INTRODUCTION
July 2023 was a very active month for US Immigration. GLF provided updates via Google, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram on numerous US Immigration matters including:
- New Self-Service Tool launched to Reschedule Biometric Appointments
- State Department’s August 2023 Visa Bulletin Summary
- Expansion of MyProgress Tool
- Filing For Naturalization Automatically Extends Green Card For 24-Months
We at GLPO post regular updates on our Google, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram handles. Additionally, we also periodically send out GLF Newsletters when the subject matter is extensive and relevant for a detailed analysis. Presented below is a consolidated summary of updates posted on GLF’s various social media handles for July 2023.
NEW SELF-SERVICE TOOL LAUNCHED TO RESCHEDULE BIOMETRIC APPOINTMENTS
Requestors, Attorneys and Accredited Representatives can now use New Self-service tool online to reschedule their Biometric appointments. The New Self -Service tool will omit the reliance on USCIS Contact Center altogether.
- This tool can be accessed by requestors through their USCIS Online Accounts regardless of the submission made online or via mail.
- Requestors must ensure to reschedule their appointments at least couple of days prior and must not be making more than two attempts in rescheduling of their appointments.
Requestors may continue contacting USCIS Contact Center for making special requests with their reasons for not attending the appointments on the scheduled day. USCIS shall accept requests provided the requestors are able to prove their ‘Good Cause’ for not attending their interviews. Some of the reasons for ‘Good Cause’ may include – any grounds of illness, medical appointment, hospitalization, previously planned travel, wedding, funeral, graduation ceremony, inadequate transportation to the appointment location or leave from employment or caregiver responsibilities or due to delay in or non-delivery of biometric services appointment notices.
STATE DEPARTMENT’S AUGUST 2023 VISA BULLETIN SUMMARY
State Department has issued the August 2023 Visa Bulletin and here are the highlights:
- Adjustment of Status for Family Sponsored filing must use the Dates for Filing chart and Employment Based filing must use the Final Action Dates chart.
- Final action dates for Family sponsored F1 Category for India have advanced from December 15, 2014, through January 01, 2015.
- Final actions dates F2A category for India have retrogressed form September 08, 2020, to October 08, 2017
- Filing dates chart for family sponsored preference cases for India have not changed. F-2A is current – meaning Final Action applies.
- Final Action dates for Employment based EB-1 Category have retrogressed from February 01, 2022, to January 01, 2012, (10 Years) for India. Since India EB1 has already reached their limit for fiscal year 2023. The Department also notes that many Indian EB1 applicants have priority dates between 2012-2015. In October, it is likely that the final action date for India EB1 will advance back to the final action date of the July 2023 Visa Bulletin – February 1, 2022, and the Dates for Filing for EB-1 category (June 01, 2022) has not changed.
- Final action dates (January 01, 2011) and the Dates for filing (May 01, 2023.) for EB-2 for India have not changed.
- Final action dates (January 01, 2009) and Dates for filing (August 01, 2012) for EB-3 for India category have not changed.
- Final action dates (September 01, 2018) and Dates for filing (October 01, 2018) for Certain Religious Workers for India have not changed.
- The DV-2023 annual limit was reduced to 54,850.
EXPANSION OF MYPROGRESS TOOL
Applicants can now access “myProgress” tool (formerly known as Personalized Processing times) to know the waiting times on pending EAD and AP applications. Additionally myProgress tool is also available for Form N-400 (Naturalization), Form I-90 (Permanent Resident Card Replacement), and Form I-130 (Alien Relative Petitions) applicants as well Applicants must select their “Pending Application” in their USCIS Online accounts to estimate waiting times. They can also link or e-file relevant forms using myProgress. The “myProgress tab” updates their waiting time, until their cases are finally decided and keeps applicants notified upon completing three milestones:
- Acknowledgement on the submitted application
- Completion of Biometric Appointments – if required and
- Decision on pending cases
myProgress tool gives each applicant an approximate duration within which their cases may get finally decided. It does not guarantee any expedited decisions and there may be possible delay, or the adjudication may be faster compared to the processing time as well. Applicants are advised to visit the public “Check Case Processing Times” webpage for determining their eligible to file an Outside of Normal Processing Times service request.
FILING FOR NATURALIZATION AUTOMATICALLY EXTENDS GREEN CARD FOR 24-MONTHS
Lawful Permanent Residents whose “green cards” are expiring at the time of filing Naturalization Applications (N-400), need not separately file for “green card” extension also. As of December 12, 2022, USCIS is issuing Form N-400 Receipt Notices (I-797C) reflecting the “24 months Extension” of green cards. N-400 receipt notice may be presented with an expired Green Card to indicate an LPR’s continued status for securing employment authorization, driver’s license and international travel. Due to increased processing times, LPRs may also continue requesting I-551 stamp on passport from local USCIS offices to show their continued status if their naturalization application is not approved by the end of the 24-month extension period.
SIGN UP FOR GLF NEWSLETTER
At GLF, we will continue to follow further developments in the above discussed and other matters, while we provide updates through our Newsletter as and when they become available. GLF receives numerous emails and phone calls every day seeking comments on various proposed bills and media reports that are often inaccurate. It is our job to separate fact from fiction and advice clients on important and relevant updates. The best way to receive accurate information is through GLF Newsletters.
We encourage you (and your employees) to sign up for GLF Newsletter. If you have not already signed up to receive our Newsletters, please do so by visiting www.gokarelaw.com and signing up under the Newsletter Tab. All we need is your name and email address which takes very little time to sign up. You can also review all of our earlier GLF Newsletters on our website.