U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on 12 June 2008 that beginning on June 30, 2008 it will issue Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) valid for two years to individuals who have filed an application to become a Permanent Resident (Form I-485), but are unable to become a permanent resident because a visa number is not available. If an individual's EAD has expired, USCIS will determine whether a one year or two year EAD should be issued based on the current visa bulletin. For requests to replace an EAD that has not expired, USCIS will issue a replacement EAD that is valid only through the same date as the original EAD.

For more information, please contact Ortega-Medina & Associates. http://www.ortega-medina.com

On 28 May 2008, USCIS announced that the Chicago agency lockbox had moved location. While the Post Office Box address remains the same, as of 28 May, the address for non-US Postal Service private couriers has changed to:

USCIS
Attn: [Please check Form Instructions for the proper Attn:]
131 South Dearborn, 3rd Floor

Chicago, IL 60603-5517



Until 24 August 2008, Courier Services will forward mail to the new location, and until 24 August, USCIS will accept and process packages received at the former location.

For more information, please contact Ortega-Medina & Associates. http://www.ortega-medina.com

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that effective June 16, 2008, it will accept Premium Processing Service requests for I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker) petitions filed on behalf of certain alien workers who are nearing the end of their sixth year in H-1B nonimmigrant status. This option only applies to individuals:

- Whose sixth year will end within 60 days;
- Who are only eligible for a further extension of H-1B nonimmigrant status under section 104(c) of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-first Century Act of 2000 (AC21); and
- Who are ineligible to extend their H-1B status under section 106(a) of AC21.

For more information, please contact Ortega-Medina & Associates. http://www.ortega-medina.com