Adjudication of F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas – paused for the last month – will soon resume, and applicants will be subject to heightened screening and vetting, including of their social media accounts....more
On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued a proclamation restricting entries for people from 19 countries based on national security concerns about deficient vetting and screening processes with a June 9, 2025 start date. A...more
On April 11, 2025, USCIS will begin enforcing a requirement that certain foreign nationals register with the agency and submit to fingerprinting if they remain in the U.S. for 30 days or longer. This alert summarizes the...more
The official USCIS announcement of registration and filing dates for the H-1B CAP Registration process is quickly approaching and with the inauguration of the second Trump administration, there is much uncertainty about the...more
USCIS published a final rule (the Final Rule) on January 31, 2024, increasing certain filing fees that went into effect on April 1, 2024....more
In addition to the increase in Premium Processing Fees already slated to become effective February 26, 2024, USCIS has announced filing fee increases for almost all other filings, with discounted fees in many cases for online...more
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a new mail delivery process for processing ADIT stamps for lawful permanent residents. The Alien Documentation, Identification, and Telecommunication (ADIT)...more
It's that time of year again: H-1B CAP season! The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) initial registration period for H-1B CAP will open at 12 p.m. ET on March 1 and run through 12 p.m. ET on March 17, 2023....more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced several important changes this week: expansion of premium processing for several employment-based categories; resumption of concurrent processing of spousal...more
It's that time of year again – H-1B CAP season! The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for H-1B CAP will open at noon Eastern on March 1, 2022 and will...more
Just as FY20's H-1B approved cap cases are reaching the October 1 effective date for their authorized period of employment, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reminds us that there are changes to the cap lottery...more
Spring is in the air, and H-1B excitement abounds. Now is the time to take stock of your H-1B needs for FY20, which begins on October 1, 2019. ...more
On May 10, 2018, the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS) published a Policy Memorandum offering guidance in the calculation of unlawful presence for those in student (F), vocational student (M), or exchange visitor...more
This month: Targeted Site Visits and Restrictions on Computer Programmers in the H-1B Program; Plan B options if you don't win the H-1B lottery.
In the midst of the mad flurry of H-1B cap filings, United States...more
In the midst of the mad flurry of H-1B cap filings, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum that rescinds guidance on H-1B adjudication for certain computer-related positions from...more
Although you may not yet know whether your H-1B petition has been selected for processing under the FY2018 cap, it is never too early to think about alternatives and come up with a feasible Plan B. Now that premium...more
On October 24, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that increased fees for most immigration applications and petitions will be effective December 23, 2016. The fees will increase by an average of...more
On September 12, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the Office of Management and Budget approved a revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. USCIS must publish a revised form...more
On March 11, 2016, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its final rule on enhancements to the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program for F-1 international students in science, technology, engineering...more
USCIS has issued a new policy memorandum (PM) outlining relevant considerations in assessing whether a position qualifies as a “same or similar” occupation to the foreign national’s previously approved job for purposes of...more
DHS recently published amended regulations affecting certain highly skilled workers in specialty occupations from Chile, Singapore (H-1B1) and Australia (E-3), nonimmigrant workers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana...more
H-1B Cap season is approaching, and, with a similar flurry to file petitions for eligible specialized knowledge workers expected for April 1 as we experienced in 2015, H-1B employers should carefully consider the obligations...more
On December 31, 2015, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register in furtherance of President Obama’s executive action to modernize, improve and clarify certain...more
On December 31, 2015, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register in furtherance of President Obama’s executive action to modernize, improve and clarify certain...more
In a recent meeting between the Verification and Document Liaison Committee within American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and USCIS’s Verification Division and ICE Homeland Security Investigations, further guidance...more