DHS Extends Designation of Haiti for TPS
The DHS has announced (82 FR 23830) that the Secretary of Homeland Security is extending the designation of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status ("TPS") for 6 months, from July 23, 2017, through January 22, 2018. The Secretary has determined that a limited, 6-month extension is warranted because, although Haiti has made significant progress in recovering from the January 2010 earthquake that prompted its initial designation, conditions in Haiti supporting its designation for
CIS Releases June 2017 AOS Filing Dates
As stated in the MIGblog post of May 11, 2017 (link here), the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA") sets annual worldwide and per-country numerical limits on employment-based and family-sponsored immigrant visas. These visas are supply-side "products," allocated on a first-come, first-served basis (in sequential order, based upon applicants' priority dates). The June 2017 Visa Bulletin is issued on the basis of reported demand received from the DOS (visa applicants) and th
TPS Designations for Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone Terminate on May 21, 2017
Reminder that the Temporary Protected Status ("TPS") designations for Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will terminate on May 21, 2017. On Nov. 21, 2014, the Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") designated Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone for TPS for 18 months due to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. In 2016, after reviewing country conditions and consulting with the appropriate U.S. government agencies, DHS determined that conditions in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone
DOS Releases June 2017 Visa Bulletin
The Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA") sets annual worldwide and per-country numerical limits on employment-based and family-sponsored immigrant visas. These visas are supply-side "products," allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The June 2017 Visa Bulletin is issued on the basis of reported demand received from DOS (visa applicants) and CIS (adjustment applicants) by May 9, 2017. Of note, the Application Final Action Dates for both EB-1 China and EB-1 India ret
DOS Notice of New Form DS-5535, Supplemental Questions for Visa Applicants
Tomorrow, DOS will publish in the Federal Register a notice of information collection under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) emergency review on supplemental questions for visa applicants who have been determined to warrant additional scrutiny in connection with terrorism or other national security-related visa ineligibilities. The "extreme vetting" questions include requests for information on travel, address, and employment history during the last 15 years; names a
