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Immigration Policy and Procedural Memoranda

This page provides access to various policy and procedural memoranda which gives guidance to USCIS adjudicators in their work of processing applications and petitions for immigration benefits while still protecting national security.

You can also find a listing of memoranda by subject to the right.

ATTENTION: Policy memos that have been partially or fully superseded by the USCIS Policy Manual have been stamped and republished. If you have bookmarked affected memo PDF files, you will now see the updated stamped version of the memo indicating that you should visit www.uscis.gov/policymanual for current policy.

This page can be found at http://www.uscis.gov/memoranda


July 2008

Acceptance of an I-600A and I-600 after 4/1/2008 for a child habitually resident in a Hague Adoption Convention country - adoptions and grants of custody obtained before April 1, 2008 (68KB PDF)
Lori Scialabba, Associate Director, Refugee, Asylum & International Operations Directorate
Donald Neufeld, Acting Associate Director, Domestic Operations
07/14/2008

Applicability of Section 245(k) to Certain Employment-Based Adjustment of Status Applications filed under Section 245(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act; Revisions to Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) Chapter 23.5(d) (AFM Update AD06-47) (84KB PDF)
Donald Neufeld, Acting Associate Director, Domestic Operations
07/14/2008

Special Immigrant Visas for Certain Iraqis under Section 1244 of Public Law 110-181, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, as amended; Revisions to Adjudicator's Field Manual Chapter 22.3 (AFM Update AD08-17) (71KB PDF)
Donald Neufeld, Acting Associate Director, Domestic Operations
07/07/2008


June 2008

Publication of Information Guide for Prospective Asylum Applicants (47KB PDF)
Joseph E. Langlois, Chief, Asylum Division
06/16/2008


May 2008

Supplemental Guidance Relating to Processing Forms I-140 Employment-Based Immigrant Petitions and I-129 H-1B Petitions, and Form I-485, Adjustment Applications Affected by the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act of 2000 (...) (138KB PDF)
Donald Neufeld, Acting Associate Director, Domestic Operations
05/30/2008


April 2008

Revised Guidance for the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)
AFM Update: Chapter 21.2(e) The Child Status Protection Act of 2002 (CSPA) (AD07-04)
 (106KB PDF)
Donald Neufeld, Acting Associate Director, Domestic Operations
04/30/2008

Adjustment of status for VAWA self-petitioner who is present without inspection
Revision of Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) Chapter 23.5 (AFM Update AD 08-16)
 (57KB PDF)
Donald Neufeld for Michael Aytes, Associate Director, Domestic Operations
04/11/2008


March 2008

New Classification for Victims of Criminal Activity - Eligibility for "U" Nonimmigrant Status; Revisions to Adjudicator's Field Manual Chapter 39 (AFM Update AD08-12) ( PDF)
Michael Aytes, Associate Director Domestic Operations
03/27/2008

Withholding Adjudication and Review of Prior Denials of Certain Categories of Cases Involving Association with, or Provision of Material Support to, Certain Terrorist Organizations or Other Groups (252KB PDF)
Jonathan Scharfen, Deputy Director, USCIS
03/26/2008

Adjudicator's Field Manual Update: Chapter 31: ( PDF)
Accepting and Adjudicating H-1B Petitions When a Required License is not Available Due to State Licensing Requirements Mandating Possession of a Valid Immigration Document as Evidence of Employment Authorization
03/21/2008

Genetic Relationship Testing: Suggesting DNA Tests Revisions to the Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) Chapter 21 (AFM Update AD07-25) ( PDF)
Don Neufeld for Michael Aytes, Associate Director, Domestic Operations
03/19/2008

Authorization to process cases involving the provision of material support to the AUC (450KB PDF)
Paul S. Rosenzweig, DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy to Emilio Gonzalez, Director, USCIS
03/10/2008

Notification to Department of State (DOS) of Adjudication of Form I-824, "Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition" Relating to a Digitized File (61KB PDF)
03/05/2008


February 2008

Revised National Security Adjudication and Reporting Requirements ( PDF)
Michael Aytes, Associate Director, Domestic Operations
02/04/2008


January 2008

Extension of Validity of Medical Certifications on Form I-693 ( PDF)
Michael Aytes, Associate Director, Domestic Operations
01/07/2008


December 2007

Authorization to process cases involving the provision of material support to the ELN (443KB PDF)
Paul Rosenzweig, DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy to Emilio Gonzalez, Director, USCIS
12/18/2007


November 2007

Guidelines for Partnerships between Asylum Offices and Non-Governmental Organizations to Provide Access to Legal Consultation for Applicants in the Credible Fear Process ( PDF)
Joseph E. Langlois HQRAIO
11/08/2007

Effect of Form I-130 Petitioner's Death on Authority to Approve the Form I-130; Revisions to Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) Chapter 21.2 (AFM Update AD08-04) ( PDF)
Michael Aytes, HQOPS
11/08/2007


September 2007

Processing the Discretionary Exemption to the Inadmissibility Ground for Providing Material Support to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) ( PDF)
Jonathan Scharfen HQUSCIS
09/06/2007

Authorization to process cases involving the provision of material support to the FARC ( PDF)
Paul S. Rosenzweig, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, DHS
09/06/2007


July 2007

Matter of Vazquez (July 31, 2007) ( PDF)
Jonathan Scharfen HQUSCIS
07/31/2007

Matter of Perez Quintanilla (June 7, 2007)  ( PDF)
Jonathan Scharfen HQUSCIS
07/30/2007

Fee Waiver Guidelines as Established by the Final Rule of the Immigration and Naturalization Benefit and Application and Petition Fee Schedule (AFM Update AD07-19) ( PDF)
Donald Neufeld HQOPS
07/20/2007


June 2007

Interim Guidance Regarding the Impact of the Department of Labor's (DOL) final rule, Labor Certification for the Permanent Employment of Aliens in the United States ( PDF)
Revisions to Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) Chapter 22.2(b) General Form I-140 Issues (AFM Update AD07-20) Donald Neufeld HQOPS
06/01/2007

Removal of the Standardized Request for Evidence Processing Timeframe Final Rule, 8 CFR 103.2(b) ( PDF)
Significant Revision to Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) Chapters 10.5(a), (b); New Appendix 10-9 (AFM Update AD07-05) Donald Neufeld HQOPS
06/01/2007




Last updated: 01/22/2013