The office of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is moving forward with the process for undocumented immigrants who are spouses of Americans to apply for a Green Cardfor which it published a first guide on how the process will be.
The agency said it will publish more details of the rule and the process in the Federal Register on August 19.
That is the same date that USCIS will begin accepting petitions, not before, so interested immigrants are urged to avoid submitting Form I-131F petitions before that date, as it will be rejected.
“On August 19, USCIS will begin accepting applications using a new electronic form, Form I-131F, Application for Permanent Parole for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens,” the agency said. “Form I-131F will not be available on uscis.gov until August 19.”
The new guidance released by the agency will help people interested in this process prepare to file their petition when appropriate, it said in a statement.
“We have also updated the Key Questions and Answers about the process on the Keeping Families Together website,” she added.
Form I-131F must be submitted by both the spouses of Americans and the children who are seeking to receive a Green Card. These are separate processes.
On June 19, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which includes USCIS, to facilitate the petition for a Green Card to undocumented spouses of Americans, without having to leave the country.
The order will benefit an estimated 500,000 people, including some 50,000 undocumented children.
Fraud Alert
USCIS insisted that it will not accept forms before August 19, but warned of possible fraud in legal advice from “notaries public” and supposed lawyers.
“If you need legal advice on immigration matters, make sure the person helping you is licensed,” the agency said. “Only an attorney licensed to practice law in the United States or an accredited representative working for an organization recognized by the Department of Justice can provide you with legal advice on immigration matters.”
The agency added that there are at least four ways in which an immigrant could become a victim of fraud.
Usurpers of the government: people who pretend to be USCIS officials, so the agency indicated that it only issues communications through its official channels and never through personal accounts.
Fraudulent websites: Some websites claim to be affiliated with USCIS, but the agency said it will only report on uscis.gov or dhs.gov or recognized organizations.
Payments by phone or email: USCIS warns that it never asks for money transfers from a person. “We do not accept Western Union, MoneyGram, PayPal, or gift cards as payment for immigration fees. In addition, we will never ask you to pay fees to a person over the phone or by email,” the agency said.
Notaries public: These individuals are not authorized to provide legal services related to immigration benefits unless they are an attorney admitted to practice law in the United States or an accredited representative working for a recognized organization.
Continue reading:
• Biden’s order would allow more than a million undocumented immigrants to apply for a Green Card
• Thousands of undocumented immigrants will be able to obtain a Green Card with Biden’s new order
• Biden welcomed his new immigration plan and said it is a “common sense” measure