POLICY & ANALYSIS

Policy updates

Follow U.S. immigration policy, filing changes and official announcements.

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Fees, forms & filing

Safe Address and Special Procedures for Persons Protected by 8 U.S.C. 1367

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to provide guidance on mailing address and case handling procedures for persons protected under 8 U.S.C. 1367. This guidance becomes effective July 11, 2023. Note: The effective date for this policy has changed to March 29, 2024.

Policy update
Citizenship & naturalization

Venues for Administrative Naturalization Ceremonies

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify the types of venues USCIS may use for administrative naturalization ceremonies and the considerations for accepting offers to donate use of facilities.

Policy update
Fees, forms & filing

Removal of “60-Day Rule” for Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Form I-693)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to remove the requirement that the civil surgeon’s signature on the Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Form I-693) be dated no more than 60 days before an applicant files the application for the underlying immigration benefit.

Policy update
General policy

Selecting Gender on USCIS Forms

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is revising policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify that benefit requestors may select their gender on USCIS forms (or change a prior gender selection) without the need to provide supporting documentation. Documents issued by USCIS as a result of the benefit adjudication will reflect the gender selected by the benefit requestor.

Policy update
Fees, forms & filing

Filing Periods and Response Timeframes Ending on Saturdays, Sundays, or Federal Holidays

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address instances where the last day of filing a benefit request or response to a Request for Evidence or a Notice of Intent to Deny, Revoke, Rescind, or Terminate, falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday.

Policy update
Fees, forms & filing

Revision of Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service (Form N-426)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to provide that only applicants for naturalization under Section 328 or Section 329 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) who are currently serving in the U.S. armed forces are required to file a Request for Certification of Military or Naval Service (Form N-426) along with their Application for Naturalization (Form N-400).

Policy update
Employment & work visas

International Entrepreneur Parole

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address international entrepreneur parole.

Policy update
Employment & work visas

Evaluating Eligibility for O-1B Visa Classification

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify how USCIS evaluates evidence to determine eligibility for the O-1B visa classification for nonimmigrants of extraordinary ability in the arts and nonimmigrants of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television (MPTV) industry.

Policy update
General policy

On-Site Inspections for Religious Worker Petitions

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding on-site inspections for special immigrant and nonimmigrant religious worker petitions.

Policy update
Work authorization & students

Special Student Relief for F-1 Nonimmigrant Students

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify the validity period of employment authorization for F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship due to emergent circumstances (also known as special student relief (SSR)).

Policy update

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