The U.S. State Department added fields to all U.S. visa applications that will require applicants to disclose information regarding social media accounts used in the past five years, as well as telephone numbers, email address, international travel and deportation status. The new policy, effective May 31st, asks applicants to include their profile handles on popular… [Read More]
H-1B Season – After the Lottery
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced Friday that it has completed the selection process for 2020 H-1B cap petitions for the U.S. advanced degree and general lottery. At this point, USCIS is continuing to issue receipt notices for H-1B petitions and will begin returning unselected petitions. Notifications should continue through the end of… [Read More]
Trump Administration Removing the H-4 Limited Exception Work Authorization
Proposed regulation would rescind EAD for spouses of H-1B visa holders According to several reports, by March 18, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expected to publish a proposed regulation rescinding employment authorization documentation (EAD) for the H-4 spouse of H-1B visa holders. Currently, only those H-4 spouses with H-1B primary applicants having… [Read More]
How the Government Shutdown is Impacting Immigration Law
As the government shutdown enters its third week, many employers are beginning to wonder what impacts the shutdown will have on their international workforces. The good news – most services provided by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) are fee-funded, and do not depend on government fund appropriation. With that being said, some USCIS… [Read More]
EB Visa Availability Update
Retrogression of visa category priority dates impact EB petition applications According to recent information that the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) gained from the U.S. Department of State, the EB-1 Worldwide category is likely to remain retrogressed through December 2018. When visa categories are retrogressed, applicants can still file I-140 petitions; however once the I-140… [Read More]
Rule By Memorandum: What You Need to Know about USCIS Updates to NTA Policy
A memo published July 5 by the United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) outlines a policy change that could have far reaching implications for those in the United States on work or student visas. Change in Notice to Appear Policy The July memo, which, among other decrees, instructs USCIS to issue a Notice to… [Read More]
Client Alert: USCIS Suspends Premium Processing on H-1B Cap Petitions
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced a temporary suspension of premium processing for H-1B Cap petitions, starting April 2, 2018. While normal processing of H-1B visa applications typically takes three to six months, premium processing guarantees that an initial review of the petition occurs in 15 calendar days, for an additional fee of $1,225…. [Read More]
