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"U Visa: One Year After the Interim Final Rule" August 26, 2008 Questions Received Before the Call 1. Waiver of Inadmissibility Fee Waivers? - Many individuals applying for the U-visa are undocumented and must file the waiver of inadmissibility. Does USCIS accept fee waivers for the waiver of inadmissibility?
2. Blanket Waiver of Inadmissibility? - The most common inadmissibility issue affecting individuals applying for the U-visa is entry without inspection and prior unlawful presence. Would USCIS consider providing a blanket waiver of these grounds of inadmissibility without requiring a Form I-192? This would reduce the workload and processing times.
3. Law Enforcement Certifications - Some practitioners are having trouble getting the LEA certified by the designated officer because the designated officer has not worked on the case, does not have time, or is reluctant to sign for someone who is undocumented. Is USCIS considering some flexibility in the final regulations by allowing the officer that worked on the case to sign the LEA?
4. Outreach to Certifying Agencies - We have received both positive and negative feedback regarding the cooperation of the certifying agencies. Has USCIS been conducting any outreach to agencies such as police stations or DA’s offices regarding the LEA certification necessary for the U-visa?
5. Inability to Obtain LEA Certificate - What if an individual applying for a U-visa is currently in removal proceedings and qualifies for the U-visa but is unable to get the LEA certificate? Can he or she contact USCIS for assistance with the relevant law enforcement agency?
6. Processing Times - Will USCIS begin to post the processing times for Form I-918 on the website?
7. Employment Authorization Documents - Before the interim final rule, applicants placed in deferred action were able to apply for an EAD. They cannot apply for an EAD under the interim final rule. Considering that individuals applying for a U-visa are waiting more than a year for a decision on their cases, is USCIS considering allowing them to obtain EADs while their case is pending?
8. Adjustment of Status - Some of those individuals applying for a U-visa, who were in deferred action status for more than three years, are eligible to adjust for status. Can USCIS clarify procedures for those individuals who are eligible to adjust but have not received a decision on the I-918?
9. Evidence Required - Can USCIS provide some guidance on what evidence is required to demonstrate “substantial mental or physical abuse"?
10. Certifying Agencies - Is it possible for USCIS to post a listing of certifying agencies on the USCIS website as a resource?
11. Approvals and Denials - Do you have a number of the U-visa approvals/denials since the interim final rule was issued?
12. Current Processing Times - What are the current processing times?
Additional Questions Submitted Before the Call 1. Requests for Evidence (RFEs) – Individuals applying for a U-visa have reported that RFEs in U-visa adjudications have a 33-day response time. Practitioners have indicated that 33 days is a very short period of time to gather evidence and respond adequately to such a request. Moreover, it is a short time to raise money for the $545 fee if an I-192 waiver is required as part of the RFE. Can USCIS explain why there is a 33-day response time for RFEs? Is this the standard time allotted for RFEs issued to U-visa petitioners? Will USCIS consider that RFEs in the U-visa context be issued the maximum allowable period to respond? 2. Order of Adjudication - It appears that newly filed cases are being processed before those individuals who received interim relief. Is USCIS/the Vermont Service Center prioritizing U-visa petitions?
2. Order of Adjudication - It appears that newly filed cases are being processed before those individuals who received interim relief. Is USCIS/the Vermont Service Center prioritizing U-visa petitions? · USCIS Response on October 17, 2008 -- Yes, at this time, cases are being adjudicated out of first-in first-out (FIFO) order if the I-192 form and fee are present because these are complete filings. If the I-192 form and fee have not been submitted, we are requesting them. The petition cannot be adjudicated without all required evidence.
In addition, U nonimmigrant status is only valid for four years and the time spent in interim relief counts toward that time. Petitioners for the U visa must be in valid nonimmigrant status in order to apply for adjustment of status. Currently, many of the petitioners have had interim relief for at least four years. This means that when we approve these U visa petitions, these petitioners will immediately fall out of U nonimmigrant status. Unfortunately, these petitioners cannot currently apply for adjustment of status since the adjustment regulation hasn’t yet been published (it is currently pending with the Office of Management and Budget). Therefore, we are helping these petitioners remain in a valid status by withholding the adjudication of their petitions until the regulation is published and they will be able to apply for adjustment. 3. Number of Pending Cases - How many U-visa petitions has USCIS received? Is this close to or exceeding the 10,000 limit? If so, how does USCIS plan to address the waiting list? If not, will unused visas be carried over to the next fiscal year? Will USCIS follow first-in first-out (FIFO) processing?
4. Terminology – In the regulations, “helpful" defines an individual who did not refuse to comply with a reasonable request. When a victim gives the police a statement concerning the incident, is that sufficiently “helpful" if nothing else was requested of her?
Questions During or After the Call: 1. LEA Certificate - A caller asked whether a petitioner has to supply a new law enforcement agency certificate with Form I-918 if s/he was initially granted deferred action.
2. Advance Parole - Another caller asked whether an individual applying for a U-visa can apply for advance parole, a travel document, while his/her case is pending?
3. Final Rule - In September, USCIS issued an interim final rule on the U-visa. Does USCIS plan to issue a final rule? If so, when?
4. Indirect Victims - Callers asked whether an indirect victim can apply for U-visa status. For example, if a two-year old U.S. citizen child is a victim of a qualifying crime under the interim final regulation, can the mother, an indirect victim, apply for U-visa status?
5. RFEs for Inadmissibility Waivers - A caller mentioned that USCIS has issued RFEs on inadmissibility waivers for individuals applying for the U-visa, but does not issue similar RFEs for T visas. Please explain.
6. Refusal to Provide Certification - A caller asked what steps an individual applying for a U-visa can take if the certifying agency refuses to provide the certification. Please explain.
7. Statistics - When will USCIS publish statistics on the number of U-visa petitions pending, approved, and denied?
8. Outreach - How does USCIS decide where to do its outreach to local law enforcement?
9. Waivers of Inadmissibility - An individual wants to file for a U-visa, but the law enforcement certification will soon expire and the petitioner does not have money to file Form I-192 for the waiver of inadmissibility. If the case is denied due to inadmissibility, can the individual re-file a U-visa petition if and when the fee waiver regulations are passed for Form I-192?
This page was last reviewed/modified on November 4, 2008. Share this page | Bookmark this page The leading immigration law publisher - over 50000 pages of free information!
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