USCIS is issuing revised policy guidance to address the general policies and procedures related to secure identity documents issued by the agency. Stakeholders may review and comment on the revised policy guidance through Jan. 30, 2019. Please see the Policy Alert (PDF) for more detailed information on this update.
The updated guidance will be included in Volume 11 of the USCIS Policy Manual. It replaces the guidance found in Chapters 12.3 and 56.2 of the Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM), as well as the AFM’s related appendices.
The Online Fee Calculator asks a series of questions to determine the correct filing fee for your application so you always know exactly how much to pay.
The current lapse in annual appropriated funding for the U.S. government does not affect USCIS’s fee-funded activities. Our offices will remain open, and all individuals should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled. USCIS will continue to accept petitions and applications for benefit requests, except as noted below.
Some USCIS programs, however, will either expire or suspend operations, or be otherwise affected, until they receive appropriated funds or are reauthorized by Congress.
On April 18, 2017, President Trump signed the Buy American and Hire American Executive Order, which seeks to create higher wages and employment rates for U.S. workers and to protect their economic interests by rigorously enforcing and administering our immigration laws. It also directs DHS, in coordination with other agencies, to advance policies to help ensure H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid beneficiaries.
USCIS is working on a combination of rulemaking, policy memoranda, and operational changes to implement the Buy American and Hire American Executive Order. We are creating and carrying out these initiatives to protect the economic interests of U.S. workers and prevent fraud and abuse within the immigration system.
USCIS will conduct a widespread system maintenance on Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. and on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2019, from 7 a.m. through 11 a.m. (Eastern).
USCIS has launched a new Online Fee Calculator to assist members of the public in calculating the correct fee amount to include when filing their forms with USCIS at an agency lockbox facility.
The current lapse in annual appropriated funding for the U.S. government does not affect USCIS’s fee-funded activities. Our offices will remain open, and all individuals should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled. USCIS will continue to accept petitions and applications for benefit requests, except as noted below.
“USCIS and the Legacy of Ellis Island” tells the story of Ellis Island through the perspective of those who worked there and highlights the historical connections between our mission and this iconic historic site. Watch the trailer or view the full video on our Youtube channel.
Official Website of the Department of Homeland Security
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On April 18, 2017, President Trump signed the Buy American and Hire American Executive Order, which seeks to create higher wages and employment rates for U.S. workers and to protect their economic interests by rigorously enforcing and administering our immigration laws. It also directs DHS, in coordination with other agencies, to advance policies to help ensure H-1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid beneficiaries.