U.S. citizens, including members of the armed forces, who live abroad, may resume filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with an American embassy or consulate in countries where there is no U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) international office.
USCIS international offices will continue accepting I-130 petitions from U.S. citizens who live in the country where the USCIS office is located, without interruption. The complete list of international offices and the countries they service is on the USCIS web site: http://www.uscis.gov.
In addition consular officers and USCIS officers overseas will also accept petitions from individuals who do not live abroad in cases:
Involving true emergency situations, such as life and death or health and safety, or
Where allowing overseas filing would be in the national interest, such as facilitating the processing of petitions filed by U.S. military stationed overseas who are pending imminent transfer on orders.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, (USCIS) plans to introduce a model office concept to transform its district and field offices into standard full-service, community-based customer processing facilities.
The USCIS anticipates that the public will see an improvement in services because USCIS’ new customer-centric buildings will contain all the resources necessary to efficiently process the full range of immigration benefits, including incorporating application support centers.
This will make it easier for clients to access services by eliminating the need for them to travel to multiple locations during the application process. It will also greatly enhance the level and efficiency of services USCIS provides by increasing opportunities to conduct interviews, answer customer questions and conduct on-site naturalization ceremonies, all in one location.
WASHINGTON — Two lawmakers will fire the opening salvo in this year’s immigration debate Thursday when they introduce the first House bill in many years to call for citizenship for illegal immigrants.
Reps. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) will unveil broad legislation that would also create a new worker program, stiffen worker verification procedures and overhaul the visa system to reduce waiting times for legal immigrants.
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In recognition of the tensions that surround the controversial issue, the bill also contains provisions designed to appeal to conservatives who want stronger border enforcement and oppose citizenship provisions that grant amnesty to people in the country illegally.
One measure would ensure that tough border security and work-site enforcement standards are met before other changes can go forward. Another would require illegal immigrants eligible for citizenship under the bill to leave the country and return legally.
The congressmen, veterans of the immigration issue, are introducing their legislation at a time when Senate efforts to craft a bill have stalled, even as the Bush administration has worked intensely to build GOP support. Flake and Gutierrez worked with Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) to craft a joint bill before moving ahead on their own.
Kennedy praised their bill Tuesday and said he was optimistic a Senate bill would soon follow. He said lawmakers wanted “a tough but fair bill that strikes the right balance between protecting our security, strengthening our economy, and enacting laws that uphold our humanity.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) advises anyone who filed a Petition for Alien Relative, (Form I-130) with an American embassy or consulate since July 2006 that they do not need to re-file the petition. USCIS is working with the Department of State to process those petitions.
The Department of State announced in January 2007 that certain requirements of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act (enacted in July 2006) precluded them from accepting new petitions.
U.S. citizens who live abroad may continue to file new petitions with a nearby USCIS international office. A list of offices and the countries they service is on the USCIS web site: http://www.uscis.gov.
USCIS expects to issue instructions for new filings in the near future and will provide updated information once the details have been finalized with the Department of State.
Petitioners traveling overseas who actually live in the United States must file their I-130 petitions with the appropriate USCIS service center in the United States, according to the instructions on the form, http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/I-130.pdf.
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