U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the launch of an enhanced Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and a redesigned Form N-560, Certificate of Citizenship, with new features to enhance security and deter fraud. As part ongoing efforts by USCIS to enhance the integrity of the immigration system, the state-of-the-art technology incorporated into the new documents [...]
USCIS is publishing a proposed rule that could save U.S. businesses more than $23 million over the next 10 years by establishing an advance registration process for U.S. employers seeking to file H-1B petitions for foreign workers in specialty occupations. The proposed electronic system would minimize administrative burdens and expenses related to the H-1B petition [...]
This rule proposes to require employers seeking to petition for H-1B workers subject to the cap to first file electronic registrations with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) during a designated registration period. Under this proposed rule, if USCIS anticipates that the H-1B cap will not be reached by the first day that H-1B petitions [...]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced that it is now issuing employment and travel authorization on a single card for certain applicants filing an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, Form I-485. This new card represents a significant improvement from the current practice of issuing paper Advance Parole documents. The card [...]
The AAO reversed the L-1 petition denial and found the petitioner only needed to document that the transfer of ownership interest between the foreign entity and existing owner occurred, noting that USCIS's focus on the purchase price was misplaced. [Courtesy- AILA] AAO L1 reversal
On Aug. 13, 2010, President Obama signed into law Public Law 111-230, which contains provisions to increase certain H-1B and L-1 petition fees. Effective immediately, Public Law 111-230 requires the submission of an additional fee of $2,000 for certain H-1B petitions and $2,250 for certain L-1A and L-1B petitions postmarked on or after Aug. 14, [...]
In a well reasoned Memo, the American Immigration Lawyers Association has requested the USCIS rescind the Neufeld Memo dated January 8th . Of particular interest is the portion about IT Consulting companies. The Neufeld Memo refers to this segment of H-1B users pejoratively as "Job Shops". In fact, there is a legitimate need for such [...]
In a decision issued March 4th, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals adopted the arguments of the Legal Action Center (LAC), of the American Immigration Council, that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) unlawfully imposed extra-regulatory requirements on a petition for a worker of "extraordinary ability" (EB-1). The case in question, Kazarian v. [...]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS) announced today that it will reissue Advance Parole documents (Form I-512) in response to documents that were mailed to applicants with an incorrect issue date of January 5, 1990. All affected documents have been identified and USCIS will automatically reissue documents to individuals who have received a document with [...]
Yesterday, 1/13/2010, the Service issued an updated guidance memo to adjudication officers clarifying the requirements to establish an employer-employee relationship to qualify for the H-1B 'specialty occupation' classification. Now, the USCIS has followed up with a Q&A. USCIS QandA on Employer-Employee Relationship.