October 15: USCIS clarification on Expedite Request
We all know that there’s a USCIS request called “Expedite Request” that could apply to any case type, and this is not the same thing as a premium processing request that’s allowed with certain application types. Also, it’s very tough to get these Expedite Request granted by USCIS, cuz clients would need to demonstrate evidence showing severe financial loss to the employer; humanitarian causes e.g. critical illness/death within the family; U.S. government interest, etc. USCIS will not simply grant expedited requests because of someone’s desire for a faster decision – e.g. an I-140/I-485 approval faster than usual, I-765 EAD soon to work, or I-131 AP soon for traveling.
USCIS just sent out a clarification about this Expedite Request, which expands a bit on what could work and what evidence could be used.
The above two screenshots are available from the following two USCIS webpages:
https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-1-part-a-chapter-5
https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-guidance/expedite-requests
October 10: Nov. 2024 visa bulletin
Nov. 2024 visa bulletin has been released by DOS. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2025/visa-bulletin-for-november-2024.html There is NO change whatsoever to the cut-off dates listed for both charts. USCIS has decided to use the Dates for Filing chart for November.
October 9: I-131 new edition form
USCIS released/will release a new I-131 form and that effectively makes the current edition, which is 4/1/24 edition valid only if they are mailed TODAY and TOMORROW.
“On Oct. 11, 2024, USCIS will publish the new edition of Form I-131 (06/17/24 edition). Because we are significantly changing Form I-131 and our internal intake procedure, there is no filing grace period for the new Form I-131 (06/17/24 edition). Starting on Oct. 11, 2024, we will reject applications made on the 04/01/24 form edition.
USCIS will accept an 04/01/24 edition of Form I-131 that is postmarked before 10/11/24.
We will not accept an 04/01/24 edition of Form I-131 that is postmarked on or after 10/11/24.”
Here, the postmark date means the date the mail is accepted by mailing carriers, USPS/FedEx, so if I-485 clients want to use the 4/1/24 edition, their I-485 pkgs would have to be mailed today and tomorrow. For any mailing date on and after 10/11/24 containing the old 4/1/24 edition, their I-131 would be rejected. They would have to use the 6/17/24 edition.
October 8: EB1A policy manual update
USCIS issued updated guidance on EB1A criteria on 10/2, and in the updated version, the following items are the only changes:
This policy guidance:
Confirms that we consider a person’s receipt of team awards under the criterion for lesser nationally or internationally recognized prizes or awards for excellence in the field of endeavor;
Clarifies that we consider past memberships under the membership criterion;
Removes language suggesting published material must demonstrate the value of the person’s work and contributions to satisfy the published material criterion; and
Explains that while the dictionary defines an “exhibition” as a public showing not limited to art, the relevant regulation expressly modifies that term with “artistic,” such that we will only consider non-artistic exhibitions as part of a properly supported claim of comparable evidence.
Here’s a full list of EB1A policy manual https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-6-part-f-chapter-2