This article was prepared with the assistance of ABIL, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers, of which Loan Huynh, Fredrikson Immigration Department Chair, is a member.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its policy manual to reflect new guidance, effective immediately, on how the agency determines whether a case warrants expedited treatment. The update:
- Clarifies the criteria and circumstances under which USCIS generally considers expedite requests from nonprofit organizations as determined by the Internal Revenue Service;
- Provides additional examples of when USCIS may consider expedite requests made by federal, state, or local agencies, including labor and employment agencies;
- Adds examples to further illustrate how the expedite criteria relate to emergencies and urgent humanitarian reasons; and
- Explains that some circumstances may affect or delay the agency’s ability to expedite an application or petition.
