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.
This memorandum is intended to provide guidance, in the context of H-1B petitions, on the requirement that a petitioner establish that an employer-employee relationship exists and will continue to exist with the beneficiary throughout the duration of the requested H-1B validity period. Given the confusion Computer Consulting Companies have faced recently, while documenting the employer-employee [...]
We have learned from AILA that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) has commenced a broad review and assessment of the H-1B program. Approximately 20,000 Applications from Vermont and an equal number from California have been forwarded to the FDNS, to allow it to conduct [...]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced additional requirements for employers, who receive funds through the Troubled Asset Relief Program or under section 13 of the Federal Reserve Act (covered funding). Read the TARP_H1B Press Release.