Significant Guidance
This page provides access to significant and economically significant guidance documents issued by USCIS and those issued by the Immigration and Naturalization Service that apply to USCIS, as required by Executive Order 13422, Further Amendment to Executive Order 12866 on Regulatory Planning and Review (72 FR 2763, published January 23, 2007) and the Office of Management and Budget's Good Guidance Bulletin (GGP) (72 FR 3432, published January 25, 2007). Public Comment on Significant Guidance Documents USCIS will post significant guidance documents on the Federal Docket Management System (FDMS) website at www.regulations.gov. This site will provide a public forum for submission of comments and for requests to amend or issue significant guidance documents. To submit comments on significant guidance documents, please follow the instructions on the FDMS website using the docket number associated with the significant guidance document (as indicated below). Guidance documents represent the current thinking of USCIS on a topic. They do not create or confer any rights for or on any person and do not operate to bind USCIS or the public. Feedback or Complaints Members of the public who have feedback or complaints regarding significant guidance documents should contact USCIS. If you have a complaint regarding a USCIS significant guidance document or believe a USCIS employee is not following the guidance requirements of Executive Order 13422 or OMB's GGP Bulletin, please contact USCIS.Significant.Guidance@dhs.gov. In order to ensure proper processing of your comment, please include the words "SIGNIFICANT GUIDANCE: [Insert name of significant guidance document]" in the subject line of your email message. Please note: Under the Privacy Act, we cannot provide any information about a pending application or petition for benefits, or answer any case-specific questions. If you have been instructed to send USCIS written communications, or to contact USCIS regarding a case, sending an e-mail to this address will not satisfy those instructions. If the issue is not resolved, please contact the Department's Office of the General Counsel, Regulatory Affairs at SignificantGuidance@dhs.gov. In order to ensure proper processing of your comment, please include the words "SIGNIFICANT GUIDANCE: [Insert name of significant guidance document]" in the subject line of your email message. Public comments under these procedures are for the benefit of the agency and do not require formal response by the agency. USCIS will review requests, complaints and questions to determine whether any action is warranted and, if so, what action. USCIS will determine whether it needs to take any action based on the nature and timeliness of the information submitted, the significance of any modifications requested, the magnitude of any modifications requested, and the resource requirements for any modifications requested.
July, 2006
Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (61KB PDF) Michael Aytes HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0071 07/28/2006
International Marriage Broker Regulation Act Implementation Guidance (96KB PDF) Michael Aytes HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0070 07/21/2006
May, 2006
Disclosure of Certain Information Relating to Criminal Histories of Petitioners to Potential Visa Beneficiaries (57KB PDF) Robert C. Divine HQUSCIS Docket # USCIS-2008-0069 05/03/2006
March, 2006
Effect of Perez-Gonzalez v. Ashcroft on adjudication of Form I-212 applications filed by aliens who are subject to reinstated removal orders under INA ยง 241(a)(5) (669KB PDF) Michael Aytes HQOPS, Dea Carpenter HQOCC Docket # USCIS-2008-0068 03/31/2006
December, 2005
Interim Guidance for Processing I-140 Employment-Based Immigrant Petitions and I-485 and H-1B Petitions Affected by the American Competetiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act of 2000 (AC21) (Public Law 106-313) (94KB PDF) Michael Aytes HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0067 12/27/2005
October, 2005
Eligibility to Self-Petition as a Battered Spouse or Child of a U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident Within Two Years of the Abuser's Loss of Status; (83KB PDF) Michael Aytes HQOPS
(AFM Update AD05-12) 10/31/2005
March, 2005
Clarification of Certain Eligibility Requirements Pertaining to an Application to Adjust Status under Section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (194KB PDF) William R. Yates HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0063 03/09/2005
August, 2004
The Child Status Protection Act - Children of Asylees and Refugees (195KB PDF) William R. Yates HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0064 08/17/2004
May, 2004
Assessment of Deferred Action in Requests for Interim Relief from U Nonimmigrant Status Eligible Aliens in Removal Proceedings (140KB PDF) William R. Yates /s/ Janis Sposato HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0062 05/06/2004
April, 2004
The Significance of a Prior CIS Approval of a Nonimmigrant Petition in the Context of a Subsequent Determination Regarding Eligibility for Extension of Petition Validity (138KB PDF) William R. Yates HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0061 04/23/2004
March, 2004
Section 6 of the Child Status Protection Act (93KB PDF) Joe Cuddihy HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0059 03/23/2004
January, 2004
Lifting of Numerical Cap on Mexican NAFTA Nonimmigrant Professionals ("TN") and Free Trade Agreements with Chile and Singapore (116KB PDF) William R. Yates /s/ Janis Sposato HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0060 01/08/2004
October, 2003
Centralization of Interim Relief for U Nonimmigrant Status Applicants (428KB PDF) William R. Yates /s/ Janis Sposato HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0057 10/08/2003
August, 2003
Continuing Validity of Form I-140 Petition in accordance with Section 106(c) of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act of 2000 (AC21) (159KB PDF) William R. Yates /s/ Janis Sposato HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0056 08/04/2003
July, 2003
Processing Derivative Refugees and Asylees under the Child Status Protection Act (104KB PDF) Michael J. Petrucelli HQUSCIS Docket # USCIS-2008-0055 07/23/2003
June, 2003
Procedures for Implementing the Waiving of the Oath of Renunciation and Allegiance for the Naturalization of Aliens Having Certain Disabilities (147KB PDF) William R. Yates /s/ Janis Sposato HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0058 06/30/2003
April, 2003
Effect of Grandparent's Death on Naturalization under INA Section 322 (87KB PDF) William R. Yates /s/ Janis Sposato HQISD Docket # USCIS-2008-0054 04/17/2003
Filing a Waiver of the Joint Filing Requirement Prior to Final Termination of the Marriage (105KB PDF) William R. Yates /s/ Janis Sposato HQISD Docket # USCIS-2008-0053 04/10/2003
January, 2003
Addition of Citizen Grandparents and Citizen Legal Guardians as Eligible Applicants Pursuant to INA 322 (113KB PDF) William R. Yates /s/ Janis Sposato HQISD Docket # USCIS-2008-0052 01/21/2003
Guidance on Making the Naturalization Process Accessible to Applicants with Disabilities (250KB PDF) William R. Yates HQOPS (Naturalization) Docket # USCIS-2008-0051 01/21/2003
November, 2002
Guidance on Adjudication of H-1B Petitions Filed on Behalf of Nurses (142KB PDF) Johnny N. Williams HQOPS (Services/H-1) Docket # USCIS-2008-0050 11/27/2002
October, 2002
Instructions Regarding the Expanded Meaning of Section 319(a) (87KB PDF) William R. Yates HQISD Docket # USCIS-2008-0001 10/15/2002
August, 2002
H.R. 1209 - Child Status Protection Act (41KB PDF) Joseph E. Langlois HQASM Docket # USCIS-2008-0048 08/07/2002
June, 2002
Policy Change - Public Law 107-150, The Family Sponsor Immigration Act of 2002: Use of Substitute Sponsor if Visa Petitioner Has Died (109KB PDF) Johnny N. Williams HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0047 06/15/2002
April, 2002
Implementation Instructions for Section 114 of Public Law 107-77, "Department of Commerce, Justice, State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002," 115 Stat. 748 (199KB PDF) William R. Yages HQISD 04/10/2002
March, 2002
Procedures for the Preservation of Immigration Benefits for Victims of Terrorism (Title IV, Subtitle C (Sections 421 - 428), of the USA PATRIOT Act) P.L. 107-56 (October 26, 2001) (224KB PDF) Michael A. Pearson HQOPS 03/08/2002
January, 2002
Removal of Conditional Resident Status if Conditional Resident is the Spouse of an Individual Serving Abroad in the U.S. Armed Forces as Part of Operation Enduring Freedom (32KB PDF) Michael A. Pearson /s/ Joseph R. Greene HQOPS 01/17/2002
Eligibility to Self-Petition as a Battered Spouse of a U.S. Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident Within Two Years of Divorce (15KB PDF) Michael A. Pearson HQOPS Docket # USCIS-2008-0066 01/02/2002
November, 2001
Social Security Cards and the Adjudication of H-1B Petition (16KB PDF) Thomas Cook HQADN 11/20/2001
June, 2001
Initial Guidance for Processing H-1B Petitions as Affected by the "American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act" (Public Law 106-313) and Related Legislation (Public Law 106-311) and (Public Law 106-396) (186KB PDF) Michael D. Cronin HQPGM 06/19/2001
May, 2001
Effect of Enactment of the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 on the affidavit of support requirement under INA 212(a)(4) and 213A (145KB PDF) Michael D. Cronin HQPGM Docket # USCIS-2008-0040 05/17/2001
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