NEWS
L-1
USCIS Announces Registration Requirements for Some Immigrants
PERMANENT RESIDENTS AND NONIMMIGRANTS IN LEGAL STATUS INCLUDING F, J, H, L, O-1, E, P, AND THEIR DEPENDENTS ARE CONSIDERED ALREADY REGISTERED. On Jan. 20, 2025, President Trump issued the Protecting the American People Against Invasion executive order which directed the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that aliens comply with their duty to register [...]
USCIS Announces Inflation Adjustment to Premium Processing Fees
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a final rule that will increase the filing fee for Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing, to adjust for inflation. The USCIS Stabilization Act established the current premium processing fees and the authority for the Department of Homeland Security to adjust the premium fees on a biennial [...]
How to Submit a Case Assistance Request
The Office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) assists individuals and employers in resolving difficulties they are experiencing with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
USCIS Clarifies How It Handles L-1 Petitions for Intracompany Transferees Filed by a Sole Proprietor and Blanket Petitions
USCIS issued policy guidance to affirm that a sole proprietorship may not file an L-1, intracompany transferee petition on behalf of its owner and to clarify that a petitioning organization that fails to timely file an extension of an approved blanket L-1 petition is not required to wait before submitting a new blanket [...]
The 7 Ps That Guide Us! What it Takes to File a Successful L-1A Intra-Company Transfer Petition
This blog by Attorney Kidambi outlines the rigorous process adopted by the Firm when processing L-1 Petitions. READ MORE
U.S. plans to resume domestic visa renewals for IT Workers
A State Department spokesperson said plans call for resuming domestic renewals in "certain petition-based nonimmigrant work visa categories," which include H and L visas. H-1B visas let employers hire high-skilled foreign workers with a bachelor's or higher degree for two three-year periods. L-1 visas let employers transfer executives or managers to the U.S. [...]
USCIS Releases Policy changes for Employment Authorization for Certain H-4, E, and L Non immigrant Dependent Spouses
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address automatic extension of employment authorization for certain H-4, E, and L nonimmigrant dependent spouses. USCIS is also rescinding the 2002 Legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service memorandum entitled, “Guidance on Employment Authorization for E and L [...]
Automatic EAD Extension for Nonimmigrant Spouses
Washington, DC – In a historic settlement with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in Shergill, et al. v. Mayorkas, there will be forthcoming changes made to the Employment Authorization Document (EADs) for H-4 and L-2 dependents. The litigation successfully achieved the reversal of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy that [...]
Exceptions to Suspension of Entry Due to COVID Surge in India – What to Know and How to Apply for a National Interest Exception Waiver
Introduction For the past 10 days, we have been fielding calls from clients who have a compelling need to travel to, or from India. Unfortunately, the Presidential Proclamation[1] that went into effect on May 4th has made an already complex situation, more difficult. The US Embassies in India have suspended all routine [...]
Rule Designed to Welcome Foreign Entrepreneurs with Non immigrant Visa Option
On May 10th , the Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden Administration is looking to revive an Obama era rule granting foreign investors a nonimmigrant visa option. As a first step, the Administration will formally withdraw the proposed rule published at 83 FR 24415 on 5/29/18, which would have removed regulations on [...]
H/L Dependents, F, H-4 EAD, EADs, Multinational Executive/Manager I-140s Granted Premium Processing
On September 30, 2020 the President signed H.R. 8337 the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act, which will fund the government through December 11, 2020. Included in the Act is language from the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act (H.R. 8089), which seeks to address USCIS’s budget shortfall. The relevant language begins on [...]
10 things to know about the Presidential Proclamation
Infographic listing the most important points about the latest Presidential Proclamation.
Presidential Proclamation Limiting Entry of Certain Nonimmigrants
This evening, President Trump issued a proclamation continuing Proclamation 10014 from April 22nd At the outset, here is what you need to know: Most domestic immigration – H-1Bs, L-1s, Os, Ps and all other forms of nonimmigrant visas including, H-1B CAP filings are unaffected Change of Employment and Extensions of nonimmigrant status [...]
Presidential Proclamation Suspending Entry of Immigrants Who Present Risk to the U.S. Labor Market
I am writing to provide you with update on what started as a sensational Tweet two days ago – the plan to “suspend immigration” to the United States. We now know what the plan entails, and I am providing you with a short summary offering a bit more clarity and a way to [...]
USCIS Data on Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker Receipts, Completions, and RFEs from FY 2015-2020
USCIS has compiled data on receipts, completions, RFEs from FY2015 to FY2020 for various employment-based non-immigrant visa categories. Read the statistics here.
USCIS Releases Data on Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker Receipts, Completions, and RFEs
USCIS data on receipts, completions, and RFEs from FY2015 to FY2019 (through 9/30/19) for various employment-based non-immigrant visa categories, including H-1B.
Not So Fast – New Policy Makes Satisfying the One-Year Qualifying Employment for L-1 Harder
Mr. G, the president of a multinational company (MNC), wanted me to explore immigration options for a prospective employee (KG). KG is an international student at a U.S. institution, currently in the Optional Practical Training phase of his degree, who works for the branch of the MNC in the U.S. Mr. G wants [...]
Update on USCIS Practice of Denying Pending Forms I-131 for Abandonment Due to International Travel
USCIS recently updated its website with information regarding the agency's practice of denying pending Form I-131 advance parole applications for abandonment due to international travel. Specifically, USCIS indicates on its website that if an applicant files Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, to request an advance parole document and departs the United States [...]
USCIS Clarifies the L-1 One-Year Foreign Employment Requirement
USCIS has published a policy memo clarifying the requirement that a qualifying organization employ a principal L-1 beneficiary abroad for one continuous year out of the three years before the time of petition filing (“one-year foreign employment requirement”). Please see memo (PDF). The policy memo clarifies: The L-1 beneficiary must be physically outside [...]
L-1 Visa Jurisdictional Change
Texas Service Center to Begin Processing Form I-129 for L Visas On February 12, 2018, the Texas Service Center (TSC) will begin processing certain Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker petitions for L nonimmigrant classification, also known as L visas. The TSC will share this workload with the California Service Center to [...]