Master List of Immigration Law Resources

Content

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

USCIS Office Locator: This page provides addresses for local USCIS field offices.
USCIS Case Status Online: Use this page to check the status of your USCIS case. Registration is required.
USCIS Forms: Downloadable USCIS forms — immigration petitions, etc.
USCIS Processing Time Reports: Provides updated approximate processing times for various immigration petitions.
USCIS International Immigration Offices: List of international USCIS offices.
Adjudicator’s Field Manual: This page explains USCIS policies and procedures for administering immigration benefits. It goes far beyond mere recitation of the statutory language.
USCIS Policy Memoranda: This page provides policy and procedural documents that guide USCIS officers in processing requests for immigration benefits.
USCIS Policy Manual: This page provides an extensive database of policy and procedural documents that guide USCIS officers in processing requests for immigration benefits.
Administrative Appeals Office (AAO): Home page of the AAO. The AAO is the office responsible for hearing appeals of USCIS decisions.
AAO Non-Precedent Decisions: Extensive database of decisions issued by the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO). The decisions available on this page do not carry any weight as precedent.
AAO Precedent Decisions: Extensive database of decisions issued by the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO). The decisions available on this page DO carry weight as precedent.
USCIS Asylum Resources: A portal for information about the political asylum process.
USCIS Immigrant Investor Regional Centers: Where to submit your application for an immigrant investor (EB-5) visa.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the division of the Department of Homeland Security that oversees most of the immigration to the US. One task that the USCIS does not handle is the issuance of visas at US embassies and consulates abroad. If the applicant is located overseas, the USCIS will process applications online and by mail. Then it turns the request over to the US State Department to determine whether a visa will be issued. The USCIS also handles applications for adjustment of immigration status filed within the by applicants located within the US.
The USCIS Civil Surgeon Locator can help you locate a designated civil surgeon if you are located in the US and seeking an immigration status that requires you to undergo a medical examination.
The USCIS Processing Times and Online Case Inquiry page can help you check the status of your case and keep up with the estimated processing time.
The USCIS Change of Address Form page allows you to comply with the USCIS requirement that you notify it whenever you change your residence.
USCIS Application Support Centers handle fingerprinting when it is required to obtain an immigration benefit.
USCIS Asylum Offices handle interviews for people who have applied for asylum.
USCIS Service Centers are places where a wide variety of immigration-related applications are mailed and processed. Which service center you use depends on which form you are filing and, sometimes, where you live.
The National Benefit Center, like the USCIS Service Centers, receives and processes many different types of immigration applications.
Local USCIS FIeld Offices handle pre-scheduled interviews required for immigration benefits other than asylum applications.
The USCIS National Records Center receives and processes Freedom of Information Act requests as well as applications for genealogy information.
The USCIS Forms & Fees Page contains a list of information about each USCIS form, where to file it, and the amount of the filing fee if any. This page includes links to the actual forms, which in many cases, can be filled out online and e-filed.
The USCIS Information on Temporary Protected Status page contains information about how to apply for TPS. TPS provides legal status and potential employment authorization to people from countries that have suffered natural disasters, civil unrest or armed conflict — mostly citizens of El Salvador, Haiti, and Honduras. The Trump administration is greatly restricting TPS.
The USCIS page on US citizenship through naturalization contains information on how naturalized US citizen can transition to citizenship, and why an N-400 citizenship application might be denied.
Citizenship Information: This page contains information on citizenship by birth, naturalization, citizenship for military members and dependents, etc.
Humanitarian Parole Information: This page contains information on how people located outside the US might be allowed into the US based on humanitarian reasons or the potential to benefit the US.
Immigration Laws, Regulations & Guides: This page contains a list of links to significant immigration laws and regulations, as well as links to immigration policy and practice websites and certain immigration information providers.
Immigration Handbooks & Manuals: This page contains links to particular immigration-related policy and field manuals that provide an in-depth look at how immigration law is applied.
Working in the US: How to work legally in the US.

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U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

iCERT Visa Portal System: Case information for (H-1B, H-2A and H-2B applicants. You can also file Prevailing Wage requests here.
Permanent (PERM) Online System: This page allows you to file for labor certification online.
Office of Administrative Law Judges: Home page of the administrative trial court for the DOL.
Employment and Training Administration (ETA): ETA’s home page. The ETA administers federal government job training programs, unemployment insurance benefits and other services.
Office of Foreign Labor Certification: Information about foreign labor certification for both employers and foreign employees/ prospective employees.
Online Wage Library: Search for the Prevailing wage for your occupation and location.
Employment & Training Administration (ETA) Regional Offices: Provides links to the addresses of all six regional offices of the ETA.
Foreign Labor Certification Contact Information: Addresses of co0ntact centers for Foreign Labor Certification.
Employment & Training Administration (ETA): The home page of the US Department of Labor Employment & Training Administration.
Foreign Labor Certification Information: The home page of the Office of Foreign Labor Certification, for employment-based applicants who need labor certification for approval of their employment-based visas or petitions for adjustment of status.
Processing Dates for Labor Certification Applications: This page allows employers and attorneys to access case information forH-1B, H-2A and H-2B visas, and to file Prevailing Wage requests.
Prevailing Wage Information: This page contains an online wage library that helps you determine your eligibility for foreign labor certification.
Regional and Local Office Information: This page lists regional offices of the US Department of Labor.
Occupational Outlook Handbook: Information about various occupations, median pay, etc. for the purpose of filing a Labor Condition Application.
H-2A On-line Certification: Information about certification for the H-2A (temporary agricultural worker) visa.
O*NET OnLine: Free online database with hundreds of occupational definitions to help you understand the occupational market in the United States.
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System: This page classifies workers into occupational categories for the purpose of manipulating data for federal agencies.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection: The home page of the primary federal customs agency.
DOL Organizational Chart: A graphic showing how the DOL is organized.
DOL Law Library – Immigration Collection: Home page for the US Department of Labor Immigration Law Library.
Occupational Employment Statistics: Annual employment and wage estimates for over 800 occupations.

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U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)

Executive Office for Immigration Review: The home page for the agency responsible for the adjudication of immigration cases.
EOIR Forms: This page contains downloadable EOIR forms.
EOIR Office of Legal Access Programs: This department offers legal assistance to immigrants with immigration law problems.
Immigration Courts: List of addresses and names of EOIR immigration court judges.
Immigration Court Practice Manual: A codification of best practices for US immigration courts.
Denver Immigration Court Home: The home page of the Denver Immigration Court.
Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA): The home page of the BIA, the highest administrative court for interpreting and applying immigration laws.
BIA Practice Manual: This page allows you to download the BIA Practice Manual, a guide to best practices for the BIA.
EOIR Agency Decisions: Downloadable archives of EOIR agency decisions. This page contains an entire library of information.
Department of Justice Immigrant and Employee Rights Section: The home page of the bureau responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provsions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

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Statutory and Regulatory Research Resources

Social Security Administration (SSA): The home page of the US Social Security Administration, an organization responsible for the United States’ most important public benefit program.
SSA Information for Immigrants: A guide to the Social Security Administration for immigrants.
SS Numbers & Immigrant Visas: Applying for a Social Security Number (SSN) as a noncitizen.
Federal Register: The daily journal of the US government, where important legal notices and government announcements are published.
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): Text of all federal regulations.
Library of Congress: The home page of the Library of Congress, the world’s largest library.
U.S. Government Accountability Office: An independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress.
Congressional Record: The official transcript of the proceedings of the United States Congress.
American Immigration Lawyers Association: The primary national professional association for US immigration lawyers.
U.S. Immigration Law Research Guide (Loyola Law School Library): An overview on how to perform legal research in U.S. immigration law.
Federal Statutes: What Are They and Where to Find Them: How to research federal statutes.
U.S. Code: Searchable list of federal statutes.
List of U.S. Public and Private Laws: Extremely large database.
U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act: Full text of the foundational US immigration statute.
Regulations: This page allows you to comment on pending federal regulations.
Government Publishing Office (GPO): The office that produces, preserves and distributes official federal government publications and information for Congress, federal agencies, and the public.
Meta-Index for Legal Research: A large database of legal information published bby the University of Minnesota

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Immigration Courts and Administrative Appeals

Immigration Court Contact Information: EOIR immigration court judges and court addresses.
BIA Members: Introduction to the members of the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA).
Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (Civil Rights Division): This page deals with the civil rights of immigrants, especially in an employment context.
EOIR Forms: This page provides a portal for downloading EOIR Forms for those with immigration related court cases.
EOIR Virtual Law Library: An online immigration law library relating to the judicial functions of the EOIR. Useful for preparing an uimmigration case.
Attorney General and BIA Precedent Decisions: Massive database of EOIR agency decisions. Useful for locating relevant judicial precedents and related legal research.
Operating Policies and Procedures Memoranda (OPPMs): Detailed operating policies and procedures of the EOIR and downloadable.
Uniform Docketing System Manual: Details on how the EOIR dockets its cases.
OCAHO Decision Index: The Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO) allegations of the unlawful hiring of immigrants.
Office of Immigration Litigation Bulletin: An internal publication covering immigration litigation, targeted at DOJ and Department of Homeland Security attorneys.

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Various Federal Government Agencies

The White House
Census Bureau: The organization responsible for collecting demographic data on the us population.

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Department of Homeland Security

CIS Ombudsman: An independet advocate who can answer questions about immigration services and benefits as well as specific cases. Affiliated with the USCIS but independent of the agency itself.
DHS FOIA Contact Information by Agency: Contact information for people who wish to submit a Freedom of Information Act request to a particular government agency.
Immigration Data and Statistics: Database of immigration-related statistics.

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US Department of State (DOS)

Home page of the US Department of State, the federal agency primarily responsible for visa and immigration petitions filed overseas.

The U.S. State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs handles the issuance of visas to applicants located overseas, through US embassies and consulates.
DOS Organizational Chart: This page contains a chart that illustrates the organizational structure of the Department of State.
DOS Telephone Directory: List of important DOS phone numbers.
DOS List of Websites for U.S. Embassies, Consulates & Diplomatic Missions
DOS U.S. Visas: General page on how to obtain a US visa.
Visa Reciprocity Tables: Information on extra US visa fees payable by nationals of certain countries that impose reciprocal visa fees on US citizens.
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: This page might be useful for assembling an asylum application.
Foreign Affairs Manual: Contains codified policies and procedures for Department of State staff and contractors so they can carry out their responsibilities.
Find a J-1 Program Sponsor: Information on finding a designated organizational sponsor for participation in the J-1 visa Exchange Visitor Program.
J-1 Waiver Review Division Case Tracking: This page allows you to enter your case number to find out the status of your pending J-1 waiver application.
J-1 Waiver Processing Times: Instructions on how to Apply for a waiver of the exchange visitor two-year home-country physical presence requirement.
DOS Forms: Downloadable versions of various DOS forms.
DOS Visa Status Check: This page allows you to check your visa status online.
Visa Wait Times: Approximate visa wait times for p-articular embassies and consulates.
List of Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations: This page lists organizations that are designated as terrorist organizations by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
Intercountry Adoptions: Information in international adoptions.
DOS Intercountry Adoption Alerts and Notices
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Exchanges Programs: Information on State Department sponsored global programs for educational, cultural, and professional exchanges.
Visa Services: This page provides information on visa services offered by the US State Department (issued by US embassies and consulates overseas). It is generally not relevant for people live in the US and intend to apply for immigration benefits.
Visa Revalidation Info: This page explains how you can legally enter the US on an expired visa under certain circumstances.
Visa Bulletin: This page, updated periodically, allows you to check whether your visa availability is “current” if you have applied for a family- or employment-based visa.
Fees for Visa Services: This page, updated periodically, lists fees for various types of visas.
A to Z Index of Visa Information: This page is an extremely comprehensive list of links containing information about US visas.

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Federal Courts

U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado: The US District Court for the state of Colorado.
U.S. Courts of Appeals & District Courts
- First Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico and Rhode Island.
- Second Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Connecticut, New York and Vermont.
- Third Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the Virgin Islands.
- Fourth Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.
- Fifth Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.
- Sixth Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.
- Seventh Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
- Eighth Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.
- Ninth Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Alaska, Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon and Washington.
- Ninth Circuit Immigration Outline: This page presents procedural and substantive principles relating to immigration law in the Ninth Circuit.
- Tenth Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming.
- Eleventh Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
- District of Columbia Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over the District of Columbia (including Washington, D.C.).
- Federal Circuit: The federal Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over appeals on patent and certain civil cases from courts such as the Court of Federal Claims.
U.S. Supreme Court: The home page of te US Supreme Court.By following the appropriate links, you can access the full texts of Supreme Court decisions going back several decades.

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State Courts

National Center for State Courts: Comprehensive information about the role of state courts.
State Court Websites: Allows you to access the websites of every state court.
U.S. Courts: Federal Court Basics: All about US federal courts. Educational.
Geographic Boundaries of Federal Courts: A map illustrating the geographic jurisdiction of each federal district and appeals court.
Federal Judicial Center: The research and education agency of the judicial branch of the U.S. government.
The Shriver Center’s Federal Practice Manual for Legal Aid Attorneys: the research and education agency of the judicial branch of the U.S. government.

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U.S. Customs & Border Protection

The federal agency charged with border management and control, with responsibility for customs, immigration, border security, and agricultural protection.

CBP Leadership and Organizat: A description of the leadership and organization of the CBP.
CBP Information Center: Ask a question, report a complaint, etc.
CBP Headquarters Contact Information: Phone and address list for CBP headquarters.
CBP Locate a Port of Entry: Interactive map providing details of all CBP ports of entry.
CBP Preclearance Locations: Through Preclearance, CBP Officers stationed overseas conduct the same inspections of international air travelers typically that occur upon arrival in the United States.This page provides preclearance locations for various overseas points of origin.
CBP FOIA: The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)\is the law that gives people access to information about federal agencies.This page provides information about how the FOIA applies to th CBP.
Electronic System for Travel Authorization: The Electronic System for Travel Authorization is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
Visa Waiver Program (VWP): The visa waiver program permits citizens of 38 countries to travel to the United States for business or tourism for stays of up to 90 days without a visa.
Trusted Traveler Programs: This program can help you move you through the line at the airport much faster. Designed for frequent visitors.

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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

SEVP/SEVIS Program: ICE Student & Exchange Visitor Program. This program tracks and monitors international students as well as organizations such as schools and exchange programs that admit international students.
ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations: This office enforces immigration laws by apprehending and removing aliens subject to removal from the U.S.
ICE Field Offices: Addresses of major ICE field offices in the U.S.
ICE Homeland Security Investigation Principal Field Offices: Addresses of the field offices of the ICE division of Homeland Security Investigations.
ICE Principal Legal Advisors Office: Addresses of offices of the Principal Legal Advisor in each US state.
Students and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP): Overview of the Students and Exchange Visitor Program.
ICE Detention Facility Locator: Addresses of ICE detention facilities in the US.

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International

Embassies: Information about foreign embassies in Washington, DC, including addresses and websites.
Foreign Consulates in the U.S.: Information about foreign consulates in the US, including telephone numbers and websites.
Family Lawyer in Adelaide, Australia: Family lawyers who can help you in all facets of family law.

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