USCIS Discusses New Policy Manual, Upcoming Guidelines for Precedent Decisions at Stakeholder Engagement

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) held a stakeholder engagement on January 15, 2013, at which Director Alejandro Mayorkas discussed the first volume of a comprehensive new online Policy Manual, among other things. He noted that the first volume covers Citizenship and Naturalization and that the transition to a centralized online policy resource is the result of an agency-wide review of all adjudication and customer service policies. He said the manual replaces the Adjudicators’ Field Manual and policy memoranda that are in place today. During the engagement, Director Mayorkas also highlighted new citizenship and naturalization-related policies, provided updates on other issues, and took questions.

Director Mayorkas also noted that the agency plans to publish guidelines for issuing precedent decisions soon. As content becomes available for each volume, USCIS will notify the public and invite comment on new or substantially changed policies. Public engagement opportunities will be announced on USCIS’s Web site. The announcement about the stakeholder engagement is available here.