On September 15, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will be implementing the next phase of the premium processing expansion for certain petitioners who have a pending Form I-140...more
On September 6, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) filed a Court Declaration indicating that the agency has used nearly all available employment-based (EB) immigrant visas for this fiscal year (ending...more
On August 23, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B...more
We previously alerted our readership in May 2022 that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was implementing premium processing for certain I-140 petitions in the EB-1 and EB-2 categories. The...more
On Tuesday, May 3, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) that increases the automatic extension period for certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for up to...more
On Tuesday, March 29, 2022, USCIS announced an action plan aimed to increase efficiency and reduce burdens to the legal immigration system. USCIS indicated three main goals within this new plan, including:...more
On Friday, January 28, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for the FY2023 H-1B Cap Lottery will begin on March 1, 2022. The initial registration will open at...more
On November 12, 2021, USCIS issued a new policy that automatically extends employment authorization for dependent spouses in L-2 and E-1/E-2/E-3 status. The new policy also automatically extended employment authorization for...more
Employment Authorization Policy for Nonimmigrant Dependent Spouses On November 10, 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reached a settlement in a landmark case, which provided structural changes for...more
11/17/2021
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Form I-9 ,
Form I-94 ,
H-4 Spouses ,
Immigration Procedures ,
L-Visas ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
Spouses ,
Time Extensions ,
USCIS ,
Visas
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) Bureau of Consular Affairs announced that the online registration period for the 2023 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV lottery program) began on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at 12:00 p.m....more
On August 24, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a new policy that will require foreign nationals applying for a U.S. permanent resident card (green card) to be fully vaccinated against...more
8/31/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Green Cards ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
Permanent Residence Cards ,
USCIS ,
Vaccinations ,
Visas
On July 28, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will no longer accept written requests to reschedule biometric services appointments at application support centers. If an applicant needs...more
On June 9, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued new policy updates to the USCIS Policy Manual that will clarify the criteria and circumstances for expedited processing; improve the existing request...more
On May 25, 2021, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of State (DOS) announced that U.S. citizens will be able to return to the United States on an expired U.S. passport from May 21, 2021 through December...more
On May 13, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will temporarily suspend the biometrics requirements for certain I-539 applicants for a two-year period beginning on May 17, 2021. ...more
5/18/2021
/ Biometric Information ,
Foreign Nationals ,
H-4 ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
L-2 Visas ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
USCIS ,
Visa Applications ,
Visas
On April 27, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced new policy guidance, to take effect immediately, to address the issue of deference to prior approvals when adjudicating a request for an...more
On Wednesday, February 24, 2021, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation revoking the Trump administration’s orders preventing foreign nationals from moving to the United States on new permanent resident cards (or “green...more
On February 24, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that E-3 visa petitions will now be eligible for premium processing. Beginning on February 24, 2021, petitioners filing Form I-129, Petition...more
As we approach April 1, 2021, employers should be aware of the ever-changing policies and procedures surrounding their requirements to complete the Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 (and E-Verify if they have...more
On Friday, February 5, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for the FY2022 H-1B Cap Lottery will begin on March 9, 2021. ...more
2/9/2021
/ E-2 ,
F-1 Visa ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
J-1 Visas ,
L-1 Visas ,
OPT ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
On Thursday, January 28, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will be extending deadlines for responding to specific requests from the agency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ...more
2/2/2021
/ Administrative Proceedings ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Filing Deadlines ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Notice of Intent ,
Relief Measures ,
Requests for Evidence ,
USCIS ,
Visa Applications
On Friday, October 16, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will increase fees for premium processing, to take effect Monday, October 19, 2020, as required by the Continuing Appropriations...more
Two Interim Final Rules (IFRs) are to be published on Thursday, October 8, 2020 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The DHS “Strengthening the H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa...more
10/9/2020
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
E-3 ,
H-1B ,
H-1B1 ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Interim Final Rules (IFR) ,
PERM ,
Specialty Occupations ,
Trump Administration ,
Wage and Hour
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has announced the opening of the registration period for the 2022 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery Program enables foreign nationals to apply for permanent...more
On August 3, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) issued a Final Rule that alters the USCIS filing Fee Schedule. On average, the filing fees were increased overall by approximately 20%....more
9/9/2020
/ Filing Fees ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-140 Petitions ,
Form I-765 ,
H-1B ,
I-129 ,
I-485 Applications ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
L-1 Visas ,
Naturalization ,
Required Forms ,
USCIS ,
Visas