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
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
On July 14, 2020, the Trump administration agreed to rescind a July 6, 2020, directive that planned to bar foreign students from the United States if their colleges canceled in-person instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic....more
7/16/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
F-1 Visa ,
Foreign Students ,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ,
Immigration Procedures ,
M-1 Visa ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
SEVP ,
Trump Administration ,
USCIS ,
Visas
I have an appointment at the local USCIS office. What should I do? All USCIS offices have been closed to the public at least until June 4, 2020. USCIS is preparing to reopen its offices on or after June 4, 2020. USCIS will...more
7/4/2020
/ Administrative Hearings ,
Administrative Procedure ,
Consulate ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Court Closures ,
E-3 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Furloughs ,
H-1B ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigration Procedures ,
L-1 Visas ,
Layoffs ,
O-1 Aliens of Extraordinary Ability ,
Popular ,
USCIS ,
Visa Waiver Program ,
Visas
On Monday, June 29, 2020, approximately 13,400 employees of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received notice of a possible upcoming job furlough. ...more
On May 29, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will resume offering premium processing services for cases involving Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, and Form I-140,...more
On Tuesday March 17, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a statement indicating that the agency will be canceling all face-to-face appointments, interviews, and events, including asylum interviews...more
USCIS announced on March 17, 2020, the temporary suspension of premium processing service for fiscal year (FY) 2021 cap-subject H-1B petitions. Once USCIS begins accepting cap-subject petitions on April 1, we will not be able...more
On December 6, 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it successfully completed the pilot testing for its online registration system that will be implemented in the 2020 H-1B lottery. This will...more
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a rule that would make drastic changes to the USCIS fee schedule, many of which will negatively impact employers. If these fee changes are implemented, American...more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on November 1, 2019, the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) related documentation for beneficiaries under the TPS designation for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras,...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on Friday, March 1, 2019, the automatic extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) documentation for beneficiaries under the TPS designations for Sudan, Nicaragua, Haiti,...more
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will increase the premium processing fee charged by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) from $1,225 to $1,410, effective October 1, 2018. As employers are aware, USCIS is...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Tuesday, August 28, 2018, that the previously announced temporary suspension of premium processing for cap-subject H-1B petitions will continue and be expanded....more
USCIS announced on March 20, 2018, that it will temporarily suspend premium processing for all FY2019 H-1B cap-subject petitions, including petitions seeking an exemption for individuals with a U.S. master’s degree or higher....more
Monday, April 2, 2018, is just around the corner and begins the FY2019 H-1B cap filing season. Employers are urged to begin now to prepare for filing H-1B petitions subject to the cap. As reported earlier this week, due to...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that beginning October 2, 2017, all I-140-based adjustment of status applicants will be required to appear for an in-person interview at a local USCIS...more
USCIS announced that premium processing has been reinstated for all H-1B petitions. Effective October 3, 2017, employers may request to upgrade pending H-1B petitions to premium processing. Suspension of premium processing...more
USCIS announced on Monday, September 18, 2017, that it will immediately accept premium processing requests of all H-1B visa petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 cap. H-1B cap petitions filed in April 2017,...more