The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating its policy guidance to provide instructions on mailing address procedures for individuals eligible for and recipients of victim-based immigration relief, specifically those who have filed VAWA self-petitions and those seeking or currently holding T or U nonimmigrant status. This guidance also applies to abused spouses of certain nonimmigrants applying for employment authorization under section 106 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
The update aims to ensure compliance with the confidentiality provisions outlined in 8 U.S.C 1367, which require USCIS to disclose information related to protected persons only to authorized parties designated by the protected person. The guidance provides clear instructions to both the public and USCIS employees regarding mailing address and adjudication procedures for victim-based and non-victim-based forms submitted by protected persons.
This updated guidance will take effect on July 11, 2023, and will apply to pending benefit requests or those filed on or after that date. More information on the update can be found in the Policy Alert document provided by USCIS. Additionally, individuals have the opportunity to comment on this update by visiting the Policy Manual for Comment page. USCIS values feedback and will take into consideration any comments received for future updates.
Report : USCIS
