U.S. Immigration Updates- Week of May 9, 2022
USCIS: Case Processing Info Changes Announced
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced changes to case processing information available online. Users can now immediately find processing time information for their particular type of case rather than seeing an aggregate of all related case types. Additional changes include:
· Adding drop-down options for form categories to help narrow results to the processing times that are relevant to a case;
· Adding a case inquiry tool where the user can insert their receipt date and get an immediate answer on whether they should contact USCIS with questions about their particular case; if so, benefit requestors will be provided a link to submit a case inquiry online;
· Displaying a single 80th-percentile processing time (rather than a range) to simplify the information provided and improve the ability of users to estimate how long it is likely to take USCIS to process a benefit request; and
· Revising, streamlining, and adding more content to the processing times webpages, including a new FAQ page.
Sources: ABIL Newsletter, May 8, 2022, and https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/uscis-simplifying-improving-communication-of-case-processing-data
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Urges Travelers to Apply for I-94 Online Before Arriving at US Land Borders
To reduce wait times, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is urging travelers who require a Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, to apply and prepay online before arriving at a U.S. land border.
An I-94 is needed by all visitors except U.S. citizens, returning residents, those with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit. Travelers are issued an I-94 during the admission process at the port of entry.
Sources: ABIL Newsletter, May 8, 2022, and https://bit.ly/3w9aMZX