USCIS Extends Transitional Parole for CNMI Long-Term Resident Status Applicants

USCIS announced today that it will automatically extend parole, and employment authorization if applicable, for parolees who timely applied for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) long-term resident status.

This specific extension of parole applies only to current parolees who timely filed Form I-955, Application for CNMI Long-Term Resident Status, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and whose applications remain pending on Aug. 17. USCIS will automatically extend their parole (and employment authorization, if applicable) without interruption through Dec. 31, 2020, or the date that USCIS makes a final decision on the parolee’s Form I‑955 and Form I-765, whichever is earlier. Read more at: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-extends-transitional-parole-for-cnmi-long-term-resident-status-applicants

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information.

USCIS Adjusts Fees to Help Meet Operational Needs

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

Contact Darren Heyman, immigration attorney, for more information.