Entries by Jim Arkell

UPDATE: EB2 NIW Premium Processing

The new filing date upon which Premium Processing can be requested for a pending EB-2 NIW is February 1, 2022. The USCIS premium processing fee is $2500.00 and you will get a decision back within 45 days. We have filed several requests for premium processing on behalf of our clients with pending NIW petitions and […]

EB-1 and EB-2 Green Cards No Longer Available for Current Fiscal Year

On September 7, USCIS announced that there are no green cards available for either EB-1 or EB-2 classifications for the remainder of the current fiscal year. This means that green cards will begin being issued again when the next fiscal year begins in October. As such, if you have a pending adjustment of status with […]

Signature Flexibility and Extended USCIS Deadlines

USCIS has announced that the reproduced signature flexibility that was implemented on March 20, 2020, became permanent policy effective on July 25, 2022. On March 20, 2020, USCIS specified that a document may be scanned, faxed, photocopied, or similarly reproduced provided that the copy was of an original document containing an original handwritten signature and […]

USCIS Filing Extensions Renewed

USCIS announced that the automatic 60 day extension has been extended to July 25, 2022. During the pandemic, USCIS provided an automatic extension on due dates. Any RFE or NOID that was issued on or before July 25, 2022 has an automatic 60 day extension from the due date stated in the RFE or NOID. […]

UPDATED: Limited NIW Premium Processing to Begin July 1, 2022

Shortly after posted my initial summary of the USCIS Alert discussed in my previous post below, USCIS issued an Announcement updating the information that was not initially provided with the Alert. Beginning July 1, 2022, USCIS will accept Form I-907 requests ONLY for E21 NIW petitions received on or before June 1, 2021. Basically, unless […]

NIW Premium Processing to Begin July 1, 2022

USCIS issued an alert stating that the agency will begin “phasing in” premium processing for NIW Petitions on July 1, 2022, but only for “certain previously filed Form I-140 petitions requesting E21 national interest waiver (NIW) classification. The alert states “(p)lease see the Form I-140 information below regarding the upgrade schedule and when new petitions […]

USCIS Increases EAD Automatic Extension to 540 Days

USCIS announced on May 3, 2022 that a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) automatically extending EAD validity for renewals from 180 to 540 days was implemented effective tomorrow, May 4, 2022 through extensions filed before October 27, 2023. The TFR states that certain persons who have timely filed an EAD extension will automatically receive a 540 […]

USCIS Announces New Actions to Reduce Backlogs

USCIS announced that it is taking action by implementing new procedures and policies to reduce current backlogs that exist. The agency in an effort to speed up case processing times established new internal cycle time goals. The time goals include 3 months for I-765 and I-131 processing and 6 months for I-485 and I-140 non-premium […]

NIW PREMIUM PROCESSING ANNOUNCED!

On March 29, 2022 USCIS at long last announced that premium processing will soon be available for EB-2 National Interest Waiver petitions. Premium processing will be available for both newly filed cases and currently pending cases. The USCIS fee for premium processing is expected to be $2,500.00. USCIS plans to begin a phased implementation for […]