The Proposed Rule would implement provisions of the AC21 and introduce significant reforms to the employment-based immigration process.
On New Year’s Eve 2015, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a...more
Now is the time for employers to assess their FY2017 H-1B needs and to start preparing their petitions for submission on April 1.
On April 1, 2016, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting...more
Certain key provisions of the omnibus spending bill will affect travel without visas, e-Passport requirements, EB-5 investors, and H-1B and L-1 “dependent” employers.
Included in the omnibus spending bill, which the US...more
Employment-based adjustment of status applicants must file using the Application Final Action Dates chart.
The US Department of State (DOS) has released its January 2016 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin sets out...more
Registration begins December 3.
On November 3, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) commissioner announced the expansion of Global Entry to UK citizens. Global Entry, a CBP Trusted Traveler program, allows for...more
New rule would extend STEM optional practical training to 24 months.
On October 19, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to amend its F-1 nonimmigrant student...more
10/21/2015
/ Adjustment of Status ,
Colleges ,
Comment Period ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
E-Verify ,
Foreign Students ,
Form F-1 ,
H-1B ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
OPT ,
Proposed Regulation ,
STEM ,
Time Extensions ,
Universities ,
Visas
The new bulletin shows no movement in filing date cutoffs and little movement in approval date cutoffs for those chargeable to India and China.
The November 2015 Visa Bulletin shows little change from the October 2015...more
10/20/2015
/ Adjustment of Status ,
China ,
EB-1 ,
EB-2 ,
EB-3 ,
EB-5 ,
Filing Deadlines ,
India ,
Mexico ,
Philippines ,
Priority Date Cutoff ,
US Department of State ,
Visa Applications ,
Visa Bulletins ,
Visas
The previously announced filing date cut-offs have been rolled back significantly.
On September 25, the US Department of State issued a revised October Visa Bulletin that contains new and earlier filing cut-off dates...more
A new category of “filing” cutoff dates has been introduced to allow for earlier filing of adjustment of status applications and immigrant visa applications.
The US Department of State (DOS) has released its October 2015...more
9/10/2015
/ Adjustment of Status ,
Applications ,
EB-2 ,
EB-3 ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Green Cards ,
H-1B ,
I-140 ,
Permanent Residence Cards ,
Priority Date Cutoff ,
US Department of State ,
USCIS ,
Visa Bulletins ,
Visas
New class of cut-off dates to be created.
According to multiple reliable sources, the US Department of State (State Department) is in the process of reengineering its system for determining immigrant visa availability...more
Current STEM OPT holders not affected until February 2016.
A federal judge's ruling earlier this month invalidated the 17-month extension of optional practical training (OPT) for international students in the science,...more
Cutoff dates for EB-2 China and India retrogress to January 1, 2006. Cutoff dates for EB-3 China, India, and the Philippines advance to December 22, 2004....more
8/14/2015
/ China ,
EB-1 ,
EB-2 ,
EB-3 ,
EB-5 ,
F2-A ,
India ,
Mexico ,
US Department of State ,
Visa Bulletins ,
Visas
Cutoff dates for EB-3 Philippines available, but backlogged to 2004. Cutoff dates for EB-3 China backlogged to 2004, while cutoff dates for Mexico and the rest of the world advance by three and a half months. Cutoff dates for...more
7/20/2015
/ Adjustment of Status ,
China ,
EB-1 ,
EB-2 ,
EB-3 ,
EB-5 ,
F2-A ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
India ,
Mexico ,
Philippines ,
US Department of State ,
Visa Bulletins ,
Visas
Cutoff dates for EB-3 Philippines become unavailable, cutoff dates for EB-2 China advance by four months, and cutoff dates for EB-3 for Mexico and the Rest of the World advance by six weeks.
The US Department of State...more
Expect delays in the coming weeks in US visa and passport issuance.
The US Department of State (DOS) announced yesterday that it is experiencing technical problems with visa issuance at US embassies and consulates around...more
Starting May 26, USCIS will temporarily suspend the 15-day premium processing service for all H-1B Extension of Stay petitions until July 27 to allow it to implement the H-4 Employment Authorization Document final rule in a...more
Cutoff dates for EB-3 Philippines retrogress by six years and nine months, cutoff dates for EB-5 China retrogress by two years, cutoff dates in the EB-2 India category advance by seven and a half months, cutoff dates in the...more
Cutoff dates in the EB-2 India category advance by eight months, cutoff dates in EB-3 for the Rest of the World advance by four months, cutoff dates in the EB-2 China advance by seven months, and cutoff dates for China EB-3...more
Notable changes include changes to application fees, the business visitor rules, and the introduction of a super premium service for applications submitted in the United States.
The UK Home Office has released a...more
The rule creates employment eligibility for H-4 spouses where the H-1B principal is subject to I-140 backlogs or is AC-21 eligible.
In a release issued earlier today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)...more
Cutoff dates in the EB-2 India category advance by sixteen months, cutoff dates in EB-3 for the Rest of the World advance by five months, cutoff dates for China advance by five and a half months, and EB-3 China is still ahead...more
Biometric Residence Permit regulations will begin rollout in March.
New regulations will require individuals from overseas who apply for a visa for more than six months to obtain a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)...more
Now is the time for employers to assess their FY2016 H-1B needs and to start preparing their petitions for submission on April 1.
On April 1, 2015, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin...more
Cutoff dates in the EB-2 India category advance by six and a half months, cutoff dates in EB-3 for the Rest of the World advance by five months, cutoff dates for China advance by six months, and EB-3 China is still ahead of...more
Cutoff dates in the EB-2 India category remain severely backlogged, cutoff dates in EB-3 for the Rest of the World advance by seven months, cutoff dates for China advance by nine months, and EB-3 China is still ahead of EB-2...more