Below is an example of a Family Reunification Parole invitation letter. If you receive this letter you are eligible to apply to bring your family member with an approved I-130 visa petition to the U.S. to wait for their visa in the U.S. See the Family Reunification Parole Post for more info.
Requesting Your USCIS Interview Be Rescheduled If you have been scheduled for an interview or other appointment at an office of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), it’s in your best interest to attend on the date and time given. For one thing, assuming you’re seeking an immigration benefit, you could find yourself waiting weeks or months longer until the next available appointment. For another thing, it’s possible that your eligibility for what you seek will be lost in the intervening time. For information about rescheduling of a Biometrics Appointment see this post. There are times when someone simply cannot make their interview date. In that case, you’ll want to take steps to reschedule ahead of time. You’ll want to act quickly and make your request as soon as possible. You do not want to simply not show up to the interview. If you fail to appear USCIS will likely consider your application to be “abandoned.” Any USCIS appointment notice will contain contact information and procedures for rescheduling. You should always follow any specific procedures for rescheduling that are in the notice you received. Accomodations If you don’t need to reschedule but you need to request accommodations you can request those online by submitting an e-request. If You Are Feeling Sick The USCIS website states that if you feel sick then you should cancel your appointment and you will not be penalized for doing so. You can see that information at https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/find-a-uscis-office/if-you-feel-sick-do-not-come-to-your-uscis-appointment-please-cancel-and-reschedule-it. How to Request Your Interview be Rescheduled You can request your interview be rescheduled online, by phone, or through the mail. If you submit a request by mail you should follow-up by phone if you don’t receive a response prior to your interview date. Through myUSCIS (best way) To reschedule your appointment using the online tool you should log-in to your myUSCIS account online and follow the instructions. This is the best way to reschedule. You can speak with the USCIS virtual assistant (Emma) and ask that your biometrics appointment be rescheduled. By Phone Call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833) from Monday to Friday, 8 am to 8pm Eastern time. Provide the customer service representative with your: The Contact Center representative will create a request to reschedule your interview in the system. It can take several weeks to process the request. Mail To contact USCIS by mail, send your request to the USCIS field office where the interview was scheduled to take place. In your request, include:
The family reunification parole (FRP) processes are available by invitation only to certain petitioners who filed an approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, on behalf of a principal beneficiary who is a national of Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras, and their immediate family members. These processes allow an eligible beneficiary to be considered for parole into the United States only on a case-by-case basis while they wait for their family-based immigrant visa to become available. Emails start going out JULY 31, 2023. They won’t all go out at once and not everyone will get one. For more info you can visit www.uscis.gov/FRP NOTE: You must receive an invitation to submit Form I-134A on behalf of a family member under the FRP processes for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. If you submit Form I-134A without receiving an invitation, we will not confirm your Form I-134A. Invitations to participate in these processes are sent by email or mail to certain petitioners whose Form I-130 is already approved. Petitioners who receive invitations can file Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support, for principal and derivative beneficiaries of the Form I-130. A separate Form I-134A must be submitted for each beneficiary. If USCIS confirms the sufficiency of a petitioner’s Form I-134A, DHS will complete security vetting on each beneficiary and will consider each beneficiary for advance travel authorization on a case-by-case basis. If advance travel authorization is issued to the beneficiary, they will be able to come to an internal U.S. port of entry to seek a discretionary grant of parole. If granted parole, they may wait in the United States for their immigrant visa to become available and then apply to adjust status to that of a lawful permanent resident, if they are eligible. Individuals who are paroled into the United States under these processes may request employment authorization upon arrival in the United States. Family Reunification Parole FAQ’s
After you file your application, petition, or request, we will schedule your biometric services appointment at a local Application Support Center (ASC) if you need to provide your fingerprints, photograph, and/or signature. We have the general authority to require and collect biometrics from any applicant, petitioner, sponsor, beneficiary, or other individual residing in the United States for any immigration and naturalization benefit. See 8 CFR 103.2 (b)(9). Your appointment notice (Form I-797C, Notice of Action) will include the date, time, and location for your ASC appointment. The biometrics you provide during your ASC appointment allow us to confirm your identity and run required background and security checks. You may obtain a copy of your own FBI identification record using the procedures outlined in 28 CFR 16.32. The procedures to change, correct, or update your FBI identification record are outlined in 28 CFR 16.34. For additional information, please visit the Identity History Summary Checks and Privacy Act Statement pages on the FBI’s website. WHAT TO BRING TO YOUR FINGERPRINT APPOINTMENT Your attorney or an accredited representative does not need to go with you to the biometrics (“fingerprints”) appointment, even if they submitted your application, petition, or request to USCIS. Your notice will provide specific instructions on what you should bring to your ASC appointment. You must also bring: We recommend that you print or save a copy of your completed application, petition, or request for your records. We also recommend that you review this copy before you come to your ASC appointment. We cannot provide you with a copy at your appointment. Rescheduling Appointments If you are unable to attend your scheduled biometric services appointment for good cause, you may request to reschedule your appointment by calling the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833). You must make your request before the date and time of the original appointment, and you must establish good cause for rescheduling. If you fail to call before your scheduled appointment or fail to establish good cause, USCIS may not reschedule your ASC appointment. If we do not reschedule your appointment, we will consider your application, petition, or request abandoned and, as a result, it may be denied. If you need to change your address, please follow the instructions provided on our website. If you have a serious ongoing medical condition and you cannot leave your home/hospital, you may request a mobile biometrics/homebound appointment by following the instructions in the Notice for People with Disabilities section of your appointment notice. If you need to reschedule your appointment because you feel sick please follow the instructions above. CONTACTING USCIS TO RESCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT If you are unable to attend your appointment for any reason you MUST contact USCIS to reschedule your appointment to avoid delaying or harming your immigration case. You can do this online by using the USCIS website to make a Service Request but you should also call the toll free number (1-800-375-5283) to reschedule in addition to doing it online. For general information and to find the ASC closest to you, see the USCIS Service and Office Locator webpage. You can also call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833). Representatives are available to help in English and Spanish. After submitting a service request online you should print or save a copy of the confirmation page showing you submitted a request and the confirmation number of your request. It is important that you write down your Service Request Number and the name and identification number of the USCIS representative that you speak to when you call. If they don’t automatically provide you with that information, which they should, then you should ask them for it. USCIS will often mark you down as failing to appear if you call to reschedule too soon before the appointment, but if you have this proof that you did reschedule then it will not be a problem and they will simply reschedule the appointment or tell you that you can go any time in the next two weeks. INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR LOCAL SERVICE CENTER You can find information about the Service Center location that you have been scheduled to appear at for your biometrics appointment by searching the USCIS Service and Office Locator. Source: USCIS Tips For Preparing for Your Biometrics Appointment
How to Change Your Address With USCIS. How to update your address with immigration online. How to update your address with USCIS by mail.
Religious Worker (R Visa) Info & Answers to Frequently Asked Questions June 20, 2023REFERENCEU VisaCourtICEEOIR/Immigration CourtU VisaR VisaDHSonlineTools [ez-toc][ez-toc] Legal Authorities For A Religious Worker INA 101(a)(27)(C) – Certain ministers and religious workers INA 203(b)(4) – Certain special immigrants INA 245; 8 CFR 245 – Adjustment of status of nonimmigrant to that of person admitted for permanent residence 8 CFR 204.5(m) – Religious workers Form I-360 Eligibility Requirements For a Religious Worker Religious Worker Adjustment of Status Eligibility Requirements The applicant has been inspected and admitted or inspected and paroled into the United States. The applicant is physically present in the United States at the time of filing and adjudication of an adjustment application. The applicant is eligible to receive an immigrant visa because the applicant is the beneficiary of an approved Form I-360 classifying him or her as a special immigrant religious worker.[8] The applicant had an immigrant visa immediately available when he or she filed the adjustment of status application[9] and at the time of final adjudication.[10] The applicant is not subject to any applicable bars to adjustment of status.[11] The applicant is admissible to the United States or eligible for a waiver of inadmissibility or other form of relief.[12] The applicant merits the favorable exercise of discretion. Documentation and Evidence An applicant should submit the following documentation to adjust status as a religious worker: Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485), with the correct fee; Copy of the Approval Notice (Form I-797) for the principal applicant’s special immigrant religious worker petition;[27] Employment letter from the applicant’s Form I-360 employer-petitioner;[28] Two passport-style photographs; Copy of government-issued identity document with photograph; Copy of birth certificate; Copy of passport page with nonimmigrant visa (if applicable); Copy of passport page with admission or parole stamp (if applicable); Copy of Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94) or copy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) admission or parole stamp on the travel document (if applicable);[29] Evidence of continuously maintaining a lawful status since arrival in the United States; Any other evidence, as needed, to show that an adjustment bar does not apply or that the applicant qualifies for an exemption;[30] Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Form I-693);[31] Certified police and court records of criminal charges, arrests, or convictions (if applicable); Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility (Form I-601) or other form of relief (if applicable); and Documentation of past or present J-1 or J-2 nonimmigrant status, including proof of compliance with or waiver of the 2-year foreign residence requirement under INA 212(e) (if applicable). In addition, a spouse or child who is filing as a derivative applicant should submit the following: Copy of documentation showing relationship to the principal applicant, such as a marriage certificate or adoption decree (if applicable); Copy of approval notice (Form I-797) for the principal applicant’s Form I-360; and Copy of the approval or receipt notice (Form I-797) for the principal applicant’s Form I-485 or a copy of the principal applicant’s permanent resident card (Form I-551), (if applicable and not filing together with the principal applicant). Additional Information Bars to Adjustment Unless exempt, religious workers and their derivatives are ineligible for adjustment of status if any of the bars to adjustment of status apply. Religious workers and their derivatives may be exempt under INA 245(k) from some of the bars to adjustment. To qualify for an exemption, the applicant must not have accrued more than 180 days of certain immigration violations since his or her last lawful admission. If the applicant does not qualify for the exemption, then the applicant remains subject to the adjustment bars. Sunset Date Except for ministers, all other religious workers and their derivatives must adjust to LPR status on or before the designated sunset date.[from USCIS] USCIS denies any adjustment applications based on special immigrant religious worker petitions (other than for ministers) that are pending or filed after the designated sunset date. Treatment of Family Members The spouse or child (unmarried and under 21 years of age) of a religious worker may accompany or follow-to-join the principal applicant if the spouse or child is otherwise eligible.[USCIS Policy Manual] The spouse and child may, as derivative applicants, apply to adjust status under the same immigrant category and priority date as the principal applicant. See FAQ Knowledge Base Previous PostNext Post No one has any comments on Religious Worker (R Visa) Info & Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Leave A Comment (or don't) cancel Logged in as newyorkvisalawyer_o0id8f. Log out » Name Email Matter of Garcia, 28 I&N Dec. 693 (BIA 2023) : June 22, 2023 :10:34 pm:BIA DECISIONEOIR/Immigration Court :2023BIACASE LAWCourt Matter of Read More June 22, 2023 BIA DECISION, EOIR/Immigration Court 2023, BIA, CASE LAW, Court Religious Worker (R Visa) Info & Answers to Frequently Asked Questions June 20, 2023REFERENCEU VisaCourtICEEOIR/Immigration CourtU VisaR VisaDHSonlineTools Religious Worker (R Visa) Info Read More June 20, 2023 USCIS FAQ, R Visa, USCIS ICE online change of address tool for noncitizens fully operational (June 13, 2023) New tool offers convenient, reliable option for noncitizens to update address information Read More June 14, 2023 Court, EOIR/Immigration Court, ICE 2023, Court, DHS, EOIR, ICE, online, Tools, UPDATE COVID-19 VACCINE REQUIREMENTS FOR VISA As of May 12, 2023, the COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement has been updated. Read More June 5, 2023 Uncategorized 1 2 3 Next Post ›