On January 31, 2020 President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation expanding Travel Ban 3.0 to include certain foreign nationals of the following six countries: Burma (Myanmar), Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania. According to the Department of Homeland Security, these additions were based on an assessment from the Department of Homeland Security after reviewing updated [...]
USCIS has compiled data on receipts, completions, RFEs from FY2015 to FY2020 for various employment-based non-immigrant visa categories. Read the statistics here.
The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) is making this public service announcement to alert employers and other interested stakeholders that the iCERT System Labor Certification Registry, which provides public access to labor certification decisions in the PERM, LCA, H-2A, and H-2B visa programs, will be decommissioned. Effective February 28, 2020, members of the [...]
DOS final rule governing the issuance of B non-immigrant visas for temporary visitors is effective 1/24/2020. This rule establishes that travel to the United States with the primary purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship for a child by giving birth in the United States is an impermissible basis for the issuance of a B non-immigrant visa. [...]
USCIS issued policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual regarding eligibility requirements, filing, and adjudication of requests to replace Permanent Resident Cards using Form I-90. The effective date for this policy is January 16, 2020. Comments are due by January 30, 2020.
USCIS published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the implementation of the registration process for H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY2021. The initial H-1B petition registration period will begin on 3/1/20. USCIS intends to close the initial registration period on 3/20/20 and will announce the actual end date on its website. (85 FR 1176, 1/9/20)
USCIS expanded its policy guidance regarding unlawful acts that may prevent an applicant from meeting the good moral character requirement for naturalization. The commission of, or conviction or imprisonment for, an unlawful act, during the statutory period for naturalization, may render an applicant ineligible for naturalization should the act be found to adversely reflect on [...]
USCIS announced that it has completed a successful pilot testing phase and is implementing the registration process in the next H-1B lottery. Employers seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions for the fiscal year 2021 cap, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption, must first electronically register and pay the associated $10 H-1B registration fee. [...]
“Yes, we did process your friend’s case and yes, his petition was approved. But even though you appear to have the same background, your current circumstances do not warrant a successful petition.” A recent conversation I had with a prospective client ended along these lines. I was just not comfortable accepting the case even though [...]
USCIS today announced a final rule that will require a $10 non-refundable fee for each H-1B registration submitted by petitioning employers, once it implements the electronic registration system. The final rule, Registration Fee Requirement for Petitioners Seeking to File H-1B Petitions on Behalf of Cap-Subject Aliens, is effective Dec. 9, 2019, and the fee will [...]