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Policy Manual
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Book outline for Policy Manual
  • Policy Manual
    • Search
    • Updates
    • Table of Contents
    • Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures
      • Part A - Public Services
      • Part B - Submission of Benefit Requests
        • Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background
        • Chapter 2 - Signatures
        • Chapter 3 - Fees
        • Chapter 4 - Fee Waivers
        • Chapter 5 - Interpreters and Preparers
        • Chapter 6 - Submitting Requests
      • Part C - Biometrics Collection and Security Checks
      • Part D - Attorneys and Representatives
      • Part E - Adjudications
      • Part F - Motions and Appeals
      • Part G - Notice to Appear
    • Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants
    • Volume 3 - Humanitarian Protection and Parole
    • Volume 4 - Refugees and Asylees
    • Volume 5 - Adoptions
    • Volume 6 - Immigrants
    • Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status
    • Volume 8 - Admissibility
    • Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief
    • Volume 10 - Employment Authorization
    • Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents
    • Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization
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  3. Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures
  4. Part B - Submission of Benefit Requests

Part B - Submission of Benefit Requests

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  • Guidance
  • Resources (13)
  • Appendices (1)
  • Updates (7)
  • History (0)

In May 2020, USCIS retired its Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM), a collection of our immigration policies and procedures.

In May 2020, USCIS retired its Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM), a collection of our immigration policies and procedures. We are working quickly to update and incorporate all of the AFM content into the USCIS Policy Manual, the agency’s centralized online repository for immigration policies. Until then, we have moved any remaining AFM content to its corresponding Policy Manual Part. To the extent that a provision in the Policy Manual conflicts with remaining AFM content or Policy Memoranda, the updated information in the Policy Manual prevails. If you have questions or concerns about any discrepancies among these resources, contact PolicyFeedback@uscis.dhs.gov.

AFM Chapter 10 - An Overview of the Adjudication Process (External) (PDF, 2.55 MB)

Resources

Legal Authorities

8 CFR 103.2 - Submission and adjudication of benefit requests

8 CFR 103.7 - Fees

8 CFR 103.7(c) – Waiver of fees

INA 103, 8 CFR 103 - Powers and duties of the Secretary, the Under Secretary, and the Attorney General

INA 244, 8 CFR 244 - Temporary protected status

INA 286(m) - Immigration examinations fee account   

Pub. L. 101-649 (PDF) - Section 153 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (IMMACT 90) - Special immigrant status for certain aliens declared dependent on a juvenile court

Forms

I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility

I-765, Application for Employment Authorization

I-797C, Notice of Action

I-912, Request for Fee Waiver

I-912P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Fee Waiver Request

Other Materials

How to Use the USCIS Policy Manual Website (PDF, 2.99 MB)

Appendices

Appendix: 2020 Fee Rule Litigation Summary

On Sept. 29, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in Immigration Legal Resource Center et al., v. Wolf, et al., 20-cv-05883-JWS, preliminarily enjoined DHS from implementing or enforcing any part of the USCIS Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements rule (PDF).

While the rule is preliminarily enjoined, we will continue to:

  • Accept USCIS forms with the current editions and current fees; and
  • Use the regulations and guidance currently in place to adjudicate applications and petitions. This includes accepting and adjudicating fee waiver requests as provided under Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) Chapters 10.9 (PDF, 2.55 MB) and 10.10 (PDF, 2.55 MB).

Updates

Technical Update - Replacing the Term “Alien”

May 11, 2021

This technical update replaces all instances of the term “alien” with “noncitizen” or other appropriate terms throughout the Policy Manual where possible, as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [“any person not a citizen or national of the United States”].

Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants

7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status

8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility

9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief

10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization

11 USCIS-PM - Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents

12 USCIS-PM - Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization

POLICY ALERT - Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements Final Rule

September 02, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is revising its policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to align with the Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements Final Rule, published in the Federal Register on August 3, 2020. This guidance becomes effective October 2, 2020. For information regarding implementation, see Appendix: 2020 Fee Rule Litigation Summary.

Read More
Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM A - Part A - Public Services

1 USCIS-PM B - Part B - Submission of Benefit Requests

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

7 USCIS-PM A - Part A - Adjustment of Status Policies and Procedures

7 USCIS-PM F - Part F - Special Immigrant-Based (EB-4) Adjustment

7 USCIS-PM M - Part M - Asylee Adjustment

11 USCIS-PM A - Part A - Secure Identity Documents Policies and Procedures

Technical Update - Moving the Adjudicator’s Field Manual Content into the USCIS Policy Manual

May 21, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating and incorporating relevant Adjudicator’s Field Manual (AFM) content into the USCIS Policy Manual. As that process is ongoing, USCIS has moved any remaining AFM content to its corresponding USCIS Policy Manual Part, in PDF format, until relevant AFM content has been properly incorporated into the USCIS Policy Manual. To the extent that a provision in the USCIS Policy Manual conflicts with remaining AFM content or Policy Memoranda, the updated information in the USCIS Policy Manual prevails. To find remaining AFM content, see the crosswalk (PDF, 350.49 KB) between the AFM and the Policy Manual.

Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

3 USCIS-PM - Volume 3 - Humanitarian Protection and Parole

4 USCIS-PM - Volume 4 - Refugees and Asylees

5 USCIS-PM - Volume 5 - Adoptions

6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants

7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status

8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility

9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief

11 USCIS-PM - Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents

12 USCIS-PM - Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization

POLICY ALERT - Submission of Benefit Requests

March 05, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding submission of benefit requests to USCIS.

Read More
Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM B - Part B - Submission of Benefit Requests

Technical Update - Implementation of Fees for Submission of Benefit Requests

December 02, 2019

This technical update incorporates into Volume 1 the policy guidance that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced October 25, 2019, regarding submission and acceptance of fees for immigration benefit requests. USCIS published this guidance with an effective date of December 2, 2019. Note: On December 11, 2019, the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California in Seattle v. DHS enjoined the Department of Homeland Security from requiring use of the new version of Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver. USCIS has noted this in the corresponding Policy Manual guidance and reinstated the prior fee waiver policy guidance at AFM 10.9 (PDF, 2.55 MB) and 10.10 (PDF, 2.55 MB).

Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM B.3 - Chapter 3 - Fees

1 USCIS-PM B.4 - Chapter 4 - Fee Waivers

POLICY ALERT - Fees for Submission of Benefit Requests

October 25, 2019

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding submission and acceptance of fees for immigration benefit requests, with an effective date of December 2, 2019. Note: On December 11, 2019, the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California in Seattle v. DHS enjoined the Department of Homeland Security from requiring use of the new version of Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver. USCIS has noted this in the corresponding Policy Manual guidance and reinstated the prior fee waiver policy guidance at AFM 10.9 (PDF, 2.87 MB) (PDF, 2.55 MB) and 10.10 (PDF, 2.87 MB) (PDF, 2.55 MB).

Read More
Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM B.3 - Chapter 3 - Fees

1 USCIS-PM B.4 - Chapter 4 - Fee Waivers

Technical Update - Replacing the Term “Foreign National”

October 08, 2019

This technical update replaces all instances of the term “foreign national” with “alien” throughout the Policy Manual as used to refer to a person who meets the definition provided in INA 101(a)(3) [“any person not a citizen or national of the United States”].

Affected Sections

1 USCIS-PM - Volume 1 - General Policies and Procedures

2 USCIS-PM - Volume 2 - Nonimmigrants

6 USCIS-PM - Volume 6 - Immigrants

7 USCIS-PM - Volume 7 - Adjustment of Status

8 USCIS-PM - Volume 8 - Admissibility

9 USCIS-PM - Volume 9 - Waivers and Other Forms of Relief

10 USCIS-PM - Volume 10 - Employment Authorization

11 USCIS-PM - Volume 11 - Travel and Identity Documents

12 USCIS-PM - Volume 12 - Citizenship and Naturalization

Version History

No historical versions available.

0
Page sub tree links
  • Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background
  • Chapter 2 - Signatures
  • Chapter 3 - Fees
  • Chapter 4 - Fee Waivers
  • Chapter 5 - Interpreters and Preparers
  • Chapter 6 - Submitting Requests
Current as of March 15, 2023
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