The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have announced the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program for the 2010 Fiscal Year. The program will include two competitive funding opportunities and approximately $7 million to support citizenship preparation services for Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs).  These grant activities will focus on promoting the rights and responsibilities of citizenship through citizenship education and immigration integration in communities across the country.  USCIS expects to announce an estimated 50 award recipients in September 2010.To apply for either of the grants; organizations must send a mandatory letter of intent to citizenshipgrantprogram@dhs.gov by March 26, 2010. Applications for both grant opportunities are due by April 30, 2010. For other details about the FY 2010 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, please visit www.uscis.gov/grants.

For complete information, please visit:  Fiscal Year 2010 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has revised two forms and its filing locations: Form I-360, the Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, and Form I-485, the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. The changes to both the forms are part of an overall effort to transition the intake of benefit forms from USCIS local offices and Service Centers to USCIS Lockbox facilities. Centralizing form and fee intake allows USCIS to provide more efficient and effective initial processing of applications and fees.  For additional information on revised filing locations and instructions for new (Form I-360 and Form I-485) forms, please visit www.uscis.gov or call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

For complete information, please click: Revised Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, and Revised Filing Locations, and Revised Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and Revised Filing Location

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have announced revisions to Form I-765, the Application for Employment Authorization, to clarify the filing instructions and addresses for applicants filing the Form I-765. The changes are part of an overall effort to transition the intake of benefit forms from USCIS local offices and Service Centers to USCIS Lockbox facilities. Beginning February 24, 2010 applicants must now submit Form I-765 to one of the USCIS Lockbox facilities or the USCIS Vermont Service Center, based on the classification under which they are filing. USCIS additionally notes that Form I-765 may be electronically filed (e-filed) with USCIS when submitting under certain categories.  Please check USCIS website at www.uscis.gov for a list of who is eligible to e-file the Form I-765 as well as its instructions.

For complete information, please click: Change of Filing Location for Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization

In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement-007 (ICE) is modifying an existing system of records for Alien Criminal Response Information Management (ACRIM) System. The new system will update the data gathered and maintained both in paper form and electronically by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to carry out its mission to receive and respond to immigration status inquiries from criminal justice agencies regarding individuals arrested, under investigation, or otherwise encountered by those agencies.  Comments on the new system of records can be submitted on or before March 26, 2010 and the new system will be effective on the same day.

For complete information, please visit ICE’s website: www.ice.gov

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have released an updated set of Question and Answers (Q&As)on information for adoptive parents of paroled Haitian Orphans for obtaining Lawful Permanent Residence (LPR) status and U.S. citizenship. The Q&As also provide information for United States citizens that have adopted a child or are in the process of adopting a child from Haiti prior to the earthquake, to be paroled into the United States.  Additional guidance is provided to adoptive parents regarding the next steps for obtaining LPR status can be found on the USCIS website www.uscis.gov.

For complete information, please click: Questions & Answers: Information for Adoptive Parents of Paroled Haitian Orphans

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have changed the filing location for Form I-102, the Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival -Departure Document. The changes to the filing instructions and addresses to the new form dated 1/13/10 are part of an overall effort to transition the intake of benefit forms from Service Centers to USCIS to Lockbox facilities. USCIS has announced that beginning February 22, 2010, applicants submitting Form I-102 by itself must mail their application to the USCIS Phoenix or Dallas Lockbox facility, based on where they are located. Detailed guidance can be found in the new Form I-102 instructions, which can be accessed through the Form I-102 link to the right. For additional details on revised filing location and instructions of this new Form I-102, please visit www.uscis.gov or call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

For complete information, please click: Change of Filing Location for Form I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Departure Document

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Community Relations Program welcomes the participation of interested stakeholders in a national stakeholder meeting on Friday, February 26, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. in the Tomich Center, 111 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington D.C. 20529.  In this meeting, the Office of Citizenship will discuss FY2010 grants program, and provide updates on other upcoming Office Initiatives in additions to question and answer session. Stakeholders who would like to take part in the national stakeholder meeting can attend in person or via telephone.

For complete information, please click: USCIS National Stakeholders Meeting

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has published a general notice in the federal registrar regarding the mitigation of carrier fines for transporting aliens without proper documents; modification of memorandum of understanding and recalculation of performance levels to measure carrier performance. The notice provides that, a transportation company that violates the provisions will be subject to a fine for each alien brought into the U.S. without the required documentation.  However, pursuant to statute and regulations, if a carrier that enters into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CBP, agreeing to follow procedures set forth in the MOU, commits a violation and becomes subject to a penalty, such carrier would not have to apply for a reduction of the fine, but would be eligible for an automatic reduction. Further, the notice announces that CBP has made changes to the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and has recalculated and reset the performance levels CBP will use to measure carrier performance of its travel document screening responsibilities pursuant to the MOU.” The revised MOU is appended to the notice.

CBP will begin accepting the signed revised MOU’s on April 23, 2010 and will discontinue automatic processing of reduced fines based on the expired MOU practice on the same day.

For complete information, please click: CBP Notice: Mitigation of Carrier Fines for Transporting Aliens Without Proper Documents

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have revised filing instructions and addresses for applicants who are filing Form I-824, the Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition. The changes to the new form, which is dated 12/11/09, are part of an overall effort to transition the intake of benefit forms from USCIS local offices and Service Centers to USCIS Lockbox facilities.  Starting February 19, 2010, applicants must file Form I-824 with a USCIS Lockbox facility, based on which Service Center or USCIS local office approved their original petition or application. Additional guidance is provided in the new Form I-824 instructions.

Furthermore, applicants filing this new form at a USCIS Lockbox facility may request to receive an email or text message notifying them that USCIS has accepted their application.  Applicants who are likely to receive this notification must complete Form G-1145, the E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance, and attach it to the first page of their application.

For complete information, please click: Change of Filing Location for Form I-824, Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have published a memorandum regarding the numerical limitation exemption for temporary workers in H nonimmigrant classifications employed in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Guam. The memorandum provides guidance for processing and adjudicating Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker filed on behalf of H-1B “Specialty Occupation” and H-2B “temporary nonagricultural” workers under the  Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (CNRA).

For complete information, please click: USICS Memo on the Numerical Limitation Exemption for H Nonmmigrants Employed in the CNMI and Guam