USCIS Announces a Revised Naturalization Civics Test
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USCIS Announces a Revised Naturalization Civics Test

November 13, 2020 by no comments

WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today plans to implement a revised version of the naturalization civics test. The agency first announced plans to revise the civics test in July 2019.

USCIS revised the civics test as part of a decennial update to ensure that it remains an instrument that comprehensively assesses applicants’ knowledge of American history, government and civic values.

The civics test is administered to applicants who apply for U.S. citizenship and is one of the statutory requirements for naturalizing. Applicants who apply for naturalization on or after Dec. 1, 2020, will take the updated version of the test. Those who apply before Dec. 1, 2020, will take the current version of the test.

“USCIS has diligently worked on revising the naturalization test since 2018, relying on input from experts in the field of adult education to ensure that this process is fair and transparent,” said USCIS Deputy Director for Policy Joseph Edlow. “Naturalization allows immigrants to become fully vested members of American society, with the same rights and responsibilities as citizens by birth, and offering a fair test, which prepares naturalization applicants for these responsibilities, is of upmost importance to our agency.”

The revised test includes more questions that test the applicant’s understanding of U.S. history and civics, in line with the statutory requirements, and covers a variety of topics that provide the applicant with more opportunities to learn about the United States as part of the test preparation process. The revised test will not change the passing score, which will remain at 60%. Candidates must answer 12 questions correctly, out of 20 in order to pass.

USCIS will maintain the current guidelines for statutorily established special considerations for applicants who are 65 years old or older and have at least 20 years of lawful permanent resident status. These applicants will be asked 10 questions and must answer a minimum of six questions correctly in order to pass.

The test items and study guides can be found on the Citizenship Resource Center on the USCIS website. USCIS has also updated the USCIS Policy Manual (PDF, 323.82 KB) accordingly; see Volume 12, Part E, English and Civics Testing and Exceptions, Chapter 2, English and Civics Testing.

USCIS piloted the test with community-based organizations and volunteers across the country in summer 2020. The data collected from this pilot was used to help USCIS make determinations about the language and grammatical structure of individual test items, linguistic and cognitive weights assigned to each test item, and to identify those items appropriate for applicants who are 65 years or older, have held lawful permanent resident status for at least 20 years and are granted special consideration by statute.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), Instagram (/uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/uscis) and LinkedIn (/uscis).

Last Reviewed/Updated:

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-announces-a-revised-naturalization-civics-test

USCIS Adjusts Fees to Help Meet Operational Needs

July 31, 2020 by no comments

Release Date: 07/31/2020

WASHINGTON—Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule (PDF) that adjusts fees for certain immigration and naturalization benefit requests to ensure U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recovers its costs of services.

Unlike most government agencies, USCIS is fee funded. Fees collected and deposited into the Immigration Examinations Fee Account fund nearly 97% of USCIS’ budget.

As required by federal law, USCIS conducted a comprehensive biennial fee review and determined that current fees do not recover the cost of providing adjudication and naturalization services. DHS is adjusting USCIS fees by a weighted average increase of 20% to help recover its operational costs. Current fees would leave the agency underfunded by about $1 billion per year.

“USCIS is required to examine incoming and outgoing expenditures and make adjustments based on that analysis,” said Joseph Edlow, USCIS deputy director for policy. “These overdue adjustments in fees are necessary to efficiently and fairly administer our nation’s lawful immigration system, secure the homeland and protect Americans.”

The rule accounts for increased costs to adjudicate immigration benefit requests, detect and deter immigration fraud, and thoroughly vet applicants, petitioners and beneficiaries. The rule also supports payroll, technology and operations to accomplish the USCIS mission. The rule removes certain fee exemptions, includes new nominal fees for asylum applicants, and reduces fee waivers to help recover the costs of adjudication.

This final rule also encourages online filing by providing a $10 reduction in the fee for applicants who submit forms online that are electronically available from USCIS. Online filing is the most secure, efficient, cost-effective and convenient way to submit a request with USCIS.

USCIS last updated its fee structure in December 2016 by a weighted average increase of 21%.

For a full list of changes and a complete table of final fees, see the final rule (PDF).

This final rule is effective Oct. 2, 2020. Any application, petition, or request postmarked on or after this date must include payment of the new, correct fees established by this final rule.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), Instagram (/uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/uscis), and LinkedIn (/uscis).

Last Reviewed/Updated: 07/31/2020

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-adjusts-fees-to-help-meet-operational-needs

Department of Homeland Security Will Reject Initial Requests for DACA As It Weighs Future of the Program

July 28, 2020 by no comments

Release Date: July 28, 2020

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad F. Wolf announced that in response to the Supreme Court’s decision, the Department of Homeland Security will take action to thoughtfully consider the future of the DACA policy, including whether to fully rescind the program.

In the interim and to address serious concerns with the policy, the Department of Homeland Security will make the following changes to DACA immediately:

  • Reject all initial requests for DACA and associated applications for Employment Authorization Documents;
  • Reject new and pending requests for advanced parole absent exceptional circumstances; and,
  • Limit the period of renewed deferred action granted pursuant to the DACA policy after the issuance of this memorandum to one year.

“As the Department continues looking at the policy and considers future action, the fact remains that Congress should act on this matter,” said Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf. “There are important policy reasons that may warrant the full rescission of the DACA policy.”

The new memorandum outlined four areas of concern:

  • Concern about whether, as a matter of policy, continuation of a broad, class-based deferred-action policy like DACA should be resolved by Congress;
  • Concern about whether any discretion to not enforce the law or afford deferred action should be exercised rarely and only on a truly individualized, case-by-case basis;
  • Concern that the existence of a program like DACA may send mixed messages about DHS’s intention to consistently enforce immigration laws as Congress has written them; and,
  • Concern that the existence of a program like DACA may encourage individuals to take a perilous journey to this country, needlessly endangering children.

The full memorandum can be read here.

Attorney General William P. Barr’s letter to Acting Secretary Chad F. Wolf on DACA can be read here.

Last Published Date: July 28, 2020

Source: https://www.dhs.gov/news/2020/07/28/department-homeland-security-will-reject-initial-requests-daca-it-weighs-future?fbclid=IwAR3rl99lk-IjDGaQEjOZ6jbhS0O_2ycV7583w1UqzW9eTyTDJDVFnCBWN04

USCIS Launches Updated Website

July 21, 2020 by no comments

Today, we launched an updated www.uscis.gov website, which we designed with input from applicants, petitioners and the public. In addition to a new look and feel, we have improved the website to help visitors better navigate our existing online tools and resources, as well as to file and manage applications and petitions online.

We are also making information about our processes easier to find by streamlining our navigation based on user feedback, data and best practices. The updates will be uniform across all USCIS websites, including, uscis.gov, myUSCIS and Case Status Online.

The new website features include:

  • A new user-centered design, which allows visitors to easily find immigration information and options on any device;
  • A link to the USCIS online account sign-in at the top of all pages on uscis.gov, which allows visitors to easily access their existing account or create a new one. This also creates a streamlined experience between the USCIS online account and the uscis.gov website;
  • Increased access to and availability of Spanish and multilingual resources through enhancements made to the Spanish website (uscis.gov/es) and the Multilingual Resource Center;
  • An Explore My Options feature to the forms section of the uscis.gov website. This tool allows visitors to determine their potential eligibility for immigration options by answering a few questions. The Explore My Options tool will also include additional content in English, and, for the first time, it will be available in Spanish;
  • A new design, location and complete revision of the Citizenship Resource Center (CRC). The new CRC makes it easier to find information about citizenship; and
  • An enhanced on-page search and filter-by features, which allow web visitors to easily find agency data, reports and policies.

We encourage visitors to use our online tools and resources, including Emma, Case Status Online, Check Case Processing Times, Change of Address, Explore My Options and the Fee Calculator for information and status updates. We also highly recommend applicants and petitioners use online filing for eligible forms through their USCIS online account.

USCIS Launches Updated Website
Last Reviewed/Updated: 

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-launches-updated-website?fbclid=IwAR2USseWaZddy1xmEP1qdvBuGu160iEpcqxDRLAWUIzQbcR-bPVuIjSKBzA

SEVP modifies temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online courses during fall 2020 semester

July 7, 2020 by no comments

WASHINGTON – The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) announced modifications Monday to temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant students taking online classes due to the pandemic for the fall 2020 semester. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security plans to publish the procedures and responsibilities in the Federal Register as a Temporary Final Rule.

Temporary exemptions for the fall 2020 semester include:

  1. Nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending schools operating entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United States. The U.S. Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States. Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status. If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.
  2. Nonimmigrant F-1 students attending schools operating under normal in-person classes are bound by existing federal regulations. Eligible F students may take a maximum of one class or three credit hours online.
  3. Nonimmigrant F-1 students attending schools adopting a hybrid model—that is, a mixture of online and in person classes—will be allowed to take more than one class or three credit hours online. These schools must certify to SEVP, through the Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” certifying that the program is not entirely online, that the student is not taking an entirely online course load this semester, and that the student is taking the minimum number of online classes required to make normal progress in their degree program. The above exemptions do not apply to F-1 students in English language training programs or M-1 students pursing vocational degrees, who are not permitted to enroll in any online courses.

Schools should update their information in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) within 10 days of the change if they begin the fall semester with in-person classes but are later required to switch to only online classes, or a nonimmigrant student changes their course selections, and as a result, ends up taking an entirely online course load. Nonimmigrant students within the United States are not permitted to take a full course of study through online classes. If students find themselves in this situation, they must leave the country or take alternative steps to maintain their nonimmigrant status such as a reduced course load or appropriate medical leave.

Due to COVID-19, SEVP instituted a temporary exemption regarding online courses for the spring and summer semesters. This policy permitted nonimmigrant students to take more online courses than normally permitted by federal regulation to maintain their nonimmigrant status during the COVID-19 emergency.

F-1 nonimmigrant students pursue academic coursework and M-1 nonimmigrant students pursue vocational coursework while studying in the United States.

 

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USCIS Extends Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests

July 1, 2020 by no comments

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants and petitioners who are responding to certain:

  • Requests for Evidence;
  • Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14);
  • Notices of Intent to Deny;
  • Notices of Intent to Revoke;
  • Notices of Intent to Rescind and Notices of Intent to Terminate regional investment centers;
  • Filing date requirements for Form N-336, Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA); or
  • Filing date requirements for Form I-290B, Notice of Appeal or Motion.

Notice/Request/Decision Issuance Date:

This flexibility applies to the above documents if the issuance date listed on the request, notice or decision is between March 1 and Sept. 11, 2020, inclusive.

Response Due Date:

USCIS will consider a response to the above requests and notices received within 60 calendar days after the response due date set in the request or notice before taking any action. We will consider a Form N-336 or Form I-290B received up to 60 calendar days from the date of the decision before we take any action.

We are adopting several measures to protect our workforce and community and to minimize the immigration consequences for those seeking immigration benefits during this time.

USCIS will provide further updates as the situation develops and will continue to follow CDC guidance. Education and precautions are the strongest tools against COVID-19 infection. Please visit uscis.gov/coronavirus for USCIS updates.

USCGC Taney

Name Change Voted for National Historical Landmark: A Fresh Look at History

June 29, 2020 by no comments

The USCGC Taney was named after the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Roger B. Taney, who authored the 1857 Dred Scott decision.   The Court in that case held that the U.S. Constitution was not meant to include American citizenship for black people, regardless of whether they were enslaved or free, and so the rights and privileges that the Constitution confers upon American citizens could not apply to them.

Americans celebrate Independence Day

June 26, 2020 by no comments

Independence Day, or July 4, honors the birthday of the United States of America. On this day in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was adopted at the Second Continental Congress. Today, Americans celebrate our nation’s independence with parades, fireworks, patriotic songs, and readings of the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration of Independence and Independence Day are important in the United States and prospective citizens may see them in several places on the naturalization test. There are six questions on the civics test on these two topics, including, “What did the Declaration of Independence do?” and “When do we celebrate Independence Day?”. Independence Day is also one of the holidays that applicants may be required to read or write as part of the English test.

For Independence Day, we want to highlight some of the resources USCIS offers for learners and teachers that are related to this important day.

Learners

USCIS has educational materials to help you learn about the United States and prepare for the naturalization process. Here are several products that refer to Independence Day:

Teachers

In addition to the products highlighted above, USCIS offers free online tools and materials for educators and volunteers. Some examples include:

For more information about Independence Day, visit: www.usa.gov/Topics/Independence-Day.shtml

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/citizenship/educators/independence-day

USCIS Rule Strengthens Employment Eligibility Requirements for Asylum Seekers

June 23, 2020 by no comments

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a regulatory change to deter aliens from illegally entering the United States and from filing frivolous, fraudulent, or otherwise non-meritorious claims for asylum to obtain an employment authorization document. This rule does not alter asylum eligibility criteria in any way and will be effective on Aug. 25.

This rule stems from the April 29, 2019, Presidential Memorandum on Additional Measures to Enhance Border Security and Restore Integrity to Our Immigration System, which emphasizes that it is the policy of the United States to manage humanitarian immigration programs in a safe and orderly manner, and to promptly deny benefits to those who do not qualify.

“Safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s legal immigration system from those who seek to exploit or abuse it is key to the USCIS mission,” said Joseph Edlow, the USCIS Deputy Director for Policy. “The reforms in this rule are designed to restore integrity to the asylum system and to reduce any incentive to file an asylum application for the primary purpose of obtaining work authorization. It also deters frivolous and non-meritorious applications by eliminating employment authorization for aliens who have failed to file for asylum within one year of their last entry until USCIS or an immigration judge determines the alien’s eligibility for asylum.”

The rule prevents aliens who, absent good cause, illegally entered the United States from obtaining employment authorization based on a pending asylum application. Additionally, the rule defines new bars and denials for employment authorization, such as for certain criminal behavior; extends the wait time before an asylum applicant can apply for employment authorization from 150 days to 365 calendar days; limits the employment authorization validity period to a maximum of two years; and automatically terminates employment authorization when an applicant’s asylum denial is administratively final.

For more information read the final rule, scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on June 26.

For more information on USCIS and our programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), Instagram (/uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/uscis), and LinkedIn (/uscis).

Last Reviewed/Updated:

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-rule-strengthens-employment-eligibility-requirements-asylum-seekers

USCIS Resumes Premium Processing for Certain Petitions  

May 29, 2020 by no comments

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that it will resume premium processing for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, in phases over the next month.

Effective June 1, 2020, USCIS will accept Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service for all eligible Form I-140 petitions.

Effective June 8, USCIS will accept premium processing requests for:

  • H-1B petitions filed before June 8 that are pending adjudication and are cap-exempt (for example, petitions filed by petitioners that are cap-exempt and petitions filed for beneficiaries previously counted toward the numerical allocations).
  • All other Form I-129 petitions (non H-1B petitions) for nonimmigrant classifications eligible for premium processing filed before June 8 that are pending adjudication.

Effective June 15, USCIS plans on resuming premium processing for:

  • H-1B petitions requesting premium processing by filing an I-907 concurrently with their I-129 (or request for a petition filed on or after June 8) and are exempt from the cap because:
  • The employer is cap-exempt or because the beneficiary will be employed at a qualifying cap-exempt institution, entity or organization (such as an institution of higher education, a nonprofit research organization or a governmental research organization); or
  • The beneficiary is cap-exempt based on a Conrad/IGA waiver under INA section 214(l).

Effective June 22, USCIS plans on resuming premium processing for all other Form I-129 petitions, including:

  • All H-1B cap-subject petitions (including those for fiscal year 2021), including change of status from F-1 nonimmigrant status, for both premium processing upgrades and concurrently filed I-907s.
  • All other Form I-129 petitions for nonimmigrant classifications eligible for premium processing and requesting premium processing by filing an I-907 concurrently with their I-129.

All dates are subject to change as USCIS continues to take on more premium processing requests and USCIS will announce any changes to these dates accordingly.

On March 20, USCIS announced the temporary suspension of premium processing for all Form I-129 and I-140 petitions due to the coronavirus (COVID-19). USCIS continues to process any petition with a previously accepted Form I-907, in accordance with the premium processing service criteria. Petitioners who had already filed Form I-129 or Form I-140 using the premium processing service before the March 20 suspension, but received no action and a refund, may refile their Form I-907 consistent with the timeline above, barring any changes USCIS may announce in the future.