dismissed EB-2 NIW Case: Unknown

U.S.Departmentof HomelandSecurity
U S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices
AdministrativeAppealsOffice (AAO)
20 MassachusettsAve.,N.W.,MS 2090
Washington,DC 20529-2090
8 U.S.Citizenship
and Immigration
Services
DATE: 9E[ 0 3 2012 OFFICE:TEXASSERVICECENTER
IN RE: Petitioner:
Beneficiary:
PETITION: ImmigrantPetitionfor AlienWorkerasaMemberof theProfessionsHoldinganAdvanced
Degreeor anAlien of ExceptionalAbility Pursuantto Section203(b)(2)of theImmigration
andNationalityAct, 8 U.S.C.§ 1153(b)(2)
ONBEHALFOFPETITIONER:
SELF-REPRESENTED
INSTRUCTIONS:
Enclosedpleasefind thedecisionof theAdministrativeAppealsOffice in yourcase. All of thedocuments
relatedto thismatterhavebeenreturnedto theofficethatoriginallydecidedyourcase.Pleasebeadvisedthat
anyfurtherinquirythatyoumighthaveconcerningyourcasemustbemadeto thatoffice.
Thank you,
RonRosenberg
Acting Chief,AdministrativeAppealsOffice
www.uscis.gov
Page2
DISCUSSION: TheDirector,TexasServiceCenter,deniedthe employment-basedimmigrantvisa
petition. TheAdministrativeAppealsOffice(AAO) rejectedthepetitioner'sappealasuntimely. The
directortreatedtheuntimelyappealasamotionto reopen,andagaindeniedthepetition. Thematteris
againbeforetheAAO onappeal.TheAAO will againrejecttheappealasuntimely.
In order to properly file an appeal,the U.S. Citizenshipand Immigration Services(USCIS)
regulation at 8 C.F.R. § 103.3(a)(2)(i)provides that the affected party or the attorney or
representativeof record must submit the completeappealwithin 30 days of service of the
unfavorabledecision. If the directorissuedthedecisionby mail, thepetitionermustfile the appeal
within 33 days. See8 C.F.R.§ 103.8(b). For a decisionservedby mail, the dateof serviceis the
dateof mailing,not thedatethe affectedpartyreceivesthenotice. Id. Thedateof filing is not the
dateof submission,butthedateof actualreceiptwith therequiredfee. See8 C.F.R.§ 103.2(a)(7)(i).
Therecordindicatesthattheservicecenterdirectorattemptedto issuethedecisionon May 21,2012,
but sentit to anoutdatedaddress.Following an inquiry by the petitioner,the directormailedthe
decision to the correct addresson August 1, 2012. On appeal,the petitioner states:"September4,
2012represents33daysafterI receivedtheduplicatenoticeby mail." Thepostmarkon the appeal
submissionis datedSeptember4, 2012. Thedirectorreceivedthesubmissionon September7,2012.
Under the regulationscited above,the 33-day appealperiod does not spanfrom the date the
petitionerreceivedthedenialto thedatethepetitionermailedthe appeal.Rather,the appealperiod
spansfrom thedatethedirectormailedthedenialto the correctaddressto the dateUSCISreceives
the appeal. The denialdate,therefore,wasWednesday,August 1, 2012. Day 33 was Monday,
September3, 2012. Becausethat datewasLaborDay, a federalholiday,the appealwasdueto be
received- notmailed- thenextday,Tuesday,September4, 2012. ThepetitionerpreparedtheForm
1-290BNoticeof Appealon August31,2012butwaitedanotherfour daysto mail it. Forthesecond
time in thisproceeding,thepetitionerfiled anuntimelyappeal.
The regulationat 8 C.F.R.§ 103.3(a)(2)(v)(B)(2)statesthat, if an untimelyappealmeetsthe
requirementsof a motion to reopenor a motion to reconsider,USCIS must treat the appealas a
motion, andmakea decisionon the meritsof the case. Theofficial havingjurisdiction over amotion
is the official who madethe last decision in the proceeding,in this casethe Director of the Texas
ServiceCenter. See8 C.F.R. § 103.5(a)(1)(ii). Thedirector acknowledgedthe untimely filing of the
appeal,andforwardedthe matterto theAAO.
As theappealwasuntimelyfiled, USCISmustrejecttheappeal.
ORDER: Theappealis rejected.