Release Date: 04/04/2024 WASHINGTON — Building on extensive modernization efforts that have streamlined and improved access to work permits for eligible noncitizens, USCIS today announced a temporary final rule (TFR) to increase the automatic extension period for certain employment authorization documents (EADs) from up to 180 days to up to 540 days. This announcement follows improvements that have reduced processing times for EADs significantly over the past year. The temporary measure announced today will prevent already work-authorized noncitizens from having their employment authorization and documentation lapse while waiting for USCIS to adjudicate their pending EAD renewal applications and better ensure continuity of operations for U.S. employers. This is the latest step by the Biden-Harris Administration to get work-authorized individuals into the workforce, supporting the economies where they live. “Over the last year, the USCIS workforce reduced processing times for most EAD categories, supporting an overall goal to improve work access to eligible individuals. However, we also received a record number of employment authorization applications, impacting our renewal mechanisms,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “Temporarily lengthening the existing automatic extension up to 540 days will avoid lapses in employment authorizations. At the same time, this rule provides DHS with an additional window to consider long-term solutions by soliciting public comments, and identifying new strategies to ensure those noncitizens eligible for employment authorization can maintain that benefit.” This TFR aligns with an ongoing effort at USCIS to support employment authorized individuals’ access to work. USCIS has reduced EAD processing times overall and streamlined adjudication processing, including: Reducing by half EAD processing times of individuals with pending green card applications from FY2021 to date, Processing a record number of EAD applications in the past year, outpacing prior years, Engaging with communities to educate work-eligible individuals who were not accessing the process and provide on-the-ground intake support of applications, Reducing processing time for EADs for asylum applicants and certain parolees to less than or equal to 30-day median, Extending EAD validity period for certain categories from 2 years to 5 years, Streamlining the process for refugee EADs, and Expanding online filing for EADs to asylum applications and parolees. This temporary measure will apply to eligible applicants who timely and properly filed an EAD renewal application on or after Oct. 27, 2023, if the application is still pending on the date of publication in the Federal Register. The temporary final rule will also apply to eligible EAD renewal applicants who timely and properly file their Form I-765 application during a 540-day period that begins with the rule’s publication in the Federal Register. Absent this measure, nearly 800,000 EAD renewal applicants – including those eligible for employment authorization as asylees or asylum applicants, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applicants or recipients, and green card applicants – would be in danger of experiencing a lapse in their employment authorization, and approximately 60,000 to 80,000 employers would be negatively impacted as a result of such a lapse. EADs are generally valid for the length of the authorized parole period. This TFR does not extend the length of parole. Since May 12, 2023 to March 13, 2024, DHS has removed or returned over 617,000 individuals, the vast majority of whom crossed the Southwest Border, including more than 97,000 individual family members. The majority of all individuals encountered at the southwest border over the past three years have been removed, returned, or expelled. Total removals and returns since mid-May exceed removals and returns in every full fiscal year since 2011. As part of this temporary final rule, USCIS is soliciting feedback from the public that would inform potential future regulatory action. For more information, visit our Automatic Employment Authorization Document Extension page . https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/uscis-increases-automatic-extension-of-certain-employment-authorization-documents-to-improve-access

Release Date 03/22/2024 WASHINGTON —U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced the reopening of an international field office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. The Tegucigalpa Field Office will focus on increasing refugee processing capacity and helping reunite individuals with their family members already in the United States. “Reopening the Tegucigalpa Field Office establishes USCIS’ presence and expertise in a critical location in the Western Hemisphere and is part of our commitment to the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to facilitate safe and orderly lawful pathways and meet our humanitarian mission,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “USCIS is dedicated to fairness, integrity, and respect for all we serve, and our renewed presence in Honduras is part of an effort to expand USCIS’ footprint outside the United States to more effectively support that mission.” The Tegucigalpa Field Office will be located within the U.S. Embassy in Honduras. USCIS staff will assume responsibility for agency workloads currently handled by the U.S. Department of State Consular Section. These include interviews and processing for Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition , fingerprinting beneficiaries of T nonimmigrant applications and U nonimmigrant and VAWA petitions, and essential fraud detection activities, including document verification, site visits, and interviews. Additionally, reopening the USCIS Tegucigalpa Field Office will help support the U.S. government’s effort to resettle refugees from the Americas, as outlined in the June 2022 Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection. Services at the office in Tegucigalpa will be available only by appointment. USCIS will update its International Immigration Offices webpage to include information about the field office, its services, and appointments. USCIS’ renewed presence in Honduras is part of an effort to restore its footprint outside the United States to meet its workload needs and the needs of USCIS partners. The opening of the field office in Tegucigalpa makes it the ninth USCIS international field office. Currently, there are international field offices in Beijing, China; Guangzhou, China; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Havana, Cuba; Mexico City, Mexico; Nairobi, Kenya; New Delhi, India; and San Salvador, El Salvador. https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/uscis-reopens-field-office-in-tegucigalpa-honduras Last Reviewed/Updated: 03/22/2024

Release Date 03/08/2024 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to meet the H-2B cap for the second half of fiscal year (FY) 2024 and is announcing the filing dates for supplemental H-2B visas for the reminder of FY 2024 made available under the FY 2024 H-2B supplemental visa temporary final rule . H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2024 USCIS has received enough petitions to meet the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the second half of FY 2024. March 7, 2024, was the final receipt date for new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date on or after April 1, 2024, and before Oct. 1, 2024. We will reject new cap-subject H-2B petitions received after March 7, 2024, that request an employment start date on or after April 1, 2024, and before Oct. 1, 2024. We continue to accept H-2B petitions that are exempt from the congressionally mandated cap. This includes petitions for: Current H-2B workers in the United States who wish to extend their stay and, if applicable, change the terms of their employment or change their employers; Fish roe processors, fish roe technicians and/or supervisors of fish roe processing; and Workers performing labor or services in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and/or Guam (until Dec. 31, 2029). Filing Dates for Second Half of FY 2024 Supplemental Visas The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) jointly published a temporary final rule on Nov. 17, 2023, increasing the numerical limit (or cap) on H-2B nonimmigrant visas by up to 64,716 additional visas for all of FY 2024. These supplemental visas are available only to U.S. businesses that are suffering irreparable harm or will suffer impending irreparable harm without the ability to employ all the H-2B workers requested in their petition, as attested by the employer on the DOL Form ETA 9142-B-CAA-8 (PDF) . These supplemental H-2B visas are for U.S. employers seeking to petition for additional workers at certain periods of the fiscal year. Below are the filing start dates for each of the remaining supplemental visa allocations under the temporary final rule: For employers seeking workers who are nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, and Costa Rica, regardless of whether such nationals are returning workers: USCIS will begin accepting petitions for employers requesting an employment start date from April 1, 2024, to Sept. 30, 2024, on March 22, 2024. USCIS began accepting petitions from employers with employment start dates from Oct. 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, in November 2023. A cap count for this country-specific allocation is available on the Temporary Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for FY 2024 page. For employers seeking returning workers for the early second half of FY 2024 (April 1 to May 14): USCIS will begin accepting petitions for the additional 19,000 visas made available to returning workers regardless of country of nationality on March 22, 2024. For employers seeking returning workers for the late second half of FY 2024 (May 15 to Sept. 30): USCIS will begin accepting petitions for the additional 5,000 visas made available to returning workers regardless of country of nationality on April 22, 2024. USCIS will stop accepting petitions under this temporary final rule received after Sept. 16, 2024, or after the applicable cap has been reached, whichever occurs first. USCIS has already announced that we have received enough petitions to reach the cap for the additional 20,716 H-2B visas made available for returning workers for the first half of FY 2024 with employment start dates on or before March 31, 2024. Additional information on the FY 2024 supplemental visas is available on the Temporary Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for FY 2024 page. Reminder: Upcoming Changes in Required Fee and Form Editions for H-2B Petitions On Jan. 30, 2024, USCIS announced a final rule , published in the Federal Register, that adjusts the fees required for most immigration applications and petitions. The new fees will be effective April 1, 2024. There will be no grace period for filing the new version of Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker , because it must include the new fee calculation. H-2B petitions postmarked on or after April 1, 2024, must include the new fees and be filed on the 04/01/24 edition of the form or we will not accept them. USCIS has published a preview version of the 04/01/24 edition of Form I-129 (PDF, 2.07 MB) . https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-reaches-h-2b-cap-for-second-half-of-fy-2024-and-announces-filing-dates-for-the-second-half-of Last Reviewed/Updated: 03/08/202

Release Date 12/13/2023 WASHINGTON – Consistent with its September announcement, the Department of Homeland Security today published a Federal Register notice reiterating the extensions of the periods to re-register for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under the existing designations of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan. As previously announced, the re-registration period for each country is changing from 60 days to the full length of each country’s current TPS designation extension. The 18-month re-registration period for current TPS beneficiaries under the designation of: El Salvador is currently open and now runs through March 9, 2025; Haiti is currently open and now runs through Aug. 3, 2024; Honduras is currently open and runs through July 5, 2025; Nepal is currently open and runs through June 24, 2025; Nicaragua is currently open and runs through July 5, 2025; and Sudan is currently open and now runs through April 19, 2025. Extending re-registration allows current TPS beneficiaries to submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status , at any time during the full extensions of the TPS designations of these six countries. They also may submit Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization , to obtain an Employment Authorization Document, if desired, during the full extension period. This announcement does not change the previously announced extensions of the TPS designations for these six countries, and it does not change the eligibility requirements. This re-registration extension is solely for TPS beneficiaries who properly filed for TPS during a previous registration period. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas previously announced on June 13, 2023 , that he would rescind the previous administration’s terminations of TPS designations for El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua and extend the TPS designations for these countries for 18 months. Re-registration periods under these TPS designations were initially set at 60 days; however, DHS reevaluated the length of the re-registration period due to the unique circumstances surrounding these designations. On Sept. 8, 2023, DHS announced the extension of the re-registration periods for these six TPS designations to the full length of the TPS designation extension. Limiting the re-registration period to 60 days for these particular beneficiaries might place a burden on applicants who cannot timely file, but who otherwise would be eligible to re-register for TPS. In particular, ongoing litigation resulted in overlapping periods of TPS validity that were announced in several Federal Register notices, which may confuse some current beneficiaries. This notice allows beneficiaries of these countries who have not been required to re-register for TPS for the past few years due to litigation to re-register through the entire designation extension period. The Federal Register notice does not change the previously announced extensions of the TPS designations for these six countries. It does not change the eligibility requirements or add any newly eligible beneficiaries. It simply extends the period when existing beneficiaries may re-register for their benefits.  For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter , Instagram , YouTube , Facebook and LinkedIn . https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-publishes-federal-register-notice-announcing-the-extensions-of-re-registration-periods-for Last Reviewed/Updated: 12/13/2023

Release Date 11/27/2023 USCIS’ Tampa Asylum Office is moving to a new location. Effective Dec. 11, 2023, the new address will be: 3924 Coconut Palm Drive Tampa, Florida 33619 The current location will close to the public on Nov. 29, and the new location will open to the public on Dec. 11. We will begin accepting mail at the new location on Nov. 29. However, the Tampa Asylum Office will not have walk-in hours until Dec. 13. This move will not affect the Tampa Asylum Office’s jurisdiction. The Tampa Asylum Office will continue to adjudicate asylum claims filed by individuals residing in western and northern Florida as well as portions of central Florida. If you are an asylum applicant and you have been scheduled for an asylum interview, carefully review your interview notice for important information about your asylum interview, including where to go for your interview. As a reminder, asylum interviews are by appointment only. See the Asylum Office locator for more information about asylum office locations and services. For more information about what to expect at your affirmative asylum interview, see our Preparing for Your Affirmative Asylum Interview webpage. https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/tampa-asylum-office-moving-to-new-location Last Reviewed/Updated: 11/27/2023 

Release Date 11/21/2023  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that we are expanding myProgress (formerly known as personalized processing times) to Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status , and Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status . myProgress will initially only be available for family-based or Afghan special immigrant I-485 applicants. myProgress provides applicants with access, in their online account, to personalized estimates of their wait time for major milestones and actions on their case, including their final case decision. While estimates are based on case type and historical patterns, they are not a guarantee of timing, and cannot take into consideration all possible unique application processing factors. myProgress was implemented to improve customer experience by proactively addressing applicant concerns as to the status of their benefit requests while waiting for a decision, demonstrating our commitment both to supporting the Executive Order 14058 on Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government Mandates , and to reducing the need for case status inquiries. This effort is part of USCIS’ Strategic Plan to enhance the experience of the people we serve. We anticipate that the expansion of myProgress will increase transparency in the adjudication process. In addition to Form I-485 and Form I-821, myProgress is available for applicants with a USCIS online account who file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization ; Form I-131, Application for Travel Document ; Form N-400, Application for Naturalization ; Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card ; or Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative . To view myProgress, applicants must first create a USCIS online account or log into their online account and select their pending application. If they filed online or linked one of the applicable forms to their online account using an online access code, they will see a myProgress tab for their application. The myProgress tab displays the estimated wait time until their case has a decision, along with a checkmark beside milestones as they are completed: Confirmation that the application was received; Movement of the application through preprocessing and adjudicative steps; and Case decision. Applicants will still need to visit the public Check Case Processing Times webpage to determine if they are eligible to file an Outside of Normal Processing Times service request. https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-expands-myprogress-to-form-i-485-and-form-i-821

Release Date 10/27/2023 Certain renewal applicants who have filed Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, qualify for an automatic extension of their expiring employment authorization and/or employment authorization documents (EADs) while their renewal application is pending. Starting today, those who are eligible will receive 180-day extensions in accordance with existing regulations, including those who have applied for or have received Temporary Protected Status or asylum. In May 2022, however, USCIS announced a temporary final rule (TFR) that increased the automatic extension period for EADs available to certain EAD renewal applicants from up to 180 days to up to 540 days. Today’s change is not retroactive; all previous up to 540-day automatic extensions will remain in place. USCIS is in the process of determining whether there is a need for a new regulatory action similar to the May 2022 TFR, notwithstanding past and ongoing operational improvements and efforts to accelerate EAD processing more broadly. As announced in the 2022 TFR, automatic extensions of employment authorization and EAD validity will be the original up to 180-day period for those eligible applicants who timely file a Form I-765 renewal applications on or after Oct. 27, 2023. For individuals who received an increased automatic extension period under the TFR, the increased automatic extension will end when they receive a final decision on their renewal application or when the up to 540-day period expires (counted from the expiration date of the employment authorization and/or their EAD), whichever comes earlier. Meanwhile, USCIS recently published a Policy Manual update increasing the maximum EAD validity period to five years for initial and renewal applications approved on or after Sept. 27, 2023, for the following categories: Certain noncitizens who are employment authorized incident to status or circumstance, including those admitted as refugees, paroled as refugees, granted asylum, and recipients of withholding of removal; and Certain noncitizens who must apply for employment authorization, including applicants for asylum and withholding of removal, adjustment of status, and suspension of deportation or cancellation of removal. USCIS is making every effort to help avoid gaps in employment and/or employment authorization documentation for noncitizens with pending EAD renewal applications, and to help reduce EAD processing times, including by dedicating additional personnel and implementing processing improvements to decrease the median processing time for certain EAD applications to 30 days.  USCIS remains committed to reducing EAD processing times and preventing undue expiration of timely-renewed EADs. For more information, visit our Automatic Employment Authorization Document Extension page . Last Reviewed/Updated: 10/27/2023 https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/certain-renewal-applicants-for-employment-authorization-to-receive-automatic-180-day-extension

Release Date 10/18/2023 Biden-Harris Administration continues strategy to provide lawful pathways and reduce dangerous irregular migration WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced a new family reunification parole process for certain nationals of Ecuador, advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s effective strategy to combine expanded lawful pathways and strengthened enforcement to reduce irregular migration. The Family Reunification Parole processes promote family unity, and are part of the comprehensive measures announced in April by DHS and the Department of State, and are consistent with the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection’s objectives to strengthen national, regional, and hemispheric efforts to create the conditions for safe, orderly, humane, and regular migration. The new process is for certain nationals of Ecuador whose family members are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents and who have received approval to join their family in the United States. Specifically, Ecuadorian nationals and their immediate family members can be considered for parole on a case-by-case basis for a period of up to three years while they wait to apply to become a lawful permanent resident. “The Family Reunification Parole process promotes family unity consistent with our laws and our values,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Establishing this process for certain Ecuadorian nationals will ensure more families can access lawful pathways rather than placing themselves at the mercy of smugglers to make the dangerous journey. Those who do not avail themselves of family reunification parole or other lawful, safe, and orderly pathways and attempt to enter the United States unlawfully will continue to face tough consequences.” Certain nationals of Ecuador who are beneficiaries of an approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative may be eligible to be considered for parole under the new process. Qualifying beneficiaries must be outside the United States, meet all requirements, including screening and vetting and medical requirements, and must not have already received an immigrant visa.  The Family Reunification Parole process begins with the Department of State issuing an invitation to the petitioning U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family member whose Form I-130 on behalf of an Ecuadorian beneficiary has been approved. Beneficiaries awaiting an immigrant visa could include certain children and siblings of U.S. citizens and certain spouses and children of lawful permanent residents. The invited petitioner can then initiate the process by filing a request on behalf of the beneficiary and eligible family members to be considered for advance travel authorization and parole. The Family Reunification Parole process allows for parole only on a case-by-case and temporary basis upon a demonstration of urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit, as well as a demonstration that the beneficiary warrants a favorable exercise of discretion. Individuals paroled into the United States under this process will generally be considered for parole for up to three years and will be eligible to request employment authorization while they wait for their immigrant visa to become available. When their immigrant visa becomes available, they may apply to become a lawful permanent resident. The Immigration and Nationality Act provides the Secretary of Homeland Security with the discretionary authority to parole applicants for admission into the United States temporarily on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. Previous Secretaries across different administrations have similarly exercised the parole authority to establish other family reunification parole processes administered by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, including the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program in 2007 and the Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program in 2014. DHS announced new FRP processes for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in July and the modernization of FRP processes for Cuba and Haiti in August. The Federal Register Notice for this FRP process will be published soon with detailed information on the application process and eligibility criteria. Last Reviewed/Updated: 10/18/2023 https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-announces-family-reunification-parole-process-for-ecuador

Release Date 09/29/2023 News release originally published by the Department of Homeland Security. Redesignation Allows Additional Eligible Venezuelan Nationals Who Arrived in the U.S. on or Before July 31, 2023 to Apply for TPS and Employment Authorization Documents  Venezuelan Nationals Who Enter After July 31, 2023 are not Eligible for TPS. Those Who Do Not Enter the U.S. via Lawful Pathways Will be Subject to Enforcement Consequences WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security is previewing a Federal Register notice for an 18-month extension of Venezuela’s 2021 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation and a separate redesignation of Venezuela for TPS. The notice explains how to register for TPS under Venezuela’s redesignation and how to re-register for the extension. Applicants for TPS are eligible to apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) during the duration of the TPS designation. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced on September 20, 2023 the extension and redesignation of Venezuela for TPS for 18 months due to extraordinary and temporary conditions in Venezuela that prevent individuals from safely returning. Individuals may be eligible if they have continuously resided in the United States on or before July 31, 2023, and been continuously physically present in the United States on or before October 3, 2023. The redesignation of Venezuela for TPS (Venezuela 2023) will allow an estimated 472,000 additional Venezuelan nationals (or individuals having no nationality who last habitually resided in Venezuela) to file an initial TPS application. Venezuelan nationals who arrived in the United States after July 31, 2023, are not eligible for TPS. Those who do not enter through one of the many lawful pathways will be subject to enforcement consequences. Since May 12, we have removed or returned over 253,000 individuals to 152 countries, including to Mexico. DHS has removed or returned more family members in the last 4 months than in any previous full fiscal year. Under the new redesignation of Venezuela (Venezuela 2023), eligible individuals who do not have TPS may submit an initial Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status , during the initial registration period that runs from October 3, 2023 through April 2, 2025. Applicants can apply for a TPS-related EAD by submitting a completed Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization , with their Form I-821, or separately later. Applicants may also submit Form I-765 online. The extension of TPS for Venezuelans who are already registered (Venezuela 2021) runs from March 11, 2024 through September 10, 2025 and allows approximately 243,000 current beneficiaries to retain TPS through September 10, 2025, if they re-register and continue to meet TPS eligibility requirements. Re-registration is limited to beneficiaries of TPS under Venezuela 2021. Current beneficiaries under TPS for Venezuela must re-register in a timely manner during the 60-day re-registration period from January 10, 2024, through March 10, 2024, to ensure they keep their TPS and work authorization. DHS recognizes that not all re-registrants may receive a new EAD before their current EAD expires and is automatically extending through March 10, 2025, the validity of certain EADs previously issued under Venezuela 2021. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will continue to process pending applications filed under Venezuela 2021. Both initial applicants and re-registering current beneficiaries who have a pending Form I-821 or Form I-765 as of October 3, 2023 do not need to file either application again. If USCIS approves an individual’s pending Form I-821 re-registration application, USCIS will grant them TPS through September 10, 2025. Similarly, if USCIS approves a pending TPS-related Form I-765, USCIS will issue the individual a new EAD that will be valid through the same date. The Federal Register notice explains the eligibility criteria, timelines, and procedures necessary for current beneficiaries to re-register and renew EADs under Venezuela 2021, and for new applicants to submit an initial application under the redesignation and apply for an EAD under Venezuela 2023. For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter , Instagram , YouTube , Facebook and LinkedIn . Last Reviewed/Updated: 09/29/2023 https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/dhs-previews-federal-register-notice-extending-and-separately-redesignating-venezuela-for-temporary