Monthly Archives: November 2013

In light of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, Filipino nationals impacted by Typhoon Haiyan may be eligible to benefit from the following immigration relief measures:

Change or extension of nonimmigrant status;
Extension of certain grants of parole made by USCIS;
Extension of certain grants of advance parole;
Expedited adjudication and approval of requests for off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students experiencing severe economic hardship;
Expedited processing of immigrant petitions for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs);
Expedited adjudication of employment authorization applications, and
Assistance to LPRs stranded overseas without immigration documents.

For more information on USCIS humanitarian programs, call us at 978-905-9992.

The updated bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during December. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security reports applicants for adjustment of status.

The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs publishes the monthly Visa Bulletin on their website at www.travel.state.gov under the Visas section. Alternatively, visitors may access the Visa Bulletin directly by going to:

To view the current bulletin, refer to the Department of State here.

The Secretary of Homeland Security has published a notice in the Federal Register extending the designation of Somalia as a country whose nationals and former residents currently in the United States qualify for temporary protected status (TPS) for another 18 months, effective March 18, 2014, through Sept. 17, 2015.

The 18-month extension allows TPS re-registrants to apply for a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Eligible Somali TPS beneficiaries who re-register during the re-registration period and request work authorization will receive a new EAD that expires on Sept. 17, 2015.

Current Somali beneficiaries seeking to extend their TPS status must re-register during a 60-day period that runs from Nov. 1, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2013. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) encourages beneficiaries to re-register as soon as possible once the 60-day period begins. USCIS will not accept applications it received before Nov. 1, 2013.

To learn more, contact Agarwal Law Offices at 978-905-9992.