Fees, Forms, Filing Procedures

On March 19, 2021, USCIS updated its Forms Updates page to alert the public that it updated several immigration forms, including some that may be frequently encountered in the higher education context, such as Form I-129, Form I-539, and Form I-485. Other forms have been updated as well. Consult the

On January 8, 2020, USCIS changed the filing addresses for F-1 student I-765 filings, including F-1 OPT (pre-completion, post-completion and STEM OPT), off-campus employment with an international organization, and off-campus employment due to severe economic necessity. The USCIS Direct Filing

This NAFSA page tracks developments on the significant delays in processing of receipt notices for applications for benefits such as OPT filed at USCIS lockboxes. Updates February 26, 2021. As a result of advocacy by organizations like NAFSA, court litigation, and the many requests for assistance

Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act Updates NAFSA Signs on to AILA Coalition Letter. On March 1, 2021, NAFSA joined AILA and 15 other organizations on a letter to USCIS urging the agency to implement the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act provisions that authorize USCIS to expand

Form I-129 Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker Currently, there is a single base fee for Form I-129 and a single base form, which contains a variety of supplements used for the different petition-based categories. Update: On September 29, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of

Update USCIS will withdraw this proposed rule, in a Federal Register notice to be published on May 10, 2021. Background for reference purposes In a proposed rule published in the Federal Register on September 11, 2020, DHS proposed to change the way it defines, collects, and uses biometrics. Read

Due to past delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, USCIS has authorized temporary and limited use of an I-797 EAD approval notice (not a receipt notice) as a List C # 7 document that establishes employment authorization (but not identity) for I-9 purposes. To qualify: The I-797 approval notice must

On July 20, 2020, the Department of Labor Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) posted a news item regarding public comment on proposed changes to the ETA 9089 permanent labor certification (PERM) form. Comments are due by September 18, 2020. Read NAFSA's comment letter (September 10, 2020)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) extended until June 30, 2021 the COVID-19 flexibilities it established for responses to Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and other similar response-based notices and requests, and filing date requirements for filing Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or

Eligible applicants use Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, to apply to USCIS for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Find official information on the current edition of Form I-765 on the USCIS Form I-765 page. This NAFSA page tracks developments to the form, but make sure