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April 2021 Visa Bulletin: EB1 is ‘Current’ for all Chargeability areas

One of the most important factors of securing a green card in the U.S. is waiting for your Priority Date to be Current.

As per April 2021 Visa Bulletin

The biggest and most encouraging news for all EB1 Applicants is that EB-1 is ‘Current’ for all Chargeability areas. The final action dates for the Employment-based EB1 category are “current” for all Chargeability areas including India and China. The Dates for filing of Employment-based Visa application in the EB1 category is also “current” for all countries.

For India and China, EB1 becomes current for the first time since March 2018.

The priority Date “Current” means no backlog or no wait time for a green card. A green card is available to you within the Employment-based VISA preference category.

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US Citizenship Act of 2021 Proposed Policy Changes

Big Hopes for Employment-Based Green Cards

Source : Fact Sheet- US Citizenship Act of 2021

The U.S. Government granted more than 139,000 employment-based green cards to foreign workers and their families. The Current U.S. administration’s proposed legislation could uplift the number of employment-based green cards, which are capped at about 140000 per year. The proposal would help permit the use of unused VISA slots from previous years and allow spouses and spouses and children of employment-based VISA holders to receive U.S. Lawful Permanent Residency without counting them against the annual cap.

These proposed U.S. immigration Policy Changes could help clear the large backlogs of Green Card applicants. This proposed legislation also would remove the per-country cap that restricts skilled immigrants from any single country to account for more than 7% of Green Cards issued each year.

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I-907, Request for Premium Processing Fee hike

Effective Oct 19, 2020, USCIS has increased the Fee on Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing from $ 1440 to $2500 for all filings ($2,500 if you are filing Form I-140 requesting EB-1, EB-2, or EB-3 immigrant visa classification)

Premium processing provides expedited processing for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. EB1A, Aliens Extraordinary Ability EB1A applicants are Eligible for Premium Processing while EB2-NIW Not Yet Available. The Eligibility criteria for the designated classification within Form I-140 is provided at https://www.uscis.gov/forms/all-forms/how-do-i-request-premium-processing

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I-944 (Declaration of Self Sufficiency) Discontinued from March 9, 2021

Note: As per USCIS info, Beginning from March 9, 2021, GC applicants should not be required to file Form i-944, Declaration of Self Sufficiency, or any evidence or documentation necessary on that form with their Form I-485, Adjustment of Status. Form I-944 has been discontinued.

Please go through I-944 Form USCIS Instruction for more detailed information on this newly added form in 2020.

According to USCIS

  • Form I-944, “Declaration of Self-Sufficiency” is used by an individual to demonstrate that he or she is not inadmissible based on the public charge ground (Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) section 212(a)(4)). In other words, the form is used by Green Card applicants to provide information about their financial situation.
  • If you file the form I-485, Adjustment of Status, you should submit Form I-944 to USCIS.
  • If you are exempt from the Public charge ground of inadmissibility as per criteria setup by USCIS, you do not need to file Form I-944.  
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4th July U.S. Citizenship Ceremony

4th July U.S. Citizenship Ceremony in Mumford, N.Y., attended by the family at the Genesee County Village & Museum on the Most Patriotic of Day, July 4, taking the Oath of Allegiance and achieving the United States Citizenship.

On 4th July 2018 US citizenship ceremony, we were among 41 people presented with citizenship by USCIS in Mumford on Independence Day as Judge Frank Geraci Jr. presided over the ceremony and administered the oath. Individuals from 26 different countries with multicultural backgrounds participated in the event . Nationwide, more than 14,000 people would achieve the same goal between June 28 and July 10, 2018.

An Individual is eligible to apply for US Naturalization once you have been a green card holder for 5 years (general case) or 3 years if married to a US Citizen and living together along with the fulfilling other criteria’s set by the USCIS.

US Citizenship ceremony attended on 4th of July
Attended the U.S. Naturalization Ceremony on 4th July 2018.

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U.S. Naturalization Interview 2018

On June 12th, 2018, We (My Husband and I) passed the Citizenship Interview. USCIS approved our N-400, Application of Naturalization applications. We were just one step away from becoming a Naturalized U.S. Citizen through Naturalization Ceremony (Scheduled on 4th July 2018)

During the Naturalization Interview, a USCIS Officer asks questions about your application and background. You need to take an English Test that covers Reading, Writing, and Speaking and the Civics Test. The civics test includes important U.S. history and government topics unless you qualify for an exemption.

Please go through this USCIS link to know more about “The Naturalization Interview & Test”

Passing US Naturalization Interview/test is a key to hold US Passport
Passing US Citizenship Test is key to get a US Passport