, exempt from country limits, new arrivals FX8 Children of FX1, FX2, FX7, or FX8, exempt from country limits, adjustments … Read more