The USCIS Office of Public Engagement cordially invites you to the third collaboration session to discuss External Data Interface Standards (EDIS), which are the set of technical standards required to successfully transfer benefit request data from third party systems to USCIS.  For background information on EDIS and notes from the first two collaboration sessions, see the links to the right.

The objectives of this session are to follow up on open issues from previous sessions and to provide additional information on Transformation, including an overview of immigration accounts. In addition, USCIS will present information on and look for stakeholder input on the following topics:

• EDIS Information Exchange Package Documentation Exchange Models (Data Elements)
• Web Service Architecture (Characteristics and Patterns of this Interface)

A more detailed agenda and additional materials will be distributed to registered attendees prior to the meeting.

Read more at USCIS website.

Beginning February 25, 2010, applicants must file a Form I-360 with either the Vermont Service Center, the Nebraska Service Center, or at a USCIS Lockbox facility.  Where applicable, USCIS Service Centers will forward Form I-360 petitions to the appropriate Lockbox facility until March 29, 2010.  After the transitional period, the Service Centers may return incorrectly filed Form I-360 with instructions to send the petition to the correct location.   USCIS will accept previous versions of Form I-360 until March 29, 2010. After March 29, 2010, USCIS will reject previous versions of the form submitted.

When filing Form I-360 at a Lockbox facility, you may elect to receive an email and/or text message notifying you that USCIS has accepted your petition.  To receive notification, you must complete an E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (Form G-1145), and attach it to the first page of your petition.

Beginning February 25, 2010, most applicants must submit Form I-485 to a USCIS Lockbox facility, depending  on the eligibility category under which they are filing, as provided in the form instructions.  USCIS Service Centers will forward all Form I-485 applications to the appropriate Lockbox facility until March 29, 2010.  USCIS will accept previous versions of Form I-485 until March 29, 2010.  After March 29, 2010, USCIS will only accept the Form I-485 dated “12/03/09.”Any previous versions of the the form that are submitted will be rejected. After the transitional period, the Service Centers will return any incorrectly filed Form I-485 with instructions to send the application to the correct location.

At this time, applicants should not concurrently file Form I-485 with an Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (Form I-140) at a USCIS Lockbox facility. Refer to the Form I-140 filing Instructions for information on how to file forms concurrently.

When filing Form I-485 at a Lockbox facility, you may elect to receive an email and/or text message notifying you that USCIS has accepted your application.  To receive notification, you must complete an E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (Form G-1145), and attach it to the first page of your application.

For more information on USCIS programs, visit www.uscis.gov or call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

This new legislation is also supported by signatures from over 100 US venture capital and angel investors. The Startup Visa Act proposes legislation to modify the existing EB-5 Visa in order to drive job creation in the US and increase American global competitiveness.  This would enable immigrant entrepreneurs who are creating new companies to secure visas to come to the United States, if there is investment capital available from a sponsoring US venture capital or angel investor of at least $100,000 in an equity financing of not less than $250,000.

Beginning February 24, 2010 applicants must now submit Form I-765 to one of the USCIS Lockbox facilities or the USCIS Vermont Service Center, based on the classification under which they are filing. Detailed guidance can be found in updated Form I-765 instructions as well as at www.uscis.gov.

The Service Centers will forward incorrectly filed applications to the USCIS Phoenix and Dallas Lockbox facilities for the first 30 days, until March 26, 2010. After March 26, 2010, applications incorrectly filed at USCIS Service Centers will be returned to the applicant, with a note to send the application to the correct location.

When filing Form I-765 at one of the USCIS Lockbox facilities, you may elect to receive an email and/or text message notifying you that your application has been accepted.  You must complete an E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (Form G-1145), and attach it to the first page of your application.

Form I-765 may be electronically filed (e-filed) with USCIS when submitted under certain categories. View our Web site for a list of who is eligible to e-file Form I-765.

For more information on USCIS programs, visit www.uscis.gov or call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

In light of the devastating earthquakes in Haiti, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security authorized Haitian children, who were adopted or were in the process of being adopted by American families prior to the earthquake, to be paroled into the United States. “Category 1” parolees are Haitian orphans who were already legally adopted in Haiti. “Category 2” parolees are certain Haitian orphans whose cases had not yet resulted in final adoptions. You may find more information about the parole policy on USCIS’ Haiti Earthquake Response page at www.USCIS.gov.

To determine what steps to take next, it is most important to understand where you were in the adoption process in Haiti, regardless of the category you believe your child fell within at the time of parole. The following is provided for informational purposes to U.S. citizen adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents.

Read more on USCIS Website

Beginning February 22, 2010, applicants submitting Form I-102 by itself must mail their application to the USCIS Phoenix or Dallas Lockbox facility, based on where they are located.  Detailed guidance can be found in the updated Form I-102 instructions, which can be accessed through the Form I-102 link to the right.  Applicants submitting their Form I-102 with another form should submit both forms according to the filing instructions for the other form.

NATO and Partnership for Peace under SOFA Military Members seeking an initial Form I-94 should submit their application through their foreign commander or designee, to NATO/Headquarters, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation at NATO/HQ SACT, 7857 Blandy Road, Suite 100, ATTN: Legal Affairs, Norfolk, VA 23551-2490.

The Service Centers will forward mail to the USCIS Phoenix and Dallas Lockbox facilities for 30 days until March 24, 2010.  After March 24, 2010, applications incorrectly filed at the Service Centers will be returned to the applicant, with a note to send the application to the correct location.

Applicants filing a Form I-102 at a USCIS Lockbox facility, may elect to receive an email and/or text message notifying them that their application has been accepted.  They must complete an E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (Form G-1145), and attach it to the first page of their application.

For more information on USCIS programs, visit www.uscis.gov or call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

Beginning February 19, 2010, applicants must file Form I-824 with a USCIS Lockbox facility, based on which Service Center or local office approved their original petition or application.  Detailed guidance is available in the updated Form I-824 instructions.

USCIS Service Centers will forward all Form I-824 applications to the Lockbox facility for the next 30 days.  After February 19, 2010, the Service Centers will return any incorrectly filed Form I-824 applications with instructions to send the application to the correct location.

When filing Form I-824 at a USCIS Lockbox facility, applicants may elect to receive an email and/or text message notifying them that USCIS has accepted their application.  To receive notification, applicants must complete an E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance (Form G-1145), and attach it to the first page of their application.

For more information on USCIS programs, visit www.uscis.gov or call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites federal contractors and subcontractors affected by the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) E-Verify clause to attend a free E-Verify informational seminar on Feb. 23 or 24 at 2451 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Va.

Each two-hour seminar will include a demonstration of the E-Verify system, presentations concerning issues related to the employment verification process, and question and answer segments with government representatives.

The seminars are being offered twice each day from 10 a.m. until noon and again from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.

To register for a seminar, e-mail E-VerifyOutreach@dhs.gov with your company name, telephone number, number of guests, and date and time of desired seminar.  Advance reservations are required; a registration confirmation will be provided.

More than 183,000 participating employers nationwide currently use E-Verify to electronically verify their workers’ employment eligibility.  Since Oct. 1, 2008, more than 3.9 million employment verification queries have been run through the system and about 97 percent of all queries are now automatically confirmed as work-authorized within 24 hours or less.

USCIS operates E-Verify in partnership with the Social Security Administration.  More information on the program is available on the E-Verify Web site at www.dhs.gov/e-verify.  E-Verify customer support is also available by calling toll free (888) 464-4218.