이민국 (US Citizenship and Immigration Services), 국토안보부 (US Department of Homeland Security), 국무부 (US Department of State), 노동부 (US Department of Labor) 등 미국 이민 관련 정부들의 이민행정 뉴스를 업데이트 합니다.
발표날짜: 2024.04.04
이민국 (USCIS)은 지난 4월4일 연방 질병통제예방센터 (CDC)와의 협의하에 이민국 신체검사 (I-693)의 유효기간을 없애기로 했다고 발표했다.
2023년 11월 1일 또는 그 이후 적절하게 의사 서명이 된 신체검사서 I-693은 만료되지 않고 무기한 유효성 (Validity)을 인정받는다.
단, 이민국 심사관 (USCIS Officers)은 재량에 따라 의사서명 이후 신청자의 건강상태가 변경됐다고 판단되거나 이미 제출한 신체검사서가 신청자의 건강상태를 정확하게 반영하지 않았다고 판단되었을 때는 새로운 신체검사서, 업데이트된 신체검사서 등을 추가로 요청할 수 있다고 밝혔다.
기존 규정에서 신체검사서 (I-693)는 의사서명 이후 2년간 유효했었다.
[이민국 공지]
USCIS Announces New Guidance on Form I-693 Validity Period
Release Date: 04/04/2024
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced (PDF, 317.28 KB) that any Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, that was properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon on or after Nov. 1, 2023, does not expire and can be used indefinitely as evidence to show that the applicant is not inadmissible on health-related grounds.
In consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and based on advances in public health electronic notification, USCIS has determined that a Form I-693’s evidentiary value should no longer be limited to a certain period if it is properly completed and was signed by a civil surgeon on or after Nov. 1, 2023. USCIS officers have discretion to request more evidence or a new or updated Form I-693 if they have reason to believe the applicant’s medical condition has changed since the civil surgeon signed the Form I-693, or that the Form I-693 submitted does not accurately reflect the applicant’s medical condition and the applicant may be inadmissible on health-related grounds.
If an applicant’s immigration medical examinations were completed before Nov. 1, 2023, the prior policy still applies. Before Nov. 1, 2023, civil surgeons did not need to share or report certain information to the CDC electronically. USCIS has consulted with the CDC and determined that a properly completed Form I-693 signed by a civil surgeon before Nov. 1, 2023, continues to retain evidentiary value for two years from the date of the civil surgeon’s signature. This does not apply to Forms I-693 filed by Operation Allies Welcome parolees. Their Forms I-693 retain their evidentiary value for three years from the date of the civil surgeon signature, through policy and in consultation with CDC. For more information see the USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 8, Part B, Chapter 4.
스마트이주공사 (Smart Korean Consulting)
발표일시: 2024.04.04
이민국 (USCIS)은 취업허가증 Work Permit (EAD) 갱신 신청시 540일까지 자동 연장해주는 임시 최종규칙을 발표했다.
이는 기존 180일 자동 연장기간을 540일로 대폭 늘린 것으로, 워크퍼밋 발급 지연으로 인해 비시민권자 (신청인)의 취업기회가 박탈되는 것을 방지하기 위한 것. 단, 워크퍼밋 갱신 (Renew) 신청시 만료전에 적절하게 신청할 경우에만 이같은 자동연장 혜택을 받을 수 있다. 기존 워크퍼밋 카드 만료일부터는 갱신신청 접수증 원본이 있어야 540일이 자동 연장되므로 카드 만료후부터는 이 두 가지 서류를 함께 제시해야 워크퍼밋의 유효성 (Validity)을 인정받을 수 있다.
최근 이민문호 후퇴 등의 이유로 영주권 수속이 지연되고 대기기간이 점차 길어져 워크퍼밋 갱신 (Renew) 신청자가 늘어남에 따라 이민국은 유효기간 5년짜리 워크퍼밋 카드를 발급하는 사례가 늘고있는 상황이다.
이 같은 조치들은 업무 효율화를 도모하기 위해서라는 이민국의 설명과는 달리 한편으론 영주권 수속이 적체되고 있다는 반증이므로 이민 신청자들을 안타깝게 하고있는 현실이다.
[이민국 공지]
USCIS Increases Automatic Extension of Certain Employment Authorization Documents to Improve Access to Work Permits
Release Date: 04/04/2024
WASHINGTO — Building on extensive modernization efforts that have streamlined and improved access to work permits for eligible noncitizens, USCIS today announced a temporary final rule (TFR) to increase the automatic extension period for certain employment authorization documents (EADs) from up to 180 days to up to 540 days. This announcement follows improvements that have reduced processing times for EADs significantly over the past year.
The temporary measure announced today will prevent already work-authorized noncitizens from having their employment authorization and documentation lapse while waiting for USCIS to adjudicate their pending EAD renewal applications and better ensure continuity of operations for U.S. employers. This is the latest step by the Biden-Harris Administration to get work-authorized individuals into the workforce, supporting the economies where they live.
“Over the last year, the USCIS workforce reduced processing times for most EAD categories, supporting an overall goal to improve work access to eligible individuals. However, we also received a record number of employment authorization applications, impacting our renewal mechanisms,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “Temporarily lengthening the existing automatic extension up to 540 days will avoid lapses in employment authorizations. At the same time, this rule provides DHS with an additional window to consider long-term solutions by soliciting public comments, and identifying new strategies to ensure those noncitizens eligible for employment authorization can maintain that benefit.”
This TFR aligns with an ongoing effort at USCIS to support employment authorized individuals’ access to work. USCIS has reduced EAD processing times overall and streamlined adjudication processing, including:
Reducing by half EAD processing times of individuals with pending green card applications from FY2021 to date,
Processing a record number of EAD applications in the past year, outpacing prior years, Engaging with communities to educate work-eligible individuals who were not accessing the process and provide on-the-ground intake support of applications, Reducing processing time for EADs for asylum applicants and certain parolees to less than or equal to 30-day median, Extending EAD validity period for certain categories from 2 years to 5 years, Streamlining the process for refugee EADs, and Expanding online filing for EADs to asylum applications and parolees.
This temporary measure will apply to eligible applicants who timely and properly filed an EAD renewal application on or after Oct. 27, 2023, if the application is still pending on the date of publication in the Federal Register. The temporary final rule will also apply to eligible EAD renewal applicants who timely and properly file their Form I-765 application during a 540-day period that begins with the rule’s publication in the Federal Register.
Absent this measure, nearly 800,000 EAD renewal applicants – including those eligible for employment authorization as asylees or asylum applicants, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applicants or recipients, and green card applicants – would be in danger of experiencing a lapse in their employment authorization, and approximately 60,000 to 80,000 employers would be negatively impacted as a result of such a lapse. EADs are generally valid for the length of the authorized parole period. This TFR does not extend the length of parole.
Since May 12, 2023 to March 13, 2024, DHS has removed or returned over 617,000 individuals, the vast majority of whom crossed the Southwest Border, including more than 97,000 individual family members. The majority of all individuals encountered at the southwest border over the past three years have been removed, returned, or expelled. Total removals and returns since mid-May exceed removals and returns in every full fiscal year since 2011.
As part of this temporary final rule, USCIS is soliciting feedback from the public that would inform potential future regulatory action. For more information, visit our Automatic Employment Authorization Document Extension page.
스마트이주공사 (Smart Korean Consulting)
발표일시: 2024.3.26
이민국 (USCIS)은 2024년 10월 1일 시작되는 2025 회계연도 취업비자 H-1B 추첨 지원자 사전 등록을 3월 25일 미국 동부시간 정오에 마감하고, 곧 추첨을 진행할 것이라고 발표했다.
이번 취업비자 신청에는 예년에 비해 많은 변화가 있어 특히 신청자들의 주의가 요망된다.
첫째, 사전등록 채널인 myUSCIS에서 등록은 물론 신청서를 온라인으로 접수할 수 있도록 시스템이 업그레이드 됐다.
둘째, 서면접수 (Paper File) 이민국 접수처가 기존의 서비스센터에서 Lockbox로 변경되었다.
셋째, 4월1일부터 이민국 접수비가 인상 또는 변경됐다.
넷째, 4월1일부터는 업그레이드 된 신버전의 신청서만 접수받으며 구버전을 접수할 경우 신청서류 일체가 반려된다. 또한 정정후 재접수를 해도 반려된 신청서의 접수날짜는 인정받지 못한다.
[이민국 공지]
H-1B Form I-129 Filing Location Change and FY 2025 H-1B Cap Season Updates and Reminders
Release Date
03/26/2024
H-1B Initial Registration Period Closed
The initial registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap season closed at noon Eastern on March 25, 2024. USCIS will soon randomly select enough unique beneficiaries of properly submitted registrations projected as needed to reach the FY 2025 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap), and will notify all prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for such beneficiaries. We will issue another web alert when this process has been completed.
H-1B Form I-129 Filing Location Change to Lockbox
Starting April 1, 2024, H-1B and H-1B1 (HSC) Form I-129 petitions must no longer be filed at the USCIS service centers. All paper-based H-1B and H-1B1 (HSC) Form I-129 petitions must be filed at USCIS lockbox locations. This includes cap, non-cap, and cap-exempt H-1B filings.
We will reject H-1B or H-B1 (HSC) petitions received at a USCIS service center on or after April 1, 2024. There will be no grace period provided.
USCIS has specific mailing addresses for cases that are subject to the H-1B cap. To determine the correct mailing address, please see our Form I-129 Direct Filing Addresses page.
If a petition is filed at the wrong location, we may reject the petition. Rejected petitions will not retain a filing date. If we reject a petition because it was filed at the wrong location, it may be refiled at the correct location, or online. H-1B cap subject petitions may be refiled at the correct location, or online, as long as the petition is refiled during the designated 90-day filing window listed on the selection notice.
New Fees and Form Edition
On Jan. 31, 2024, USCIS published a final rule that adjusts the fees required for most immigration applications and petitions. The new fees are effective April 1, 2024. Petitions postmarked on or after April 1, 2024, must include the new fees or we will not accept them. Additionally, there will be a new 04/01/24 edition of Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. There will be no grace period for filing the new version of Form I-129 because it must include the new fee calculation.
What to Know About Sending Us Your Form I-129.
We will accept the 05/31/23 edition of this form if it is postmarked before April 1, 2024;
We will not accept the 05/31/23 edition of this form if it is postmarked on or after April 1, 2024; and
We will only accept the 04/01/24 edition of this form if it is postmarked on or after April 1, 2024.
We have published a preview version of the 04/01/24 edition of Form I-129 (PDF, 2.07 MB) and its instructions (PDF, 428.11 KB).
We will use the postmark date of a filing to determine which form version and fees are correct but will use the received date for purposes of any regulatory or statutory filing deadlines.
As a reminder, we recently announced a final premium processing fee rule that increased the filing fee for Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, to adjust for inflation, effective Feb. 26, 2024. If we receive a Form I-907 postmarked on or after Feb. 26, 2024, with the incorrect filing fee, we will reject the Form I-907 and return the filing fee. For filings sent by commercial courier (such as UPS, FedEx, and DHL), the postmark date is the date on the courier receipt.
Online Filing and Organizational Accounts
On Feb. 28, 2024, we launched new online organizational accounts that allow multiple people within an organization and their legal representatives to collaborate on and prepare H-1B registrations, H-1B petitions, and any associated Form I-907. Information on organizational accounts is available on the Organizational Accounts Frequently Asked Questions page.
We also launched online filing of Form I-129 and associated Form I-907 for non-cap H-1B petitions on March 25. On April 1, we will begin accepting online filing for H-1B cap petitions and associated Forms I-907 for petitioners whose registrations have been selected.
Petitioners will continue to have the option of filing a paper Form I-129 H-1B petition and any associated Form I-907 if they prefer. However, during the initial launch of organizational accounts, users will not be able to link paper-filed Forms I-129 and I-907 to their online accounts.
No More Pre-paid Mailers
Prepaid mailers are no longer used to send out any communication or final notices for any H-1B or H-1B1 (HSC) petitions as of March 25. With H-1B intake now occurring at the lockbox or online, we will not be able to use any prepaid mailers for H-1B or H-1B1 (HSC) filings.
The process of printing and mailing H-1B petition approval notices by first-class mail is fully automated. MyUSCIS account holders will also receive an email or text message notification when there is a case status change on a case in their account, followed by a paper notice by mail.
스마트이주공사 (Smart Korean Consulting)
발표일시: 2024.2.28
이민국 (USCIS)은 2024년 10월 1일 시작되는 2025 회계연도 취업비자 H-1B 추첨 지원자 사전 등록을 오는 3월 6일 동부시간 정오부터 3월 22일 정오까지 접수받는다고 발표했다.
고용주는 이 기간 중에 금년에 새롭게 디자인된 이민국 온라인시스템myUSCIS (Organizational Accounts) 을 통해 H-1B 추첨 신청자 등록을 할 수 있다. 새로운myUSCIS 시스템은 고용주와 변호사, 그리고 이들의 직원들이 공동으로 하나의 어카운트에서 협업으로 작업할 수 있도록 했으며, 신청서 (I-129, I-907 등)를 온라인으로 접수할 수 있다고 이민국은 밝혔다.
고용주는 3월1일부터 myUSCIS에서 뉴어카운트를 개설할 수 있으며, 기존에 어카운트를 가지고있는 경우 새 시스템으로 자동으로 이전된다. 또한 myUSCIS 어카운트 내 H-1B 신청을 위한 온라인 신청서 양식 (I-129, I-907 등)은 3월중에 런칭될 예정이며 당첨자들은 4월1일부터 온라인 접수가 가능하다.
3월 22일까지 등록을 받은 결과 연간 H-1B 비자할당량(Quota) 이상의 등록자 (Registrations)가 나올 경우 무작위 추첨(Random Selection)을 진행하고 당첨자는 3월 31일까지 myUSCIS online account를 통해 통보를 받게 된다. 등록자 숫자가 비자할당량 보다 적을 경우 규정에 맞게 등록한 신청 등록자는 전원 당첨된 것으로 간주되어 H-1B 신청서 접수자격이 주어진다.
당첨자는 4월 1일부터 이민국에 H-1B 페티션 (I-129)을 접수할 수 있으며 승인 (Approved) 되면 10월 1일 부터 일을 할 수 있다.
[이민국 공지]
FY 2025 H-1B Registration Period and myUSCIS Organizational Account Reminders
Release Date
02/28/2024
On Feb. 28, 2024, we launched new myUSCIS organizational accounts that will allow multiple people within an organization, as well as their legal representatives, to collaborate on and prepare H-1B registrations, H-1B petitions, and any associated Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service. A new organizational account is required to participate in the H-1B Electronic Registration Process starting in March 2024.
We are working expeditiously to address any technical issues that may arise for legal representatives whose accounts migrated when they logged into their online account on or after Feb. 14, 2024, including impacts on cases other than H-1B filings. If you previously experienced issues upon logging in to your online account after migration, please log back in to see if your issues have been resolved by our ongoing technical fixes. For additional information and resources, please review updated information on the Organizational Accounts Frequently Asked Questions page.
The initial registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 6, 2024, and run through noon Eastern on March 22, 2024. During this period, prospective petitioners and their representatives, if applicable, must use a USCIS online account to register each beneficiary electronically for the selection process and pay the associated registration fee for each beneficiary.
Starting with the FY 2025 initial registration period, USCIS will require registrants to provide valid passport information or valid travel document information for each beneficiary. The passport or travel document provided must be the one the beneficiary, if or when abroad, intends to use to enter the United States if issued an H-1B visa. Each beneficiary must only be registered under one passport or travel document.
In March we will launch online filing of Form I-129 and associated Form I-907 for non-cap H-1B petitions. On April 1, USCIS will begin accepting online filing for H-1B cap petitions and associated Forms I-907 for petitioners whose registrations have been selected.
To help guide organizations and legal representatives through the new process, we launched our Tech Talks session in February 2024. During these sessions, individuals can ask questions about the organizational accounts and online filing of Form I-129 for H-1B petitions. USCIS encourages all individuals involved in the H-1B registration and petition filing process to attend these sessions. Additional information and dates are available on the Upcoming National Engagements page.
스마트이주공사 (Smart Korean Consulting)
발표일시: 2024.1.30
이민국 (USCIS)은 1월 30일 접수비 (Filing Fee) 조정안 (Adjust Fee)을 최종 확정했다. 이민국 신청서 접수비 조정안은 지난해 1월 3일 의견수렴을 위해 입법예고한 이후 일년만에 결정된 것. 이같이 조정된 이민국 접수비는 오는 4월 1일부터 발효된다.
이번에 시행되는 이민국 접수비 조정은 2016년 이후 발효된 것으로 이민국 (USCIS) 운영비 부족을 해소함으로써 신규 접수 케이스에 대한 심사를 제 시간에 완료하기 위함이라고 밝혔다.
이번 접수비 조정에 따라 몇몇 신청서는 개정된 버전 (Revised Edition)을 사용해 접수해야 이민국에서 받아준다. 구 버전을 접수하는 경우 이민국은 전체 패키지를 반려 (Reject)한다고 주의사항을 당부했다. (아래 이민국 공지 참고)
이와 같은 이민국 (USCIS) 접수비 인상/인하 조정 시행령에 관한 자세한 사항은 이민국 사이트 FAQ에서 확인할 수 있다.
* 한인들이 많이 신청하는 케이스만 정리했습니다.
** 이민케이스는 시간이 중요합니다.
비용 때문이라면 망설이지 마시고 바로 저희와 상의하시기 바랍니다. 카톡상담
[이민국 공지]
USCIS Issues Final Rule to Adjust Certain Immigration and Naturalization Fees
Release Date 01/30/2024
WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees for the first time since 2016. The final rule will allow USCIS to recover a greater share of its operating costs and support more timely processing of new applications.
The final rule is the result of a comprehensive fee review, as required by law, and follows the January 2023 publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking. The review concluded that the current fee schedule falls far short in recovering the full cost of agency operations, including the necessary expansion of humanitarian programs, federally mandated pay raises, additional staffing requirements, and other essential investments.
“For the first time in over seven years, USCIS is updating our fees to better meet the needs of our agency, enabling us to provide more timely decisions to those we serve,” said USCIS Director Ur M. Jaddou. “Despite years of inadequate funding, the USCIS workforce has made great strides in customer service, backlog reduction, implementing new processes and programs, and upholding fairness, integrity, and respect for all we serve.”
USCIS received over 5,400 unique public comments in response to its January 2023 notice of proposed rulemaking. USCIS took into consideration comments and feedback received during the proposed rulemaking process.
Acknowledging this feedback from stakeholders, the final fee rule includes several important updates since the initial rulemaking. The final rule:
Every fee in the final rule is the same or lower than in the proposed rule. For most individual filers, the final rule limits how much newly established fees may increase. Under the final rule, the new fees will not increase by more than 26%, which is equivalent to the increase in the Consumer Price Index since the last fee rule was issued in 2016.
With the new revenues the rule will generate, USCIS will continue using innovative solutions to improve customer experience and stem backlog growth. Although the fee increases announced today will allow USCIS to better offset overall costs, congressional funding continues to be necessary to sustainably and fully address the increased volume of caseloads associated with recent border crossers, including by hiring additional USCIS personnel to help right-size a system that was not built to manage the numbers of cases USCIS receives.
The new fees under the final rule will go into effect on April 1, 2024.
USCIS encourages stakeholders to visit the 'Frequently Asked Questions' page on its website to view a full list of the revised forms that will go into effect on April 1, 2024, along with the new fees. USCIS will accept prior editions of most forms during a grace period from April 1, 2024, through June 3, 2024. During this grace period, USCIS will accept both previous and new editions of certain forms, filed with the correct fee.
There will be no grace period for the following new forms, however, because they must be revised with a new fee calculation. Filers should click the links below to access a preview version of each new form edition before the April 1, 2024, effective date:
USCIS will use the postmark date of a filing to determine which form version and fees are correct but will use the receipt date for purposes of any regulatory or statutory filing deadlines.
스마트이주공사 (Smart Korean Consulting)
이민국에서 심사가 진행 중인 취업이민 청원서 I-140에 대한 급행 (Premium Processing Service)으로의 업그레이드 신청 I-907 접수주소가 변경됐다.
이민국은 2023년 12월 15일부터 I-140 급행서비스 업그레이드 신청서 I-907을 신청인이 근무하게 될 사업장의 주소지에 따라 아리조나주 템피 (Tempe, AZ)와 일리노이주 엘진 (Elgin, IL)에 마련된 Lockbox 두 장소로 나눠 접수받는다고 발표했다.
일반 (Regular) 케이스로 접수된 I-140 케이스는 수속중 (Pending)에 언제든 급행으로 업그레이드가 가능하다. 기존에는 이같은 일반 수속 I-140을 급행으로 업그레이드 하기 위해서는 심사가 진행되고 있는 해당 서비스센터 (USCIS Service Center)에 I-907을 보내야했다.
그런데 이번에 변경된 I-140 급행 업그레이드 접수 주소는 어느 서비스센터에서 케이스가 진행되든 상관없이 근무지에 따라 정해진 두 군데 Lockbox로 각각 접수하면 된다.
이민국은 이같이 접수처를 점차 Lockbox로 변경하는 이유는 케이스 수속업무의 효율성을 높이기 위한 방안이라는 설명이다.
[이민국 공지사항]
Release Date 12/13/2023
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin transitioning the filing location for Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing, when filed for a pending Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, from the service centers to appropriate USCIS lockboxes on Dec. 15.
This change is part of our efforts to increase efficiency by reducing our footprint at the service centers and reducing costs related to Service Center intake of Forms I-140 and I-907. The change in filing location also allows USCIS to centralize digitization of these forms for downstream electronic adjudication. This is the second of three phases of this transition.
This change in filing location does not apply if you are filing Form I-140 concurrently with an associated application (such as Form I-485, I-765, or Form I-131). We will soon announce a filing location change for these forms, but at this time, such forms should be filed with the service centers, as listed on the Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker page.
In addition, we remind filers to follow the guidance on submission of documents to USCIS to reduce processing delays. See Tips for Filing Forms by Mail.
USCIS previously announced that effective Nov. 13, 2023, the filing location for Form I-907 filed together with Form I-140 has changed from the service centers to the USCIS lockbox (phase 1). As a reminder, starting on or after Dec 13, 2023, USCIS will reject any Form I-907 filed with Form I-140 that is received at the previous service center address.
Starting Dec. 15, please use the following addresses when mailing Form I-907 to USCIS for a currently pending Form I-140. Starting on or after Jan. 14, 2024, USCIS will reject any Form I-907 filed for a pending Form I-140 that is received at the previous service center address.
스마트이주공사 (Smart Korean Consulting)
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