Due
to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are a variety of closures and suspensions of
immigration services. Below is a summary
of all closures and suspensions at this time.
This list is subject to change as new updates become available.
US Citizenship and Immigration Service:
Immigration
Filings: The USCIS
recently announced that it may excuse
some delays in filing immigration cases in a timely manner. USCIS, in its
discretion, may excuse the failure to file on time if it was due to
extraordinary circumstances beyond the applicant’s control, such as those that
may be caused by COVID-19.
Effective
March 20, 2020 the USCIS has announced the immediate
and temporary suspension of premium processing on all I-129s (L-1s, H-1Bs,
TNs) and I-140s.
For
all cases where an RFE (Request for Evidence) or NOID (Notice of Intent to
Deny) was issued between March 1, 2020 and May 1, 2020, the USCIS will allow an
automatic 60-day extension to the due date.
Interviews
and In-Person Appointments:
The USCIS has suspended
all in-person services until at least May 3, 2020. The USCIS has also announced that it will re-use
biometric information already on file in order to process applications for
Employment Authorization Documents (EADs).
Electronic
Signatures: Due to
the National Emergency, USCIS will accept scanned,
faxed, or photocopied, original signatures.
Department of State:
US
Embassies: Effective March 20, 2020 the Department of States has also suspended
interviews in an effort to slow the spread of Covid-19. If you are a medical professional, please see
our previous blog
post about interviews for medical professionals.
Travel Restrictions:
Out
of the US: On March 19, 2020, the Department of State has issued a Level
4 warning, advising all US Citizens to avoid all international travel.
Into
the US: Travel bans have been issued restricting travel to the US for
individuals who have traveled to several
countries within in the last 14 days.
The
following individuals are exempt from the travel ban:
- US Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents;
- Spouses of US Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents;
- Parents or legal guardians of US Citizens of Lawful Permanent Residents, provided that the child is unmarried and under the age of 21;
- Siblings of US Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents, provided both are unmarried and under the age of 21;
- Children who are under the legal custody of US Citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents; and
- Other certain foreign government and health officials.
Stay
Safe and Healthy and Please Remember to Wash Your Hands Regularly.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteDoes temporary travel outside the United States affect my legal permanent resident status? A general guide used is whether you have been absent from the United States for more than a year. As a result of Covid-19 is this relaxed or still set to 1 year limit for temporary travel outside the United States?
Thanks
Joe
There has not been issued anything definitive.
DeleteHello Chris!
ReplyDeleteAre there any petition or call to lift the Visa Cap of EB-3 Nurses and other healthcare professionals during this crisis against Covid-19 in the US?
We are talking to congress but we are at the early stages of the discussions.
Delete