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 |
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