September 20, 2017
USCIS News: USCIS Resumes Premium Processing Service for H-1B Cap Cases / USCIS Adopts Final Action Dates Chart (Chart A) for Employment Based Green Cards DC Insights: Upcoming Closure of U.S./Tijuana Border Crossing Headlines: UK Requires Original Documents for Tier 2 and Tier 4 Applications in India Feature Story: FAQs on US Visa Interviews Latest ...
September 13, 2017
Feature Story: Teachers Would Slip Through Cracks of New Immigration Plan Upcoming Webinar: "We Need To Talk: Catching Up On The Past Months Key Immigration Developments" USCIS News: USCIS Closes Offices Due to Hurricanes Harvey & Irma DC Insights: Government Funding Extended Headlines: Germany Gives New Options for Intra Company Transfer Status/ Modified Visitor Registration ...
September 12, 2017
Today, the U.S. Department of State released the October 2017 Visa Bulletin. As predicted, EB-1 India and China will revert back to being current, and EB-2 Worldwide, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and the Philippines will be current again with the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1, ...
September 5, 2017
Feature Story: Trump Administration Rescinds DACA USCIS News: USCIS Offers Immigration Services for Hurricane Harvey DC Insights: J-1 Program May be Scaled Back / Congress in Session Headlines: Japan New Permanent Residency Guidelines Feature Story: Trump Administration Rescinds DACA – Current DACA Beneficiaries Must Now Look to Congress Today, the Trump administration, through Attorney General ...
September 5, 2017
Today, the Trump administration fulfilled its campaign pledge to repeal DACA, allowing the President to make a grand gesture to his core supporters, at the expense of 800,000 children and young adults. During a press conference today at 11am EST, President Trump, through U.S. Attorney ...
September 1, 2017
After months of litigation, a settlement agreement was reached yesterday in the case of Darweesh et al. vs. Trump, one of the key cases in the ongoing litigation over the travel ban. The case stemmed from President Trump’s first executive order issued on January 27, ...
August 30, 2017
USCIS News: USCIS Houston Closures / USCIS Prevailing Wage Challenges / AP Applications and International Travel DC Insights: U.S. Government Shutdown over Border Wall Funding / 9th Circuit Hears Arguments over Travel Ban Headlines: Thailand Introduces Smart Visa / Closures of U.S. Consulates for Eid-Al-Adha Feature Story: USCIS to Require in Person ...
August 28, 2017
On Friday (August 25th), a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) spokesperson confirmed that, starting October 1, 2017, in-person interviews will be required for certain immigrants adjusting status from an employment-based visa (e.g.: H-1B, TN, L-1B) to that of a lawful permanent resident. Context This in-person ...
August 22, 2017
Op-Ed from the Desk of Robert Taylor DC Insights: NIV Visa Services in Russia Suspended / NAFTA Renegotiations / Rising H-1B Salaries / Senator Flake Op-Ed Feature Story: Continue to be Great DC Insights: What We Learned in the Past 7 Days U.S. Temporarily Suspending NIV Visa Services in Russia. Beginning ...
August 15, 2017
DC Insights: RAISE Act Unlikely to Become Law / DACA Turns 5 / USCIS Remains Without a Director Headlines: UK Travel: Save Time, Skip the Landing Card / New Zealand Modifies Skilled Migrant Scheme / Canada Start Up Visa / Qatar Expands Visa Waiver Program Feature Story: Visa Bulletin I-94 ...
August 9, 2017
Today, the U.S. Department of State released the September 2017 Visa Bulletin. As reported in last month's visa bulletin update, the cut-off dates imposed on the EB-2 Worldwide quota, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and the Philippines categories remain in place, with expectations to go back to current ...
August 9, 2017
President Trump announced last week his support for the Reform American Immigration for Strong Employment (RAISE) Act introduced by two Republican Senators. The scope of the bill is limited, as are its chances to become law. The bill focuses on reforming the green card permanent residency ...
August 8, 2017
DC Insights: President Trump Support RAISE Act / Congress and Supreme Court Recess Headlines: Canadian Job Match Service / Permanent Residency in Qatar / Innovation Visa Laungh in Israel Feature Story: Visa Bulletin FAQs DC Insights: What We Learned in the Past 7 Days President Trump Announces his Support of the RAISE ...
August 1, 2017
USCIS News: Mobile-Friendly Form to Replace Green Card / Biometric Policy Update for Naturalization Applicants DC Insights: John Kelly Named Chief of Staff / Funding for US-Mexico Border Wall Introduced in Spending Bill Headlines: New Requirements for India Visa Applicants from South Africa Feature Story: DOS, USCIS, and DOL Employment-Based Immigration Initiatives The ...
July 25, 2017
USCIS News: H-1B Cap Petitions Returned / Certain Cap-Exempt H-1B Premium Processing Resumes DC Insights: Travel Ban Relaxed / NAFTA Renegotiation and Employment Visas / Senator Grassley's Letter to DHS on O-1 Visas / Dream Act Introduced Headlines: Laptop Ban Lifted / European Entry-Exit Proposal Feature Story: Green Card FAQs Answered The Latest ...
July 18, 2017
DC Insights: International Entrepreneur Rule / DHS Foreign Student Proposal / Administration Supporting Bills to Limit Immigration Headlines: Revised Form I-9 / Global Entry Application Process / I-129 Receipt Notice Delays Feature Story: Summer and Fall Travel Reminders DC Insights: What We Learned in the Past 7 Days Trump Administration Delays International Entrepreneur Rule. ...
July 11, 2017
DC Insights: DOS Verification Emails / Effects of Limited DOS Staffing/ Congress Recess Delayed / ICE Audit Targets / Increase in O-1 Visas / Visa Processing Executive Order Headlines: Electronic Device Ban Lift Feature Story: USCIS Ombudsman Office Processing Times Report DC Insights: What We Learned in the Past 7 Days DOS Confirms Emails to Employers ...
July 11, 2017
The U.S. Department of State released the August 2017 Visa Bulletin today. Next month's visa bulletin imposes a cut-off date for the EB-2 Worldwide, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and the Philippines categories. This was hinted at during the AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association) Liason’s monthly check-in with Mr. Charles (“Charlie”) Oppenheim, ...
July 10, 2017
News Alert: Travel Ban Remains in Force Despite Challenge Travel Ban Update: Still in Force, Hawaii's Attempt to Block Implementation Fails Update – Last week, the state of Hawaii attempted to block parts of President Trump’s revised Travel Ban from going into effect. This attempt was made ...
July 3, 2017
DC Insights: Travel Ban / Premium Processing Update / Revised Form I-485 / House Passes Immigration Bills / India Joins Global Entry Program Feature Story: Travel Ban Now in Effect with Broad Exceptions for Dual Citizens, Visa Holders, and Others with Ties to the United States Headlines: Malaysian eVisa / Nigerian Work ...
June 29, 2017
*NOTE* This is a developing story. The below is based on information issued by the Department of State. Other agencies involved in immigration, specifically Customs and Border Protection, have not yet announced how they will be implementing the travel ban. We will provide updates as information ...
June 27, 2017
DC Insights: SCOTUS Acts on Travel Ban / SCOTUS Decision in Citizenship Case / Budget Proposal / Short-Term Increase in H-2B Visas for Temp Non-Ag Workers Feature Story: Government Documents Shed Light on the H-1B Lottery Headlines: Brexit Update / Trump's Cuba Policy / California "Sanctuary" Efforts DC Insights SCOTUS Travel Ban Stayed for Some, In Force ...
June 26, 2017
Today, June 26, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the blocking of the Trump Administration’s travel ban by lower courts. The Justices will hear the case on its merits during the first session of the next term, which starts this October. The Supreme Court ...
June 19, 2017
DC Insights: USCIS Nominee / India PM Visiting Next Week / Travel Ban Case Still Pending / Gender-Based Citizenship Case / Legislative Tracker Feature Story: Recess is Coming - What we Expect from Congress in the Coming Months Headlines: Brexit / Eid Delays / Canada Global Talent / Brain Gain / DACA DC Insights: What We Learned ...
June 12, 2017
Headlines: Brexit Post Election / Eid Delays / Canada Points for Siblings and Francophones / Posted Workers In Spain / AILA Moves Convention in Protest Feature Story: US Government Agencies Focused on Fraud DC Insights: H-1B Reform / SCOTUS Reviewing Travel Ban / India PM Expected to VISIT / DHS ...
June 9, 2017
The U.S. Department of State released the July 2017 Visa Bulletin today. As reported in last month's special alert on the visa bulletin, the China EB-3 Downgrade Phenomenon is in full effect, with EB-3 China retrogressing substantially by 2 years 9 months. Mr. Charles ("Charlie") Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa ...
June 2, 2017
HIGHLIGHTS Trump Administration Appeals Travel Ban Case to the Supreme Court New US Visa Application Supplement Released New I-94 Expiration Alerts Ireland Eases Requirements for Unmarried Partners Russia - Address Registration Requirements Tightened for Confederations Cup Trump Administration Appeals Travel Ban Case to the Supreme Court On ...
May 26, 2017
HIGHLIGHTS Federal Court of Appeals Maintains the Block on Revised Travel Ban Update - India: Foreign Nationals Exempted from Aadhaar Requirement Argentina Eases Business Travel for Citizens of 35 Countries Federal Court of Appeals Maintains the Block on Revised Travel Ban On Thursday, May 25, 2017, the ...
May 19, 2017
HIGHLIGHTS Global - Processing Expected to Slow During Ramadan - Late May to Late June Update - India: Foreign Nationals Exempted from Aadhaar Requirement European Union Approves Visa-Free travel for Ukrainians - Effective Early June French Authorities Increasing Enforcement of Posted Worker Requirements Global - Processing ...
May 12, 2017
HIGHLIGHTS Next Round of Australian Immigration Changes – Effective July 1, 2017 Portugal and Italy Temporarily Reinstating Border Controls During Major Events in May France Elects a Centrist President USCIS Releases H-1B Lottery Documents in Response to Lawsuit Department of Labor Responds to Senators' H-1B ...