Demystifying Immigration Law
1. Choosing the Right Legal Structure - 1.1 Introduction - Establishing a business entity in the United States can be an important strategic step for any international company that wants to avail itself of the...more
With the shortage of U.S. workers in many STEM fields, H-1B workers are an increasingly vital part of the U.S. workforce. This webinar will address the requirements, processing times and validity periods for H-1B status as...more
WHAT IS THE DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY? The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (“DV Program” or “DV-2025 Program”) is a government lottery program that provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas (aka green cards) to persons from...more
The first installment in this series discussing the International Entrepreneur Parole (IEP) program identified the challenge and a potential solution for foreign entrepreneurs to legally enter the United States to develop a...more
USCIS is extending the validity of conditional permanent residence cards, or green cards, for 48 months beyond the card’s expiration date. The move is in response to the long processing delays for those filing petitions to...more
On January 23, 2023, USCIS announced an extension of the validity of permanent resident cards (“green cards”) to accommodate current processing times for forms I-829 and I-751. As a result, new receipt notices will be issued...more
WHAT IS THE DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY? The Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2024 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (“DV Program” or “DV-2024 Program”) provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas (aka permanent residence or green cards) for...more
Due to long processing delays, USCIS is extending the validity of green cards for 24 months for legal permanent residents who have filed a Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Residence Card. USCIS is doing this in...more
At the beginning of each federal fiscal year (October), the Department of State conducts a lottery called the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. If a person is selected, they are eligible to submit an application for permanent...more
As Fiscal Year 2022 comes to a close, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) signaled it has used nearly all available employment-based immigrant visas for the fiscal year and will exhaust the supply of visas by the...more
1. Choosing the Right Legal Structure - 1.1 Introduction - Establishing a business entity in the United States can be an important strategic step for any international company that wants to avail itself of the world’s...more
WHAT IS THE DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY? The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV Program) provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas (aka permanent residence or green cards) for issuance in Fiscal Year 2023 to persons from countries...more
Beginning October 1, 2021, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) will require COVID-19 vaccinations for all applicants applying for lawful permanent residence (i.e. green card) with some exceptions. ...more
On August 24, 2021, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a new policy that will require foreign nationals applying for a U.S. permanent resident card (green card) to be fully vaccinated against...more
As hospitals and medical centers continue to face challenges in staffing during the pandemic, the struggle is heightened to find and hire sufficient numbers of registered professional nurses. In the rural and medically...more
Immigration Law has a reputation for being something only multinational companies are concerned with, but is that true? How can companies use immigration law to identify the best talent for their organizations? Join host Bill...more
President Biden has proposed sweeping changes to U.S. immigration law, contained in the pending U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. This piece of proposed legislation, as introduced into Congress by the bill’s lead sponsors, Sen....more
Updates to USCIS Policy on New Forms, Premium Processing, and Filing Fee Increases Take Effect on October 2, 2020 - As previously reported in Epstein Becker Green’s August 2020 Immigration Alert, U.S. Citizenship and...more
Although technically part of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) since July 1, 1997, Hong Kong has had special status recognition from the US government. This has meant it is treated more favorably for certain immigration...more
Recent developments regarding immigration across the globe include changes to temporary and permanent resident application procedures in Canada, an increase in the minimum salary for S Pass applicants in Singapore, and the...more
The US Supreme Court ruled on January 27 that the administration can begin to implement the public charge rule while the issue is still being litigated in the federal court system. ...more
Hiring the best talent can maximize the success of your company. Sometimes that means hiring a foreign national on a work visa. We prepared this booklet to help you navigate the complex U.S. employment-based visa options....more
United Kingdom - Expansion of Shortage Occupation List for Immigration Purposes - The Shortage Occupation List (SOL) has recently been updated in accordance with the recommendations of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC)....more
The U.S. Department of State is now accepting applications online from October 2 to November 5, 2019. DV-2021 applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible....more