Mar 13 2010

USCIS Reminds Chilean Nationals of Certain Available Immigration Benefits

USCIS recently posted a reminder of U.S. immigration benefits available to certain eligible Chilean nationals. In the notice, USCIS comments that they understand the effects that a natural catastrophe can have on a person’s ability to establish lawful immigration status in the U.S. and that there are certain temporary relief measures available to Chilean nationals. These relief measures include:

Granting an application for change or extension of nonimmigrant status on behalf of a Chilean national who currently resides in the U.S., even when the request for change or extension of status was made after the person’s authorized period of admission expired.

Re-paroling individuals granted parole by USCIS.

Extending certain grants of advance parole and the expedited processing of requests for advance parole.

The expedited adjudication and approval of requests for off-campus employment authorization for certain Chilean F-1 students in cases of severe economic hardship.

The expedited processing of immigrant petitions for immediate Chilean relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.

The expedited issuance of employment authorization for certain Chilean nationals.

The provision of assistance to lawful permanent residents that are stranded overseas without necessary documents.