Nov 24 2009

Four USCIS Programs Extended Until 2012

In late October, President Obama singed the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2010, extending certain USCIS programs until September 30, 2012. Programs that have been extended until 2012 include the E-Verify program, the Immigrant Investor (EB-5) Pilot Program, and the special immigrant visa category for non-minister religions workers.

The law also extends the “Conrad 30” program. The “Conrad 30” program allows each state health department to submit requests directly to the Department of State to start the waiver process for foreign medical graduates who have obtained J-1 status to change or adjust to another status without meeting the required two-year foreign residence period. Prior to this recent extension, the law applied to foreign medical graduates that acquired J-1 status before September 30, 2009; today, that law has been extended to cover those that receive J-1 status prior to September 30, 2010.