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Immigration News Briefs

Provided by Humera Subhani Email Provided by Humera Subhani
December 2018
Immigration News Briefs

USCIS Updates Medical Exam Validity
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has revised policy guidance for the validity period of Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. The policy now requires applicants to submit a Form I-693 that is signed by a civil surgeon no more than 60 days before filing the underlying application for an immigration benefit. The Form I-693 would remain valid for a two-year period following the date the civil surgeon signed it. This retains the previous maximum two-year validity period, but calculates it in a different manner to reduce the number of requests to applicants for an updated Form I-693.

Tablets for Naturalization Tests
USCIS applicants now use a stylus on a digital tablet to take the English reading and writing tests during naturalization interviews as part of the agency’s ongoing business modernization efforts. Immigration Services Officers (ISO) instruct applicants on how to use the tablets before administering the tests:

Applicants were already using tablets to sign or verify parts of their applications. USCIS will continue using the paper process on a case-by-case basis.
• For the reading test, a sentence will appear on the tablet and the ISO will ask the applicant to read it.
• For the writing test, several lines will appear on the tablet, replicating the appearance of a piece of blank paper. The ISO will read a sentence aloud and ask the applicant to write it on the tablet.

Applicants will continue to take the civics test verbally, without the tablet.

Implementing New Policy Memorandum on Notices
USCIS is taking an incremental approach to implementing the June 28 Memo on Notices to Appear (NTA) issuance. An NTA is a document instructing an individual to appear before an immigration judge. This is the first step in starting removal proceedings. USCIS may issue NTAs on denied status- impacting applications, including I-485 Adjustment of Status and I-539 Change of Status Applications. USCIS will send denial letters giving benefit seekers adequate notice when an application for a benefit is denied. If applicants are no longer in a period of authorized stay, and do not depart the USA, USCIS may issue an NTA. They will provide details on how to review information about their period of authorized stay, check travel compliance, or validate departure from the USA. The June 2018 NTA Policy Memo will not be implemented with respect to employment-based petitions and humanitarian applications and petitions at this time.

USCIS prioritizes cases of individuals with criminal records, fraud, or national security concerns. USCIS will continue to use its discretion in issuing NTAs for these cases.

APPLICATION FINAL ACTION DATES FOR December  2018

 

FAMILY

India

Pakistan/Bangladesh

1st

08Aug11

08Aug11

2A

08Oct16

08Oct16

2B

15Feb12

15Feb12

3rd

01Aug06

01Aug06

4th

08Jun04

22Apr05

 

 

EMPLOYMENT

India

Pakistan/Bangladesh

1st

01Sep16

01Jul17

2nd

01Apr09

Current

3rd

01Mar09

Current

Other

01Mar09

Current

4th

Current

Current

5th

Current

Current1B

 


DATES FOR FILING VISA APPLICATIONS - December 2018

 

FAMILY

India

Pakistan/Bangladesh

1st

08Mar12

08Mar12

2A

01Dec17

01Dec17

2B

22Mar14

22Mar14

3rd

08Jan07

08Jan07

4th

01Jan05

01Feb06

 

 

EMPLOYMENT

India

Pakistan/Bangladesh

1st

01Oct17

01Jun18

2nd

22May09

Current

3rd

01Jan10

Current

Other

01Jan10

Current

4th

Current

Current

5th

Current

Current1B

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2019/visa-bulletin-for-december-2018.html

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