Blog Layout

Vaccination Requirements

Dec 03, 2021

These Questions and Answers provide basic information about the general vaccination requirements for immigrants (including individuals seeking adjustment of status), and specifically about the assessment made by the civil surgeon to determine whether an applicant meets the vaccination requirements. These Questions and Answers do not address the vaccination assessments conducted by panel physicians overseas.


For refugees only, health departments may be considered a civil surgeon for purposes of completing the vaccination record.


Background


Under the immigration laws of the United States, a foreign national who applies for an immigrant visa abroad, or who seeks to adjust status to a permanent resident while in the United States, is required to receive vaccinations to prevent the following diseases:


  • Mumps
  • Measles
  • Rubella
  • Polio
  • Tetanus and Diphtheria Toxoids
  • Pertussis
  • Haemophilus influenzae type B
  • Hepatitis B
  • COVID-19
  • Any other vaccine-preventable diseases recommended by the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices


The Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) is an advisory committee to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that recommends immunizations for the general U.S. population. Starting Dec.14, 2009, when the ACIP recommends new vaccines for the general U.S. population, CDC will assess whether these vaccines should be required for immigration purposes on a regular and on an as-needed basis according to specific criteria set by CDC.


CDC is responsible for publishing the Technical Instructions for the Medical Examination of Aliens in the United States. These documents set the requirements for the immigrant medical examination and are binding on civil surgeons. The Technical Instructions include a vaccination component, specifying how the civil surgeon has to conduct the vaccination assessment. The civil surgeon records the results of the medical examination, including the results of the vaccination assessment, on USCIS Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record.


If a foreign national applies for an immigrant visa abroad, that individual has to receive the medical examination by a panel physician designated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). CDC issues separate instructions to panel physicians designated by DOS to conduct medical examinations abroad. For more information about panel physicians, please consult DOS' website at http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/info/info_3739.html.

Questions and Answers

  • Where can I find information about vaccinations in general?

    CDC publishes information about vaccinations in general and information about the vaccine requirements for immigration purposes at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/.

  • Why do immigrants and adjustment of status applicants have to show proof they have received certain vaccinations?

    In 1996, Congress provided in legislation that every immigrant entering the United States, or every individual seeking adjustment of status to that of a legal permanent resident, show proof that he or she was vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases. The text for this requirement is in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), section 212(a)(1)(A)(ii).

  • How does the CDC decide which vaccines are required for immigration purposes?

    Some of the vaccines that are required are specifically listed in the INA. In addition to these, the statute also requires that an individual receive any other vaccinations recommended by the ACIP. CDC uses the following criteria in determining which of these recommended vaccines should be required for immigration purposes:


    • The vaccine must be an age-appropriate vaccine as recommended by the ACIP for the general U.S. population, and
    • At least one of the following:
    •           The vaccine must protect against a disease that has the potential to cause an outbreak; or
    •           The vaccine must protect against a disease eliminated in the United States, or is in the process of being eliminated in the United States.
  • I am seeking immigrant status in the United States but had a medical examination abroad by a panel physician; I also received some vaccines. Do I have to repeat the medical examination and get the vaccines again?

    Please read the instructions to Form I-693 to determine if you must repeat the medical examination, including the vaccination assessment, based on your current status in the United States.

  • How do I know which vaccines are required for immigration purposes?

    A civil surgeon is required to follow the Technical Instructions for the Examination of Aliens in the United States, including the 2009 Technical Instructions to Civil Surgeons for Vaccinations, and any updates published online. CDC publishes the vaccination requirements and medical examination instructions (including a detailed table listing all required vaccines) at http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/civil/vaccination-civil-technical-instructions.html

  • Do I have to receive all the required vaccines, even though I have been vaccinated before?

    No. The civil surgeon will review your vaccination records at the time of your medical examination to see whether you have proof of earlier vaccinations against vaccine-preventable diseases that are appropriate for your age category. It is important that you take any written vaccination documentation you may have to the civil surgeon when you have your immigration medical examination.


    If you lack any vaccinations required for your age category, the civil surgeon will administer the vaccines as needed. In the alternative, you can also choose to obtain the required vaccines from your private healthcare provider. However, because only a civil surgeon is authorized to complete the vaccination assessment on the Form I-693, you must return to the civil surgeon with the proof that you have received the missing vaccines.


    In addition, some individuals are immune to vaccine-preventable diseases, and they know of the immunity because their private healthcare provider has tested them. If you have any written evidence of immunity, you should take this documentation to your civil surgeon. This will enable the civil surgeon to determine which vaccines you need to receive.

  • Do I have to receive all the vaccines on CDC's vaccination list for the immigrant population, or only the ones that are age appropriate?

    You are required to document receipt of vaccines that are age appropriate for you. The civil surgeon will annotate Form I-693 to indicate that you were not required to receive a particular vaccine because it was not age appropriate at the time of the medical examination.

  • Do I have to receive all the vaccines that are on CDC's list and that are age appropriate, although I may have a medical condition that prevents me from receiving the required vaccines?

    If you have a medical condition that prevents you from receiving a vaccine that is appropriate for your age, the civil surgeon will annotate the Form I-693 accordingly and mark the vaccine as contraindicated. A contraindication is a condition that prevents you from receiving a particular vaccine. CDC lists in its Technical Instructions what is considered a contraindication. It is up to the civil surgeon to determine whether you have such a condition that prevents you from receiving a particular vaccine at the time of the immigration medical examination.

  • Certain vaccine series can only be completed with multiple visits to the civil surgeon. Am I required to complete the entire series before the civil surgeon can sign the Form I-693?

    You are only required to receive a single dose of each vaccine when you visit the civil surgeon. You are encouraged to follow up with your private health care provider to complete the series. Once you have received the single dose appropriate at the time, the civil surgeon can sign and certify the Form I-693.

  • I am pregnant and do not wish to receive any vaccinations. Do I still have to get them to be able to obtain permanent resident status in the United States?

    If you are pregnant, the CDC's Technical Instructions direct the civil surgeon how to evaluate the vaccines you are able to receive during pregnancy. If the civil surgeon cannot safely administer a required vaccine, he/she will annotate the Form I-693 by marking the vaccine as contraindicated. See the CDC "Guidelines for Vaccinating Pregnant Women" page for information on pregnancy and vaccinations in general.

  • Can the civil surgeon safely administer all vaccines that are required all at once?

    The civil surgeon will let you know if you can receive all the vaccines at once, or if there is a concern based on your particular medical condition that will not allow you to receive all required vaccines at once.

  • When does the flu season start for purposes of the seasonal flu vaccine requirement? Since the seasonal flu vaccine is required, do I have to get the seasonal flu vaccine if it is not the flu season?

    For purposes of the immigration medical examination, the flu season starts on October 1 and ends on March 31 each year. If your immigration medical examination is during this period, you are required to have the seasonal flu vaccine. If you have an immigration medical examination completed between April 1 and September 30, when it is not the flu season for immigration purposes, you are not required to document that you have received the seasonal flu vaccine.

  • I heard that the vaccine against herpes zoster (zoster) and the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) are required vaccines. Is this true?

    From Aug. 1, 2008, until Dec. 13, 2009, the zoster and the HPV were required vaccines for immigration purposes. However, the zoster vaccine was not available from Aug. 1, 2008, through Dec. 13, 2009, and USCIS posted a message on the Web to inform civil surgeons they could annotate the vaccination record with "not available" if they were not able to obtain the vaccine. In 2009, CDC changed the vaccination requirements based on ACIP's recommendations. As of Dec. 14, 2009, the zoster and the HPV vaccine were no longer required.

  • I had my immigration medical examination before Dec. 14, 2009, before the zoster and HPV vaccines were eliminated. I was required to have one of them, but did not receive it. My Form I-693 says that I refused to have the HPV or zoster vaccine. Will my I-693 be returned or my application denied?

    On Dec. 14, 2009, vaccines against herpes zoster (zoster) and HPV are no longer required. It is irrelevant that you did not receive either the zoster or the HPV because beginning on Dec. 14, 2009; you are no longer inadmissible solely because you did not have the vaccine. USCIS will not return your Form I-693, nor will it deny your application because you did not receive the vaccine.

  • Who pays for the vaccinations?

    The applicant is responsible for paying the appropriate fee for all vaccinations directly to the civil surgeon, as agreed upon with the civil surgeon. You should ask about the price of the vaccinations before the medical examination or the administration of the vaccinations.

  • Can I be forced to be vaccinated for immigration purposes?

    If you refuse to receive the vaccines required for immigration purposes, as mandated by the immigration laws of the United States, your application for legal permanent resident status may be denied.

  • What will happen if I refuse to receive one or all of the required vaccines?

    Tell the civil surgeon if you do not wish to receive the required vaccines or a particular vaccine. You should also tell the civil surgeon the reason you do not wish to receive the vaccine(s). In this case, a waiver may be available to you, but only under the following circumstances:


    • You are opposed to vaccinations in any form– that is, you cannot obtain a waiver based on an objection only as to one vaccination
    • Your objection must be based on religious beliefs or moral convictions; and
    • The religious or moral beliefs must be sincere.

    The form used to apply for a waiver depends on the adjustment category under which you are seeking legal permanent residence status. For example, refugees and asylees seeking adjustment of status should file Form I-602, Application by Refugee for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability. Individuals seeking adjustment of status as a result of an approved Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, or Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, would file Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility.

  • My civil surgeon says that a vaccine is currently not available. What should I do?

    Ask the civil surgeon whether another health care provider may have the vaccine. If another physician or department or pharmacy carries the vaccine and can administer the vaccine, you should get the vaccine and request documentation that you have received the vaccine. Bring the written record back to the civil surgeon so that s/he can complete the Form I-693.

    HHS/CDC monitors which vaccines are not available in the United States, or which vaccines may experience a shortage. If CDC determines there is a nation-wide shortage of a vaccine, it will recommend to USCIS to post a message on www.uscis.gov to explain to applicants and civil surgeons whether the vaccine is required and under what circumstances. The information is available on USCIS’ Form I-693 page, the Immigration Medical Examination page, or the Designated Civil Surgeon page.

  • Will USCIS accept a Form I-693 if the vaccination chart is incomplete?

    No. The vaccination chart should have at least one entry in each row for each vaccine. If the vaccination chart is not properly completed at the time of the medical examination, USCIS may return the Form I-693 to you with instructions on how to correct it.


    If you refuse a vaccine because of religious or moral reasons, the civil surgeon will mark this on the Form I-693. In this case, you will have to apply for a waiver.

  • Where can I find more information about the vaccination requirements for immigration purposes and how these requirements affect the completion of Form I-693?

    CDC publishes the Technical Instructions including the vaccination component http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/exams/ti/civil/technical-instructions-civil-surgeons.html

    For more information about the civil surgeon program, the completion of Form I-693, or the adjustment of status application, please visit www.uscis.gov, or call USCIS’ Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833).

USCIS Strengthens T Nonimmigrant Visa Program and Protections for Trafficking Victims

29 Apr, 2024
Release Date 04/29/2024 WASHINGTON —The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a final rule to strengthen the integrity of the T nonimmigrant status (T visa) and ensure eligible victims of human trafficking can access protections and stabilizing benefits on a timely manner. T nonimmigrant status enables certain victims of human trafficking to remain in the United States for an initial period of up to four years.  “We are dedicated to protecting victims of human trafficking and minimizing any potential barriers to assistance,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “This final rule has been many years in the making, and I am thrilled the T visa program now has a firm regulatory framework to support it. Ultimately, this makes our approach more victim-centered and strengthens the integrity of the T visa application process so the program better protects victims, as Congress intended.” Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons, is a crime in which traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to compel individuals to provide labor or services, including commercial sex. Traffickers often take advantage of vulnerable individuals, including those lacking lawful immigration status. In some cases, people who are smuggled into the United States may become victims of human trafficking or exploitation during their journeys or upon reaching their destination. DHS is committed to protecting communities from an increased threat of human trafficking through strong border enforcement and enhanced consequences for those who do not avail themselves to the many expanded lawful pathways. T nonimmigrant status offers protection to victims and strengthens the ability of law enforcement agencies to detect, investigate, and prosecute human trafficking. This final rule clarifies T nonimmigrant status eligibility and application requirements and includes provisions to reduce potential barriers to victims and enable USCIS officers to adjudicate victims’ applications more efficiently. The final rule also improves the program’s integrity by clarifying the reporting and evidentiary requirements for victims of trafficking, which will better help law enforcement act on reports of trafficking. Key elements of the final rule include: Updating and clarifying definitions – including serious harm, abuse, and law enforcement agency – to ensure consistency and standards as described in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended; Improving program efficiency by clarifying reporting and evidentiary requirements on the outset to decrease requests for additional evidence; Streamlining law enforcement agencies’ ability to act on reports of trafficking by requiring victims to report instances of trafficking to the correct law enforcement of jurisdiction; and Simplifying the bona fide determination and adjudication process, while continuing to uphold fraud prevention measures. In 2016, DHS published an interim rule to respond to public feedback on the T visa program, clarify requirements based on statutory changes, formalize the experience gained from operating the program for more than 14 years, and amend provisions as required by intervening legislation. In July 2021, DHS reopened the public comment period for this interim rule for 30 days and subsequently extended the deadline for comments. This final rule adopts the changes in effect from the 2016 interim rule, clarifies the existing regulatory framework, and substantively addresses the public comments received. DHS is on the frontlines of combating human trafficking, protecting the country and collaborating with our partners to stop these crimes. Launched in 2020, the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking coordinates the efforts of 16 DHS offices and components to combat human trafficking through law enforcement operations, victim protection and support, intelligence and analysis, and public education and training programs. Through the Blue Campaign, the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking leads the Department’s national public awareness effort to combat human trafficking. DHS’s ongoing efforts to address online child sexual exploitation and abuse comes after the Department’s Quadrennial Homeland Security Review added combating crimes of exploitation and protecting victims as a sixth mission area in April 2023. Learn more about recent DHS efforts to combat child exploitation and abuse . For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow USCIS on Twitter , Instagram , YouTube , Facebook and LinkedIn . https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/uscis-strengthens-t-nonimmigrant-visa-program-and-protections-for-trafficking-victims Last Reviewed/Updated: 04/29/2024

USCIS Announces Open Application Period for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program

24 Apr, 2024
Release Date 04/24/2024 WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the application period for the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program , which provides funding for citizenship preparation programs in communities across the country. The 16-year-old program, specifically Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services, will provide up to $10 million in grants to prepare legal immigrants for naturalization and promote civic integration through increased knowledge of English, U.S. history, and civics.  “The announcement of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program application period is always an exciting time for USCIS,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “Through this program, we empower organizations to help legal immigrants pursue citizenship. Our outreach efforts this year seek to ensure eligible organizations that focus on remote, underserved, or isolated communities are aware of USCIS funding opportunities and that grant funds are assisting more historically underserved communities.” USCIS expects to award up to 40 organizations up to $300,000 each for two years to expand availability of high-quality citizenship and integration services. This grant opportunity will fund public or nonprofit organizations that offer both citizenship instruction and naturalization application services to lawful permanent residents. Applications are due by June 21. Since 2009, the USCIS Citizenship and Integration Grant Program has awarded $155 million through 644 grants to immigrant-serving organizations. These grant recipients have provided citizenship preparation services to more than 300,000 immigrants in 41 states and the District of Columbia. In fiscal year 2024, USCIS received support from Congress through appropriations to make this funding opportunity available to communities and expects to announce award recipients in September 2024. To apply for this funding opportunity, visit www.grants.gov . USCIS encourages applicants to visit www.grants.gov before the application deadline to obtain registration information needed to complete the application process. For additional information on the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program for fiscal year 2024, visit or email the USCIS Office of Citizenship at citizenshipgrantprogram@uscis.dhs.gov . For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on X (formerly Twitter) , Instagram , YouTube , Facebook , and LinkedIn . https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/uscis-announces-open-application-period-for-the-citizenship-and-integration-grant-program Last Reviewed/Updated: 04/24/2024

USCIS Increases Automatic Extension of Certain Employment Authorization Documents to Improve Access to Work Permits

05 Apr, 2024
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

USCIS Reopens Field Office in Tegucigalpa, Honduras

26 Mar, 2024
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

USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2024 and Announces Filing Dates for the Second Half of FY 2024 Supplemental Visas

08 Mar, 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

DHS Publishes Federal Register Notice Announcing the Extensions of Re-Registration Periods for Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua and Sudan

13 Dec, 2023
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

Tampa Asylum Office Moving to New Location

27 Nov, 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 

USCIS Expands myProgress to Form I-485 and Form I-821

21 Nov, 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

Certain Renewal Applicants for Employment Authorization to Receive Automatic 180 Day Extension

27 Oct, 2023
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

DHS Announces Family Reunification Parole Process for Ecuador

18 Oct, 2023
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
More posts
Share by: