WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) resumed premium processing today for all H-1B visa extension of stay petitions. Premium processing is now available for all types of H-1B petitions. H-1B visas provide skilled workers for a wide range ofspecialty occupations, including information technology, engineering, and mathematics. When a petitioner requests the agency’s[Read More]
News & Insights
DHS announced to wind down Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program
Washington, DC. On September 5, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiated the wind down of the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). On June 29, the attorneys general of Texas and several other states sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions asserting that the DACA program is unlawful for the[Read More]
Notice to DHS Contractors and Subcontractors on Compliance with E-Verify
Washington DC, Jul 19, 2017. DHS article on FedBizOps summarizes E-Verify requirements. The Department of Homeland Security expects employers to abide by the immigration laws of the United States and to employ in the United States only individuals who are eligible to work. The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) clause 52.222-54 Employment Eligibility Verification, requires federal contractors and[Read More]
USCIS offers special immigration services to Those Affected by Hurricane Harvey
Washington, DC. USCIS has made public announcement that it offers special immigration services that may help people affected by unforeseen circumstances, including disasters such as Hurricane Harvey. USCIS makes following measures available on case-by-case basis and upon making special request: Changing a nonimmigrant status or extending a nonimmigrant stay for an individual currently in the[Read More]
Blanket L Admission Procedures
The blanket L process can be a useful way for qualifying employers to sponsor intracompany transferees for work in the U.S. However, despite its utility, inconsistencies abound in the length of stay granted to blanket L beneficiaries at U.S. ports of entry. ‘ Specifically, inconsistencies can arise when the initial validity period of a blanket[Read More]
USCIS Completes the H-1B Cap Random Selection Process for FY 2018
USCIS announced on April 7, 2017, that it has received enough H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap of 65,000 visas for fiscal year (FY) 2018. USCIS also received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to meet the U.S. advanced degree exemption, also known as the master’s cap. USCIS received 199,000 H-1B petitions during the[Read More]
USCIS Will Issue Redesigned Green Cards and Employment Authorization Documents
USCIS Release Date: April 19, 2017 WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a redesign to the Permanent Resident Card (also known as a Green Card) and the Employment Authorization Document (EAD) as part of the Next Generation Secure Identification Document Project. USCIS will begin issuing the new cards on May 1, 2017.[Read More]
USCIS Will Accept Only New Forms Starting Feb. 21, 2017
Important reminder: Please check USCIS website for their current filing fees and acceptable versions of forms. USCIS: On Dec. 23, 2016, our new fees took effect and we published updated versions of our forms. We strongly encourage customers to go to uscis.gov/forms to download and submit these new versions, which are updated with the new fees[Read More]
USCIS Publishes Final Rule For Certain Employment-Based Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visa Programs
November 18, 2016, USCIS has published final rule to modernize and improve several aspects of certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa programs. USCIS has also amended regulations to better enable U.S. employers to hire and retain certain foreign workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions and are waiting to become lawful permanent residents. This rule[Read More]
Maintaining Legal Permanent Residence of the United States
Being a legal permanent resident of the United States (“LPR” or “Green card holder”) means that you have new rights and responsibilities. As a permanent resident, you have the right to: Live permanently in the United States provided you do not commit any actions that would make you removable under immigration law. Work in the[Read More]