The Visa Bulletin is a critical resource for anyone seeking to immigrate to the United States. This monthly publication, issued by the US Department of State (DOS), provides valuable information on the availability of immigrant visas for individuals from various countries and categories. Understanding the Visa Bulletin and its complex system of priority dates and...
Breaking Down the Complexities of the Visa Bulletin: What You Need to Know
Apr42023
Finally, some clarity from USCIS on a long standing issue. USCIS recently announced that they are updating the USCIS Policy Manual to address situations when the last day to file a benefit request or respond to a USCIS action falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday. In these situations, USCIS will consider a filing...
When USCIS announced that H-4 holders would qualify for an automatic extension of their EAD, this was praised as a move in the right direction. However, the caveat to this rule is that to qualify for an automatic extension an individual needs to have a valid I-94. The automatic extension was initially 180 days, but...
It’s all over the news. Massive layoffs at Twitter and Facebook. Other companies will no doubt follow the same suit. Cutting employment costs is the number one way that companies deal with reduced profits, diminished demand for products and services, especially during a recession. Unfortunately for foreign nationals being laid off is particularly problematic as...
This article provides an update on the number of employment-based green cards issued last year and available this year. USCIS confirmed that they were able to use all the employment-based visas in FY 2022, except for 6396 EB-5 visas that had carried over from the previous year. USCIS approved more than 220,000 employment-based adjustments of...
Sep282022
Most of you will recall the Trump Era public charge rule, from 2019, which caused chaos and uncertainty and tremendous amounts of paperwork for both applicants and their Attorneys. This was another attempt by the former President to reduce Immigration by denying Immigration benefits to those who rely on Government aid. For a recap of...
Last year USCIS came under heavy criticism for failing to issue all available employment-based green cards. Due to the pandemic, most Consulates were closed or operating at a reduced capacity which meant that unused family-based visas rolled over into the employment-based green cards. This was great news. Typically, there are 140,000 employment-based green cards available...
What is the H-1B lottery and how do I apply? An H-1B visa is a temporary form of work authorization and is available for those who intend to work in a specialty occupation. A specialty occupation position is one that requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and...