Release Date: Nov. 8, 2019

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security will publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register to adjust the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Immigration Examinations Fee Account fee schedule.

Fees collected and deposited into the IEFA fund nearly 96% of USCIS’ budget. Unlike most government agencies, USCIS is fee-funded. Federal law requires USCIS to conduct biennial fee reviews and recommend necessary fee adjustments to ensure recovery of the full cost of administering the nation’s immigration laws, adjudicating applications and petitions, and providing the necessary infrastructure to support those activities.

“USCIS is required to examine incoming and outgoing expenditures, just like a business, and make adjustments based on that analysis. This proposed adjustment in fees would ensure more applicants cover the true cost of their applications and minimizes subsidies from an already over-extended system,” said Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of USCIS. “Furthermore, the adjudication of immigration applications and petitions requires in-depth screening, incurring costs that must be covered by the agency, and this proposal accounts for our operational needs and better aligns our fee schedule with the costs of processing each request.”

The rule proposes adjusting USCIS IEFA fee schedules by a weighted average increase of 21% to ensure full cost recovery. Current fees would leave the agency underfunded by approximately $1.3 billion per year.

The proposed fee rule accounts for increased costs to adjudicate immigration benefit requests, detect and deter immigration fraud, and thoroughly vet applicants, petitioners, and beneficiaries.

USCIS last updated its fee structure in FY 2017, by a weighted average increase of 21%.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), Instagram (/uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/uscis), and LinkedIn (/uscis)Last Reviewed/Updated: 11/08/2019Source: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-proposes-adjust-fees-meet-operational-needs

Make 2020 the year that you become a U.S. Citizen! American Tribute is sponsoring a “Veterans Day” contest to have your USCIS fees paid when you submit your application for naturalization. Make sure you read the complete rules before you enter!

• You must have “liked” the Facebook page of American Tribute.
• Enter by private messaging the Facebook page “American Tribute”. You must include contact information (email and phone number) and the phrase:

“I want to be an American.  Thank you to our veterans for their service!” in the message.

• You must actually enter the contest – entries in previous contests are not automatically carried over.
• You must be a permanent resident (have a green card), live in the United States, and are otherwise eligible to naturalize.  Please check the USCIS web page to make sure that you are eligible.  See https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/citizenship-through-naturalization/path-us-citizenship to determine if you are eligible to naturalize.
• You are ineligible for the contest if you have already filed your form N-400.
• You must not have a criminal record.  You must not owe traffic tickets, court fees, license reinstatement fees, taxes or child support.
• You must have a completed form N-400 or have all the information necessary to complete one.

A winner will be chosen by random drawing at 3 p.m. Central time on November 10, 2019 (the day before “Veterans Day”). American Tribute will make every effort to announce the winner by 4 pm Central time on Veterans Day.  The winner will have until December 15, 2019 to confirm eligibility and help prepare N-400 paperwork. If the winner does not have a completed N-400 by December 15, 2019, the prize will expire. American Tribute reserves the right to select an alternate winner if the initial winner is ineligible.

This is not a cash prize – American Tribute will pay your USCIS fee to submit your form N-400 Application for Naturalization, but WILL NOT pay you any money directly.  Any other costs (Passport Photos, Translations, Postage, Notary etc.) will be the responsibility of the winner.

In order to submit the filing fee, American Tribute will review your completed form, then attach the fee payment and mail the form to USCIS.  This is done to ensure that the fees paid by American Tribute are sent in on a properly filled out form for someone that is eligible to naturalize – fees are lost if the application is denied do to ineligibility.  Therefore, electronic submission of the N-400 is not possible.  The winner agrees to cooperate with the legal team of American Tribute to get the naturalization form properly filed, and all communications will be through the legal team.  The winner will be responsible for providing the necessary documents to pursue naturalization.

The winner agrees to allow publication of their name and image (photo/video) on the American Tribute website and Facebook page, both after being announced as the winner and after they become a U.S. citizen.

This contest is not an offer of legal representation.

Determination of eligibility is subject to review by the Project Manager.

American Tribute is a project of FCM Enterprises, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

#BecomeAUSCItizen #FCMEnterprises #ToBeAmerican #QuickCivicsLessons #NaturalizationTest #USCitizenship #USCIS 🇺🇸

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Presidents’ Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Columbus Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas

Many Americans celebrate national or federal holidays. These holidays often honor people or events in our American heritage.

These holidays are “national” in a legal sense only for federal institutions and in the District of Columbia. Typically, federal offices are closed on these holidays. Each state can decide whether or not to celebrate the holiday. Businesses, schools, and commercial establishments may choose whether or not to close on these days.

Since 1971, federal holidays are observed on Mondays except for New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

* Important Updates to the Naturalization Test
USCIS has revised the civics portion of the naturalization test. All applicants for naturalization with a filing date on or after December 1, 2020, will be required to take the 2020 version of the civics test.

The naturalization test has two components:
• English • Civics
The English portion has not changed.

Memorandum Announces a Decennial Revision Schedule

WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is revising the current naturalization test with improvements to ensure it continues to serve as an accurate measure of a naturalization applicant’s civics knowledge and that it reflects best practices in adult education assessments. The goal is to create a meaningful, uniform, and efficient test that will assess applicants’ knowledge and understanding of U.S. history, government and values. 

This spring, the former USCIS director signed the Revision of the Naturalization Civics Test Memorandum (PDF, 202 KB). This memorandum announces the revision of the naturalization test and formalizes a decennial revision schedule of the naturalization test based on adult education best practices.

“Granting U. S. citizenship is the highest honor our nation bestows,” said USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli. “Updating, maintaining, and improving a test that is current and relevant is our responsibility as an agency in order to help potential new citizens fully understand the meaning of U.S. citizenship and the values that unite all Americans.”

In December 2018, USCIS formed a naturalization test revision working group with members from across the agency. The working group has been reviewing and updating the naturalization test questions. The working group will also assess potential changes to the speaking portion of the test. USCIS is soliciting the input of experts in the field of adult education to ensure that this process is fair and transparent. After careful analysis of the pilot, and thorough officer training, USCIS will set an implementation date in December 2020 or early 2021.  

Section 312 of the Immigration and Nationality Act outlines the English and civics requirements for naturalization. By law, candidates for naturalization must have “…an understanding of the English language, including an ability to read, write, and speak words in ordinary usage in the English language…” and “…knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the history, and of the principles and form of government, of the United States…” This test revision will comply with all statutory and regulatory requirements, and USCIS will pilot it this fall.

In Fiscal Year 2018, USCIS naturalized nearly 757,000 people, a five-year high in new oaths of citizenship. The naturalization test revision is a key part of preparing legal immigrants to fully exercise their rights and meet their responsibilities. 

For more information on USCIS and our programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), Instagram (/uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/uscis), and LinkedIn (/uscis).

Last Reviewed/Updated: 07/19/2019
Source: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-announces-plan-improve-naturalization-test

Release Date: July 2, 2019 

WASHINGTON — This week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will celebrate the Declaration of Independence and the birth of our country by welcoming almost 7,500 new citizens in nearly 110 naturalization ceremonies between July 1 and July 5. Our naturalization ceremonies will be held in venues across the country, and include several notable ceremonies.

Acting USCIS Director Ken Cuccinelli will administer the Oath of Allegiance and deliver congratulatory remarks to 52 new Americans at the 9/11 Memorial & Museum on July 2 in New York City, while that same day, Deputy Director Mark Koumans will deliver congratulatory remarks to new citizens at a ceremony on board the USS Constitution in Boston. On July 4, Acting Director Cuccinelli will administer the Oath of Allegiance at a special ceremony at the National Archives Museum, where the Declaration of Independence, our Constitution and the Bill of Rights are housed.   

On July 4, we celebrate the day the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, declaring that the 13 American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation – the United States of America – and were no longer part of the British Empire. Each year, USCIS marks Independence Day with naturalization ceremonies.

“It is an honor for me to welcome these new United States citizens as we celebrate the 243^rd birthday of our nation,” said Acting Director Cuccinelli. “To host a significant event such as a naturalization ceremony on the grounds where the Twin Towers once stood is a vivid reminder of the resiliency of our nation and of why so many people around the world make sacrifices each day in order to call the United States their new home.” 

USCIS is committed to promoting awareness and understanding of citizenship by offering a variety of free citizenship preparation resources for applicants and teachers, including materials like the Establishing Independence lesson plan in the Citizenship Resource Center. Immigrant-serving organizations can register to receive a free Civics and Citizenship Toolkit to help lawful permanent residents prepare for naturalization.

Naturalization is the most significant benefit USCIS offers. Immigrants who lawfully join our country through naturalization express their attachment to our Constitution and commitment to assimilate into our society.

View a list of highlighted 2019 Independence Day-themed naturalization ceremonies. 

We invite new citizens and their families and friends to share their experiences and photos from the ceremonies on social media using the hashtags #newUScitizen, #4thofJuly and #IndependenceDay.

For more information on the naturalization process and filing online, visit our website at uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Source: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-celebrate-independence-day-welcoming-nearly-7500-new-citizens
Last Reviewed/Updated: 07/02/2019

Make 2018 the year that you become a U.S. Citizen! American Tribute is sponsoring a “President’s Day” contest to have your USCIS fees paid when you submit your application for naturalization.

Make sure you read the complete rules before you enter!

• You must have “liked” the Facebook page of American Tribute.
• Enter by private messaging the Facebook page “American Tribute”.
• You must include contact information (email or phone number) and the phrase:
  “I want to be an American, just like President ___________!” in the message. You can choose to insert the name of any of the 45 American Presidents.
• You must be a permanent resident, live in the United States, and are otherwise eligible to naturalize.
• You must not have a criminal record.
• You must have a completed form N-400 or have all the information necessary to complete one.

A winner will be chosen by random drawing at 6 p.m. Central time on February 19, 2018 (“President’s Day”).

The winner will have until March 1, 2018 to confirm eligibility and prepare N-400 paperwork.

If the winner does not have a completed N-400 by March 1, 2018, the prize will expire. American Tribute reserves the right to select an alternate winner if the initial winner is ineligible.

This is not a cash prize – American Tribute will pay your USCIS fee to submit your form N-400 Application for Naturalization, but WILL NOT pay you any money directly.

The winner agrees to allow publication of their name and image on the American Tribute website and Facebook page, both after submitting their form and after they become a U.S. citizen.

This contest is not an offer of legal representation.

Determination of eligibility is subject to review by the Project Manager.

American Tribute is a project of FCM Enterprises, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.