Example: Your spouse was granted an E-2 visa/E-2 status and you are currently in the U.S. on an E-2 spouse status. You want to start looking for a job in the U.S. and you want to apply for a work…
Jenny ZhanFebruary 2, 2021
Congress has passed a stopgap spending measure to ensure that the US government and several immigration operations will be extended through to December 11, 2020. The spending measure extended the four expiring immigration programs including the E-Verify, the EB-5 Regional…
Jenny ZhanOctober 9, 2020
If you are filing an Adjustment of Status application (either because a family member sponsored you or based on employment based petition), you may be wondering whether you should apply for a travel and work authorization and whether you should…
Jenny ZhanOctober 8, 2020
USCIS has announced updated policies regarding adjudicating DACA requests and related work permit applications. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 18 that the Trump Administration failed to provide an adequate justification for terminating the Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals…
Jenny ZhanAugust 27, 2020
USCIS accounted today that due to backlogs in employment authorization card productions, employers can accept work permit approval receipts when establishing employment verification in the I-9 process. In normal times, when an employee starts at a company, companies are obligated…
Jenny ZhanAugust 20, 2020
In June 2020, USCIS ended an outside contract with a company that produced secure cards such as green cards and employment authorization cards. USCIS has moved this service to its internal employees. However, given the reduced number of workers due…
Jenny ZhanJuly 23, 2020
Can I work while I am applying for Asylum Protection? Not immediately. In order to apply for permission to work in the United States, 150 days must pass since your complete asylum application was filed where no decision has been…
Jenny ZhanJune 9, 2020
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, many of our clients ask us the following question: Can I apply for unemployment benefits? If I apply for unemployment benefits, will the government determine that I am likely to become a public charge? Let’s…
Jenny ZhanMarch 25, 2020
Many employment based green card applications are processed while an applicant is on an H-1B visa. This usually involves filing an I-140 petition along with an I-485 petition. You can find out more about the green card process by clicking here.…
Jenny ZhanMay 21, 2019
Let’s analyze the following scenario: You filed your Green Card application with the USCIS and you simultaneously applied for an Employment Authorization Document (“EAD”) card (Form I-765) and for an Advance parole (Form I-131), so that you are able to…
Jenny ZhanApril 17, 2019
The Department of Homeland Security has submitted a proposal to rescind the H-4 spousal work authorization regulation to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The rule was originally implemented in 2015 under the Obama Administration, permitted certain…
Jenny ZhanFebruary 21, 2019
In the Annual Report to Congress, USCIS Ombudsman Julie Kirchner has addressed several anti-fraud initiatives that have caused delays and longer processing times for many applications. The Ombudsman’s office is an independent office created by Congress to recommend improvements for…
Jenny ZhanJune 29, 2018
In a letter dated April 4, 2018, The Director of USCIS Francis Cissna confirmed to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee that the proposal to end H-4 worker’s authorization moves closer to completion. The H-4 work authorization visa (H-4 EAD) was…
Jenny ZhanMay 24, 2018
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have issued a reminder that F-1 students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) will have their OPT status terminated automatically if they transfer to another school or begin studying at another education level.…
Jenny ZhanMay 21, 2018
Starting from April 30, 2018, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) Signature Restricted Delivery service to mail out Green Cards, Employment Authorization Cards, Travel Documents, and other secure documents. As part of…
Jenny ZhanMay 3, 2018
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that, starting April 2, 2018, USCIS will destroy Permanent Resident Cards, Employment Authorization Cards, and Travel Documents that were returned as undeliverable by the U.S. Postal Service after 60 business days…
Jenny ZhanApril 9, 2018
USCIS automatically extends certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs, also known as work permits, or Form I-765) for up to 180 days for applications that meet the following two conditions. One, the applicant has already properly filed for a renewal EAD…
Jenny ZhanMarch 5, 2018
October 2, 2017 USCIS released an updated I-765 Application for Employment Authorization (EAD) featuring a new section which allows foreign nationals already in the U.S., in certain classifications, to apply for a Social Security Number (SSN) alongside the Employment Authorization…
IanScottOctober 9, 2017
If you work in the U.S. based on an approved employment authorization document (EAD), it is important to note the expiration date of the card. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is currently taking approximately 3 months to…
IanScottAugust 18, 2017
Asylum is a humanitarian immigration benefit applied for by individuals who fear severe harm or persecution if they return to their country of origin. For more information on asylum and other humanitarian relief, please click here. Asylum can be applied…
IanScottMarch 12, 2017
Each year, the United States admits thousands of foreign nationals to work in various industries around the country. Many of these foreign nationals work in specialized positions and are critical to the success of many U.S. companies. All foreign workers,…
IanScottFebruary 20, 2017
The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that permits a company to hire workers in specialty occupations. Spouses and children of H-1B visa holders may accompany their family member to the U.S. in H-4 status, however H-4 dependent spouses of…
IanScottOctober 12, 2016
An E-2 Investor Visa is a visa option available to foreign nationals who want to start and manage a business in the United States. The visa requires a capital investment to either start or purchase a business and the amount…
IanScottSeptember 1, 2014
