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…
We just had USCIS agree to reinstate an I-140 approval for a client whose relative passed away after the I-140 was approved. Section 204(l) Relief for Surviving Relatives allows certain principal and derivative applicants to seek the reinstatement of a…
The L-1 visa allows companies abroad that have a qualifying relationship with a U.S. company to transfer employees to the U.S. in managerial, executive and specialized knowledge roles. The L-1 visa can be granted for up to 7 years for…
USCIS announced today that the new expanded premium processing services will take effect on October 19. Premium processing guarantees that USCIS will take adjudicative action on the application within 15 days. If USCIS fails to do so, the agency will…
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…
What is the Visa Bulletin? The U.S. government provides the Visa Bulletin to keep track of visa numbers and to give you a tool to determine when you can file your green card petition and when it can be approved.…
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…
In the September 2020 visa bulletin, there is little movement in most employment visa categories. In EB-1, China and India advanced three months to June 1, 2018. EB-2 for China has advanced 6 weeks to March 1, 2016 and India…
We just had an I-140 approval with U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services. The company is an accounting firm and the beneficiary is an accountant. You can set up a consultation by clicking the link below. To find out more about…
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals have ruled that the Department of Homeland Security may proceed with terminating Temporary Protected Status for four countries, El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Sudan. The decision also impacts the TPS designations for Nepal and…
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…
In the September 2020 visa bulletin, there is little movement in most employment visa categories. In EB-1, China and India advanced three weeks to March 1, 2018. EB-2 for China has remained at January 15, 2016 and India has remained…
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…
A group of Senators have introduced legislation in Congress that would allow 40,000 immigrant doctors and nurses to gain visas and work permits as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal would reallocate a limited number of unused visas…
Covid-19 has changed the rules for travel, engagement and employment. Many companies have started to reduce wages and put staff on leave, and some companies have terminated employees. If you are currently in the U.S. on an H-1B visa and…
USCIS has announced that they will reuse previously submitted biometrics in order to process valid work permit application extension requests due to the closure of Application Support Centers (ASC). Biometrics appointments are appointments where the applicant’s fingerprints, photo, and information…
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…
At noon EST on March 20, the initial registration period for FY 2021 H-1B lottery selection will close. All registrations must be properly submitted before this time in order to be considered in the initial selection. After registration closes, if…
There are certain specialty occupations that require the appropriate licensure in order to be able to perform the duties required on the job. For example, an attorney would need a license to practice law, an architect requires a license to…
The initial registration period for the FY2020 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern Standard Time on March 1 and run through noon EST on March 20. During this time, prospective petitioners and legal representatives will be able to fill…
We just had an E-2 employee visa approval at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw. The business provides IT consulting services. The applicant has extensive experience and will be a senior manager in the company. The visa was granted for 1…
Let’s analyze the following scenario: You were in the U.S. on a post-completion OPT and found an employer willing to sponsor you for an H-1B visa. The employer filed an H-1B cap petition that got approved in July with the…
Spouses of E-2 Investors or E-2 employees can apply for a Work Authorization Card (EAD card). What is the automatic 180 day extension? Aliens that are in the U.S. in certain immigrant/non-immigrant categories can get an automatic 180 day extension…
USCIS has announced today the countries that are eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B visa programs effective January 19, 2020. The H-2A program allows U.S. employers or U.S. agents who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals…
The State Department’s January 2020 Visa Bulletin included projections of immigrant visa availability though April and May 2020, and EB-3 visas are expected to retrogress worldwide by March 2020. The date it will be retrogressed to will not be known…
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