It appears that Presidential Proclamation 10143, which suspended direct travel to the U.S. from the Schengen countries, UK, Ireland, South Africa, Brazil, Iran, China and India will remain in place for the time being,...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a recent change to its policy related to rescheduling biometrics appointments. Biometrics appointments are usually required by individuals applying for permanent...more
On July 6, 2021, the U.S. Department of State announced that it was extending the validity of National Interest Exceptions (NIE) for 12 months from the date of approval, and for multiple entries, as long as they are used for...more
How It Will Help Foreign Entrepreneurs In The U.S.-
On May 10, 2021, USCIS revived the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER), announcing it was withdrawing a 2018 proposed rule to eliminate the IER in response to...more
On May 24, 2021, the U.S. Department of State announced that it was working together with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to facilitate the return from abroad of those U.S. citizens holding expired passports...more
On April 27, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated the USCIS Policy Manual in a Policy Alert to reinstate its policy of giving deference to prior determinations when adjudicating extension-of-stay...more
On the latest Law Brief® episode, Immigration Partner Roxanne Levine joins Partner and Host Rich Schoenstein to delve into the new administration’s approach to U.S. immigration policy in 2021. They explore the impact of the...more
4/15/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Diversity Lottery ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Green Cards ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Path To Citizenship ,
Travel Restrictions ,
Visas
The temporary work travel ban implemented by the prior administration in the summer of 2020 expired on Wednesday, March 31. Proclamation 10052 blocked foreign nationals in certain nonimmigrant workers, including H-1B, J-1,...more
In August 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) introduced the Public Charge Final Rule, which required applicants for adjustment of status in the United States to submit Form I-944, ‘Declaration of...more
On March 2, 2021, the U.S. Department of State announced further tightening of its COVID-19 restrictions for foreign nationals present in the Schengen areas of Europe, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Anthony Blinken, the...more
Effective March 9, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has temporarily conferred Venezuelan citizens with eligibility to file for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) through September 5, 2021. TPS designation...more
Rescission Of Presidential Proclamation 10014 – Travel Ban For Immigrant Visa Applicants
On February 24, President Biden issued a Proclamation revoking the immigrant visa ban that suspended foreign nationals’ entry to...more
2/26/2021
/ Australia ,
Biden Administration ,
Citizenship ,
Diversity ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Lawful Permanent Residents ,
Presidential Proclamations ,
Revocation ,
SCOTUS ,
USCIS ,
Visas
On January 20, 2021, President Biden sent The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 (the Bill) to Congress for consideration. This legislation is considered groundbreaking and takes into consideration the last 25 years of efforts by...more
1/28/2021
/ Asylum ,
Biden Administration ,
Citizenship ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Diversity Lottery ,
FBI ,
Green Cards ,
H-1B ,
Immigration Reform ,
LGBTQ ,
Path To Citizenship ,
Popular ,
Temporary Protected Status
With the new Biden administration at the helm, we note that the H-1B final midnight regulations promulgated Friday, January 15, 2021, by the former administration have been rescinded. Those regulations, which set up a...more
On December 31, 2020, the outgoing President signed a Proclamation extending the suspension of entry into the United States to certain nonimmigrant visa holders to March 31, 2021. The visa categories affected continue to...more
On Friday, December 4, 2020, a federal judge ordered the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reopen the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to new applicants for the first time since 2017. This...more
12/10/2020
/ Chamber of Commerce ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
DACA ,
Deferred Action ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Foreign Nationals ,
H-1B ,
Specialty Occupations ,
Trump Administration ,
USCIS
President-elect Joseph R. Biden’s campaign website proclaims that “Immigration is essential to who we are as a nation, our core values, and our aspirations for our future… The United States deserves an immigration policy that...more
Friday, October 16, 2020, brought an unexpected announcement from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Effective Monday, October 19, 2020, USCIS will increase fees for premium processing as required by...more
Recent developments which are likely to have a dramatic effect on certain foreign workers seeking entrance to the United States occurred earlier this week with the introduction of dual regulatory changes by the U.S....more
On October 7, 2020, this year's Diversity Lottery Registration Program (DV lottery) becomes available to applicants from eligible countries. You can enter the DV lottery here. Entries can only be submitted electronically. All...more
With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing now for close to six months, U.S. permanent residents and conditional permanent residents caught outside the United States due to COVID-19 are experiencing significant challenges in making...more
Immigration partner Roxanne Levine joined Litigation partner and host Rich Schoenstein to discuss the new filing process for H-1B visas, which provide a nonimmigrant temporary visa category for certain foreign nationals that...more
8/31/2020
/ Diversity Lottery ,
Filing Requirements ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
A settlement decree in the case of Subramanya, et al. v. USCIS, Case No. 2:20-cv-3707 (S.D. OH, Eastern Div., 2020), resulted in permission for foreign nationals to present an approval notice (Notice of Action) alone to...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Ombudsman's office disclosed in an alert on July 21, 2020, that the agency was experiencing card production delays. The alert revealed that in June 2020, USCIS terminated a...more
On July 16, 2020, the U.S. Department of State (State Department) issued an update on its website which clarified the exceptions available to bans on entry to the United States for foreign nationals imposed by Presidential...more