San Francisco Immigration Law Blog

https://www.uscis.gov/news/uscis-approves-10000-u-visas-7th-straight-fiscal-year For the 8th straight year, USCIS has approved the congressionally mandated annual limit of 10,000 petitions for U nonimmigrant status for victims of certain crimes who assist law enforcement authorities. USCIS will continue to review pending petitions for eligibility for potential visa issuance when more visas become available. October 1, 2016 marked the first day of fiscal year 2017,

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2017-09-05/pdf/2017-18653.pdf Department of State posted a Federal Register 60-day notice and request for comments on a new eMedical system into which panel physicians will input visa applicants’ medical exam information. DOS anticipates a full rollout by the end of 2018. Comments are due 11/6/17. (82 FR 42010, 9/5/17) “Approved panel physicians will be granted access to an eMedical system by

CBP Deploys Biometric Exit Technology to Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on August 8, 2017 the deployment of facial recognition biometric exit technology to McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas for one daily flight from the United States to Guadalajara, Mexico. Using the flight manifest, CBP builds a flight specific photo gallery using

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Embassy in Bern announced on February 1, 2017, the expansion of Global Entry to citizens of Switzerland. Global Entry, a CBP Trusted Traveler Program, allows for expedited clearance of pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Swiss citizens can begin applying for Global Entry on February 1, 2017 following clearance from the Swiss Federal

https://www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo The USCIS Announcement for September 2017 states that both family-based and employment-based adjustment of status applicants must use the “Final Action Dates” chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin. https://travel.state.gov/

As of August 1, 2017, Nebraska Service Center transferred some of the Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, filed by some applicants with a pending asylum application seeking an initial Employment Authorization Document cases to the Texas Service Center: Please visit the USCIS Workload Transfer Updates page for more information.

The Foreign Affairs Manual states the dependent of a principal in the US in a Non-immigrant visa (NIV) status may obtain the NI Visa as long as the principal maintains the status in the U.S. 9 FAM 402.1-6 ISSUANCE OF NONIMMIGRANT VISAS (NIV) TO SPOUSES AND/OR CHILDREN WHEN PRINCIPAL IS IN STATUS BUT HAS NO VISA. Derivative beneficiaries are entitled