June 2017 Visa Issuance for India and China
Nationality Visa Type Number India H-1B 7,903 India H4 10,9015 India L-1 1,654 India L-2 2,315 China H-1B 1,472 China H-4 472 China L-1 419 China L-2 461
Revised Form I-9 Now Available
USCIS released a revised version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, on July 17. Download instructions are available on the Form I-9 page. Employers can use this revised version or continue using Form I-9 with a revision date of 11/14/16 N through Sept. 17. On Sept. 18, employers must use the revised form with a [...]
USCIS Launches Mobile Form for Replacing Green Card
Lawful permanent residents who file the online Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card, without assistance from an attorney or accredited representative, can now file their form and upload evidence entirely on a mobile device. The redesign of the online Form I-90 also allows lawful permanent residents to navigate the site more easily, making [...]
Retaining Form I-9
To calculate how long to keep an employee’s Form I-9 after employment is terminated, enter the following: 1. Date the employee began work for pay 1. ________________________ A. Add 3 years to the date on line 1. A. ______________________ 2. The date employment was terminated 2. _______________________ B. Add 1 year to the date [...]
H-1B Premium Processing NOT for Most H-1B Petitions
The USCIS announcement dated July 24th does not apply to most H-1B petitions filed and currently pending with the USCIS. Most importantly, it does not include CAP Gap petitions that have to be adjudicated prior to September 30th in order for the employee to continue working. It only applies to petitions that may be exempt [...]
USCIS to Resume H-1B Premium Processing for Certain Cap-Exempt Petitions
USCIS will resume premium processing for certain cap-exempt H-1B petitions effective immediately. The H-1B visa has an annual cap of 65,000 visas each fiscal year. Additionally, there is an annual “master’s cap” of 20,000 petitions filed for beneficiaries with a U.S. master’s degree or higher. Premium processing will resume for petitions that may be exempt [...]
USCIS Targets Level 1 Salary on LCA to Question Specialty Occupation Nature of H-1B Position
In what appears to be a pattern, the USCIS is questioning whether a position is a specialty occupation by referencing the fact that the labor condition application (LCA) reflects a level 1 wage, indicating that it is an entry-level position that is not specialized or complex. The American Immigration Lawyers Association is aware of this [...]
USCIS Introduces Redesigned Form for Green Card Applicants
USCIS published a revised Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485). The revised version gives applicants better information to accurately complete Form I-485, including clear navigation to the parts of the form and isntructions that are relevant to the applicants’ specific situations. These updates should increase the efficiency of the adjudication process [...]
USCIS to Resume H-1B Premium Processing for Physicians under the Conrad 30 Waiver Program
USCIS will resume premium processing for all H-1B petitions filed for medical doctors under the Conrad 30 Waiver program, as well as interested government agency waivers starting Monday, June 26. The Conrad 30 program allows certain medical doctors to stay in the United States on a temporary visa after completing their medical training to work [...]
ALERT for Students w/Cap Gap Waiting on H-1B CAP Rejection or Decision
USCIS announced on May 3, 2017 that it has completed data entry of all fiscal year 2018 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in the computer-generated random process. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected. Due to the high volume of filings, USCIS is unable to provide a definite time frame [...]