On March 30, 2018, the U.S. Department of State issued a notice of request for public comment in the Federal Register regarding a new rule it intends to apply to all visa applications by foreign nationals for visitor visas,...more
On April 12, 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had completed the H-1B cap lottery selection process.
Of significance to note: USCIS received 190,098 petitions this year, which is...more
The frenzy of H-1B preparation and filing has finally ended. H-1B petitions will be reviewed by officers at one of the two United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Service Centers accepting petitions. USCIS...more
President Trump has communicated his desire to cut down on family-based immigration, or what he calls "chain migration,” a longstanding pillar of the American immigration system that enables citizens and permanent residents...more
U.S. immigration news continues to make headlines. Here are some updates on how your business could be affected by them.
H-1B Filing Update-
H-1B cap season is well underway. We are planning to submit this year’s H-1B cap...more
On April 1, 2018, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting cap subject H-1B petitions for professional workers starting employment on October 1, 2018. In past years, the high demand for...more
On December 4, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the administration's current travel ban targeting people from six Muslim-majority countries to go into effect. The ban, which is the third iteration of travel restrictions...more
Despite the fact that the new administration has not had any legislative success in the immigration arena over the past year, U.S. Citizenship Services has issued many updated policy memos changing procedures and changed the...more
On September 28, 2017, the Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Ombudsman hosted a stakeholder call that offered more details about the new personal interview requirements for employment-based adjustment...more
On September 24, President Trump issued the "Presidential Proclamation Enhancing Vetting Capabilities and Processes for Detecting Attempted Entry Into the United States by Terrorists or Other Public-Safety Threats." This...more
On September 5, 2017, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program, which was created by Executive Action in June 2012 will be terminated in six months. To date,...more
Two longstanding policies adhered to by U. S. Citizenship Services have been reversed by the Trump administration and the U.S. Department of Justice.
On August 28, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)...more
U.S. immigration law practitioners are expecting a turbulent fall ahead with upcoming H-1B adjudications challenges by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a suspension of nonimmigrant visa applications in Russia and...more
On August 2, President Trump unveiled the RAISE Act, a Republican-sponsored bill, co-authored by Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton and Louisiana Senator David Purdue. According to The Washington Post, the bill's proposed changes...more
On May 4, 2017, the U.S. Department of State issued a notice in the Federal Register evidencing that it intends to carry out President Trump's goal of "extreme vetting."
While the administration's challenge to federal...more
On January 27, 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) dramatically reshaping the current state of immigration in the United States. The EO's main points are...more
1/31/2017
/ American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) ,
Consulate ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Nationals ,
H-1B ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Refugees ,
Screening Procedures ,
Travel Ban ,
Trump Administration ,
USCIS ,
Visa Interview Waiver Program (VIWP) ,
Visas