Fees, Forms, Filing Procedures

USCIS Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests During COVID-19

March 23, 2023

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) ended on March 23, 2023 the COVID-19 flexibilities it had 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 Motion

Status of Form I-765

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

USCIS Funding Challenges During COVID-19 Pandemic

On August 25, 2020, USCIS announced that due to "unprecedented spending cuts and a steady increase in daily incoming revenue and receipts," the agency "will avert an administrative furlough of more than 13,000 employees" that was scheduled to begin August 30, 2020. Despite the welcome news that

Form I-539 Status

Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status is used by certain nonimmigrants to apply to USCIS for a change of nonimmigrant status or for an extension of nonimmigrant status. The form is also used by students applying for reinstatement to F-1 or M-1 student status following a status

Optional Practical Training Resource: Understanding the Online and Mailed Application and Troubleshooting Processes

Compiled by NAFSA members: Hanna Bliss, Laure Bordas-Isner, Sarah Brockmeyer, Joshua Davis, Michelle Massey, and Nusha Shishegar. Last updated January 26, 2023. The resource includes helpful tips on: Documents Needed to File for OPT Troubleshooting Resources: Rejected and Denied Applications

OFLC Will Permanently Issue Electronic PERM Labor Certifications

On March 25, 2020, the Department of Labor Office of Foreign Labor Certification began sending approved permanent labor certifications by email, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. On September 25, 2020, OFLC "announced that it is permanently adopting the electronic issuance of PERM labor

Practice Advisory on F-1 Cap-Gap Benefits

Caution! For FY 2024 F-1 cap-gap purposes, the Form I-129 petition requesting change of status and an employment start date of October 1, 2023 must still be received by USCIS before the student's OPT expires (for cap-gap extension of employment benefits) or before the expiration of the student's

Implementation of ESTA for VWP Entry at Land Ports of Entry

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) interim final rule published at 87 FR 18967 (April 1, 2022) expanded the ESTA pre-registration requirement to Visa Waiver Program (VWP) visitors planning to enter the United States through land ports of entry. Before the October 1, 2022 implementation date

USCIS Fee Waiver Updates

Update On December 11, 2019, in the case City of Seattle et al. v. DHS et al., the U.S. District Court for the Norther District of California San Francisco Division issued a nationwide preliminary injunction that blocks implementation of the USCIS fee waiver policy guidance that was to go into

USCIS Proposed Fee and Form Changes and Other Related Proposals

UPDATE: USCIS published a final fee rule on August 3, 2020 that was to become effective 60 days later, on October 2, 2020. The rule specified: "Any application, petition, or request postmarked on or after this date must be accompanied with the fees established by this final rule." The rule also