The Department of State (“DOS”) just released its instructions for the DV-2017 Diversity Visa (“DV-2017”) lottery. The registration period begins on Thursday, October 1, 2015, at 12:00 p.m. EDT (GMT-4) and concludes on...more
The U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) just issued a revised October 2015 Visa Bulletin. As we noted in our last Alert, the DOS recently changed the format of its Visa Bulletin to add cutoffs for application dates. These are...more
On September 9, 2015, the U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) jointly announced revisions to the process for determining visa availability that will speed up the...more
On April 7, 2015, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that it had reached the H-1B cap for fiscal year 2016. The USCIS also announced that it had received more than the limit of 20,000 H-1B...more
On February 24, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a final rule that extends eligibility for employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants who are seeking employment-based...more
Happy New Year!!!
All of us in the Immigration Law Group at Epstein Becker Green wish you the very best for a healthy and prosperous 2015. We hope that all your petitions and applications are approved and that...more
1/19/2015
/ Barack Obama ,
Executive Orders ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
J-1 Visas ,
OPT ,
US Department of State ,
USCIS ,
Visa Bulletins ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
We confirmed today that the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Canada all will limit nonimmigrant visa appointments by third-country nationals (TCNs) not working and residing in Canada for the summer due to staffing concerns...more
DHS Proposes to Issue Employment Authorization to Certain H-4 Spouses -
On May 12, 2014, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") proposed a rule that would authorize employment authorization for certain H-4...more
I. USCIS Reaches Fiscal Year 2015 H-1B Cap -
As most H-1B employers know, there is an annual quota on the number of new H-1B petitions that can be approved each federal fiscal year. The quota is 65,000 for regular H-1B...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") announced today that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for fiscal year ("FY") 2015. USCIS also announced that it had received...more
I. H-1B Nonimmigrant Season Opens on April 1, 2014, for Fiscal Year 2015 -
As most H-1B employers know, there is an annual quota on the number of new H-1B petitions that can be approved each federal fiscal year. The...more
2/4/2014
/ Affordable Care Act ,
E-2 ,
E-3 ,
Employee Rights ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Form I-9 ,
H-1B ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
OCAHO ,
Termination ,
Undocumented Immigrants ,
US Department of State ,
USCIS ,
Visas
I. USCIS Instructs on Immigration Benefits for Same-Sex Spouses -
On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States ("SCOTUS") held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act ("DOMA") was unconstitutional....more
10/30/2013
/ Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Discrimination ,
DOMA ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Form I-9 ,
Green Cards ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Reform ,
Marriage ,
Same-Sex Marriage ,
SCOTUS ,
US Department of State ,
US v Windsor ,
USCIS ,
Visas
The Department of State ("DOS") has announced the registration period for the DV-2015 Diversity Visa ("DV-2015") lottery. It will begin on Tuesday, October 1, 2013, at 12:00 p.m. EDT (GMT-4), and will conclude on Saturday,...more
I. SCOTUS Holds DOMA Unconstitutional -
On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States ("SCOTUS") held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act ("DOMA") was unconstitutional. United States v. Windsor,...more
7/22/2013
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
DOMA ,
Estate Tax ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Reform ,
Marriage ,
Same-Sex Marriage ,
SCOTUS ,
US v Windsor ,
USCIS ,
Visas
In This Issue: Comprehensive Immigration Reform Debate Begins! USCIS Reports That H-1B Cap Is Reached in First Week; New Form I-9 Becomes Effective on May 7, 2013; CBP Announces Form I-94 Automation; DOS Permits Access to...more
5/2/2013
/ Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Discrimination ,
EB-5 ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Form I-9 ,
Fraud ,
H-1B ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Reform ,
US Department of State ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
In this issue:
- H-1B Nonimmigrant Season Opens on April 1, 2013, for Fiscal Year 2014
- Report Finds Immigration Laws Frustrate the Admission of Critical Health Care Professionals
- Senators Offer...more