Immigration Law Office of Peiwen C. Liu

04/01/2025

USCIS has announced the completion of the FY2026 H-1B lottery selection process. Notifications have been sent to petitioners with selected beneficiaries, who can file cap-subject petitions starting April 1 through June 30, 2025. For those not selected, USCIS may conduct additional lotteries if necessary. Employers and beneficiaries should explore alternative visa options if their registrations were not selected.

04/13/2022

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on April 12th, 2022 that individuals who previously received deferred action under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) may now file Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, online.

04/06/2022

H-1B Initial Electronic Registration Selection Process Completed

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2023 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap). USCIS randomly selected from among the registrations properly submitted to reach the cap and notified all prospective petitioners with selected registrations that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for the beneficiary named in the applicable selected registration.

https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/fy-2023-h-1b-cap-season-updates

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2023 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap).

01/04/2022

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) does not mail paper biometric services appointment notices for electronically filed Forms I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. As part of USCIS’ ongoing transition to digital processing, the biometric services appointment notice will appear in your USCIS online account under “Documents” once your appointment is scheduled. You are required to bring a printed copy of your biometric services appointment notice to your Application Support Center appointment.

12/31/2021

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors who are responding to certain:

Requests for Evidence;
Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14);
Notices of Intent to Deny;
Notices of Intent to Revoke;
Notices of Intent to Rescind;
Notices of Intent to Terminate regional centers; and
Motions to Reopen an N-400 Pursuant to 8 CFR 335.5, Receipt of Derogatory Information After Grant.
Response Due Date:

This flexibility applies to the documents listed above if the issuance date listed on the request, notice or decision is between March 1, 2020, and March 26, 2022, inclusive. USCIS will consider a response to the above requests and notices received within 60 calendar days after the response due date set in the request or notice before taking any action.

In addition, USCIS will consider a Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion, or Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA), if:

The form was filed up to 90 calendar days from the issuance of a decision we made; and
We made that decision between Nov. 1, 2021, and March 26, 2022, inclusive.
Under previously announced flexibilities, USCIS considered a Form I-290B or a Form N-336 if the form was filed up to 60 calendar days from the issuance of a decision by USCIS, and if such decision was issued between March 1, 2020, and Oct. 31, 2021, inclusive.

Please visit uscis.gov/coronavirus for USCIS updates.

https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-extends-flexibility-for-responding-to-agency-requests-0

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March 30, 2020.

12/23/2021

CBP announces that permission to use expired U.S. passports to return to the U.S. has been extended to March 31, 2022.
https://www.aila.org/infonet/cbp-extension-travel-us-citizens-expired-passports?utm_source=Recent%20Postings%20Alert&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=RP%20Daily

CBP announces that permission to use expired U.S. passports to return to the U.S. has been extended to March 31, 2022. U.S. passport only granted for passports expired on or after January 1, 2020.

12/14/2021

USCIS is reminding the public that they offer immigration services that may help people affected by unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters.

https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/immigration-help-available-to-those-affected-by-natural-disasters-and-other-unforeseen-circumstances

USCIS is reminding the public that we offer immigration services that may help people affected by unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters. Examples of unforeseen circumstances include, but are not limited to, the recent tornadoes in Kentucky and surrounding states.

12/10/2021

DOS announced today that individuals who were randomly selected for the DV-2022 only need to submit the DS-260 forms to the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC). Any other required supporting documents will be collected during the interview process.

12/09/2021

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is temporarily waiving the requirement that the civil surgeon sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, no more than 60 days before an applicant files an application for the underlying immigration benefit (including Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), until Sept. 30, 2022.

https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-temporarily-waiving-60-day-rule-for-civil-surgeon-signatures

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is temporarily waiving the requirement that the civil surgeon sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, no more than 60 days before an applicant files an application for the underlying immigration benefit (including Form I-485, A...

11/20/2021

USCIS announced that it determined the need to select additional registrations to reach the FY2022 H-1B numerical allocations, including the advanced degree exemptions.
https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-conducts-third-random-selection-from-previously-submitted-fy-2022-h-1b-cap-registrations

We recently determined that we needed to select additional registrations to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2022 H-1B numerical allocations, including the advanced degree exemption.

10/13/2021

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap on H-2B visas for temporary nonagricultural workers for the first half of fiscal year 2022. Sept. 30 was the final receipt date for new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before April 1, 2022
https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-reaches-h-2b-cap-for-first-half-of-fy-2022

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap on H-2B visas for temporary nonagricultural workers for the first half of fiscal year 2022.

10/06/2021

The online registration period for the DV-2023 program will begin on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at 12:00 pm (ET), and conclude on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 12:00 pm (ET).
https://dvprogram.state.gov/