In 2024, California took major strides by enacting various immigration laws that strengthen and promote the civil and labor rights of noncitizens. These laws offer new protections for Lebanese citizens and revised green card and work permit application processes. Whether you are pursuing a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or a diversity visa, you should have the right information. This blog provides essential information on these 2024 updated U.S. legal immigration laws.
The United States Department of Homeland Security Grants Lebanese Citizens Temporary Protected Status
The United States Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, has put safety measures in place for Lebanese citizens in the US. This move is due to the ongoing violence and critical situation in Lebanon.
Lebanon received Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) status in July 2024. The DED status applies to individuals in the U.S. by 17th October 2024. Lebanese citizens with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) can stay for eighteen months and are permitted to work. The United States is seeking a diplomatic agreement on the Lebanon-Israel border. Those who arrived after 16th October 2024 are not eligible for TPS.
The government will provide further details about the application process for work permits and TPS in the Federal Register report in November 2024. Additionally, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released a notice outlining how Lebanese citizens with DED can apply for work authorizations and permits. These employment authorization cards remain valid until 25th January 2026. To apply, you must complete Form I-765.
DHS Offers Special Relief and Work Benefits for an F-1 Student from Lebanon
The DHS has introduced new flexible options for F-1 students from Lebanon or those who last lived there. If students are dealing with serious financial problems, they can now apply for work authorization. They can work longer hours while studying and lower their class load without losing their F-1 nonimmigrant status. This support will continue until 25 January 2026, when the DED period ends.
USCIS Releases New Travel Document Forms for Use
The USCIS released new versions of Form I-131 on 11th October 2024. It will be known as "Parole Documents, Departure/Arrival Records, and Application for Travel Document." The agency has indicated that the updates are major, and there will be no grace period for submissions. You must use the new form immediately to avoid rejection. If you mailed an old version of Form I-131, you must have postmarked it before 11th October.
Diversity Visa Lottery (DV Lottery)
The US State Department declared they will offer the DV Lottery again this year. Individuals from specific countries can now submit their applications. Registration for DV-2026 will commence on 2nd October 2024.
This yearly program gives individuals from nations with low immigration rates a chance to enter the online lottery. Winners can then apply for green cards (permanent residency). For the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, 55,000 diversity visas will be available.
To enter the DV lottery, submit your application online at the US State Department's webpage.
Each person can submit only a single entry. If a family member's application is selected, the applicant can bring their spouse and unmarried children under 21. The spouse must be legally married, regardless of gender.
The basic regulations for a DV-2026 lottery are mostly the same as in previous years, but Cuban nationals cannot participate now. Confirm your home country is on the list of eligible countries. Do not apply if you belong to any of these countries:
- Bangladesh.
- Canada.
- Brazil.
- China (this includes Hong Kong SAR).
- Cuba.
- El Salvador.
- Dominican Republic.
- Honduras.
- Colombia.
- Haiti.
- Jamaica.
- Vietnam.
- India.
- Nigeria.
- Mexico.
- Philippines.
- Pakistan.
- Venezuela.
- South Korea.
Individuals from any other nation can apply. Issues might arise if your country's relationship with the US weakens.
The principal applicants must meet specific eligibility standards. For example, they must demonstrate a particular level of education to show they can work in the US. They should also have valid passports from their home country.
You must wait until May 3, 2025, to determine if the system selects you to proceed. The US State Department will not notify you, so you must check the website where you applied. Keep your unique confirmation number from the entry registration handy.
The lottery "winners" online list will be available until 30th September 2026. However, do not wait until then to see if your name is on the list. If you put it off, you might miss your chance entirely. The US government usually accepts more DV applications than available visas. As a result, some applicants may withdraw their application or become ineligible later.
If you do not act fast by checking your status and applying for a green card or visa, the available visa numbers might lapse before you complete the lengthy application.
New Regulations for Bringing in Dogs to the US
The Centers for Disease Control, or CDC, has enforced new regulations regarding bringing dogs into the US. The requirements will differ depending on your dog's travel history in the last six months. If you bring a dog that has only been in low-risk or rabies-free countries in the past six months, you must complete a CDC Dog Import Form.
You can submit the form 1-3 days before your travel date. Include the most recent picture (jpg, gif, or png) showing your dog's body and face.
Once you have done this, you should print the receipt. You can show the receipt on your cellphone, but having a printed copy is helpful if you encounter any technical issues. If your dog is flying, you must present this document to the flight attendants before boarding. When you arrive in the United States, you must submit it to the Customs and Border Protection officials. The receipt is valid for multiple entries into the U.S. for 6 months.
If your pets have been in a high-risk country for 6 months, you must complete the dog import form and meet vaccination requirements. You will also need to provide proof of rabies vaccination. Additionally, dogs from a high-risk country must:
- Be not less than 6 months old.
- Arrive healthy in the United States.
- Have microchips that universal scanners can read. Your veterinarian should implant the chip before a rabies vaccine. Otherwise, the vaccine does not count.
The USCIS Announces New Ways to Apply for Green Cards for Undocumented Children and Spouses of US Citizens Starting 18th August 2024
The USCIS announced that foreign-born partners living in the U.S. without a legal U.S. status can apply for green cards. This new option also applies to an applicant who has been in the U.S. for not less than ten years and is married to a U.S. citizen. This new option is a "Parole in Place" (PIP). It helps many undocumented children and spouses by considering their last entry into the U.S. as lawful, even if they entered without authorization.
Having a legal entry is essential because, without it, many foreign nationals cannot use the "Adjustment of Status," or AOS, process when applying for green cards without traveling outside the US. They would typically need to go to the United States consulate or embassy in their country for an interview and seek a waiver for their illegal presence to return.
Qualifying for a waiver requires proving hardship to your US citizen family members, making it difficult for many to qualify. As a result, many have chosen to remain in the U.S. unlawfully because the drawbacks of a denied application are too significant. A rejection could lead to being outside the U.S. for many years.
Sadly, not every undocumented child and spouse of American citizens can apply. This PIP option is limited to married individuals who resided in the U.S. for not less than ten years before 17th June 2024. They must also:
- Prove they do not have serious criminal records.
- Qualify for a change in status.
- Not be a threat to the U.S. public safety or national security.
- Merit a favorable decision from the United States government.
Additionally, USCIS may have increased the requirements for approved applications. The government encourages applicants to add extra documentation in the new Filing Guide for Form I-131F.
You can add stepchildren to a PIP application. According to immigration laws, a stepchild is a child whose biological parent married another person after the child turned 18. To qualify, the stepchild must have been in the U.S. by 17 June 2024.
A Filing Guide form provides all necessary information for the application process. Applicants must submit their applications online using Form I-131F to the USCIS. They should also include 3 pieces of proof for each year between 2014 and 2024 to show continuous presence and a personal legal affidavit explaining why they meet the criteria. The application fee is $580.
You can apply for work permits only if USCIS approves your PIP. However, you cannot submit both applications at the same time. After PIP approval, individuals seeking work permits must file Form I-765 with USCIS, either online for $470 or on paper for a fee of $520. You could apply for fee waivers using Forms I-912 if you have a low monthly income.
Once approved for the program, the undocumented spouse will have three years to apply for a permanent residency with USCIS. During this time, they can stay in the U.S. and receive work permits (employment authorization documents or EADs) for 3 years.
USCIS Increases Premium Processing Fee for Certain Applications
USCIS has stated that the fee for premium processing will go up for some applicants who wish to speed up their application and avoid delays in the regular process starting February 26, 2024. These fees apply along with the standard application fees for visas and green cards charged by the US State Department and USCIS.
For example, several US employers prefer to pay extra for 15 days of processing. This fee is for forms needed to hire foreign national workers, either temporarily or permanently. Premium processing fees are also open for nonimmigrant visa holders who want to change or extend their status or some students. USCIS cites inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for every urban customer as the reason for the increase.
DHS Announces Changes to USCIS Application Fees Starting 1st April 2024
The DHS oversees USCIS operations. USCIS processes most immigration applications in the country and charges fees for processing citizenship and green cards.
DHS often changes and raises these fees. The most recent updates, reported in January 2024, follow this pattern, but the DHS reduced some fees. USCIS has combined the biometrics fee with the main application fee to make things easier. Applicants can save $50 by applying online rather than paper forms, but many have had problems with the online system, making paper filing more straightforward.
There are no new fees for an asylum application (Form I-589), but immigrant employers must pay asylum surcharges to support the program. USCIS has waived most fees for applicants seeking humanitarian relief, such as those under VAWA (for abuse victims) and U and T visas (for crime or trafficking victims).
The following are some changes that will likely impact many individuals:
- The fees for Form I-485, the Application to Adjust Status, have increased to 1,440 dollars for adults. You must pay additional fees if you need work permits and Advance Parole travel documents (I-131). However, an AOS applicant can obtain a discounted cost of 260 dollars for the work permit.
- The fees for Form I-90, used to replace or renew green cards, have decreased to 415 dollars for online applications and 465 dollars for hard-copy paper applications.
- Fees for Form I-539, which extends or changes nonimmigrant status, have decreased for those needing fingerprinting but increased for applicants who do not. It is currently 420 dollars for online applicants and 470 dollars for paper applicants.
- Fees for Form N-400 to apply for naturalization are now 710 dollars for online submissions and 760 dollars for paper submissions.
- USCIS has reduced the biometrics fees for a TPS applicant to $30.
New N-400 Release on April 1, 2024 (Including Third Gender Option)
USCIS has significantly updated the application form for U.S. naturalization, Form N-400. If you use the old paper version, you can only submit it until June 2, 2024.
Key changes in the new N-400 form include:
- A new option for gender that is not limited to "male" or "female." They label it as "another gender identity."
- Being part of a religious group might show good moral character, but associating with groups linked to terrorism could have negative implications.
- Removing the question regarding membership in groups or organizations leads to confusion—removing a section for disabled applicants to request accommodations for their interview. Instead of including these requests in Form N-400, you must contact USCIS directly via their online portal.
- Eliminating a section for older applicants allowed them to request a more straightforward English language test and civics exam if they were 65 or older. Until you have new instructions, you should inform USCIS through a cover letter.
DED Protections for Palestine Nationals in the U.S.
The Biden Administration set up a new measure to help Palestinians living in the US avoid being sent back home during Israel's current military actions. This measure, Deferred Enforced Departure, will be valid for eighteen months and expire on 13th August 2025 unless the government extends it.
Unlike the more commonly used TPS, there are no application forms for DED. It does not grant immigration "statuses" in the U.S. or lead to permanent residency, like green card applications. However, the government will shield eligible Palestinians from deportation. They can also apply for work permits or travel clearance (Form I-131) to depart and return to the US.
Not all Palestine nationals are eligible for DED. USCIS will conduct fingerprint checks during a mandated biometrics appointment. Additionally, they should not face disqualification based on certain asylum-related grounds, such as persecuting others or committing non-political crimes before arriving in the country.
The Federal Register directive regarding Palestinian DED includes more information. It provides guidelines on applying for work and travel permits and any applicable fees unless fee waivers are available. Work authorization applications are relatively straightforward, but applicants should remember to write "(a)(11)" to meet the eligibility standards.
Medical Examination Results on Form I-693
According to the USCIS, medical evaluation reports on Form I-693 will not expire. This evaluation applies as long as the form is complete and signed by a certified surgeon before or after November 1, 2023. This report means that status adjustment and other perks applicants can utilize indefinitely. It proves they are likely not inadmissible to the US for health reasons.
If USCIS discovers any information that makes them question these results, they might request the applicant submit more proof or obtain updated or new Forms I-693.
Find a California Immigration Law Firm Near Me
When the US government approves your immigration application, it can bring you closer to family, unlock new opportunities, and secure your safety. We at California Immigration Attorney focus on supporting you during the entire immigration process. Our team is ready to provide the help and resources you need to approach your application with confidence. Call us now at 424-789-8809 for a free consultation.