While we address certain country-specific updates, this Alert contains information regarding global requirements, policies, and procedures as they stand as of the date of publication. We highly recommend reviewing any global...more
October 2023 not only provided amazing Halloween costumes but big updates to the United States and global immigration. The Cozen O’Connor catch-up this month highlights these changes and provides the details you need to...more
Beginning on October 19, 2023, eligible Israeli citizens and nationals can apply for visa-free travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)....more
September 2023 saw major changes and updates in the United States and around the world. The Cozen O’Connor Immigration Catch-Up this month highlights these changes and provides the details you need to determine how or if...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The below summarizes recent legal updates that impact U.S. immigration... 1. Government Shutdown Avoided – For Now - On September 30, 2023, Congress passed a stopgap bill to keep the government...more
On July 6, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) updated the existing Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application to add questions focusing on an applicant’s travel and connection to Cuba,...more
On February 15, 2023, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved a final rule that would increase certain U.S. Department of State fees for visa services. This is the final step prior to publication of the...more
Corporate immigration and a cross-border workforce are one of the many considerations for in-house counsel today. Increasingly, companies are turning to international workers and this creates both business opportunities and...more
Effective May 2, 2022, eligible noncitizen visitors traveling under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) through land ports of entry will no longer be required to complete a paper Form I-94W upon arrival and instead, as they have...more
Key Points - U.S. embassies and consulates abroad may now waive many in-person appointments for U.S. visas. Visa applicants for in-person appointment waiver must have a previously issued visa or previous travel to the...more
As the new year begins, federal immigration officials are implementing rules to help the over 500,000 backlogged visa appointments – three of which will be quite welcome news to employers across the country. Most of these...more
In recent US immigration developments, the Department of State has authorized consular offices to forgo the in-person interview requirement for some nonimmigrant visa applicants. Further, President Joseph Biden has revoked...more
I have an appointment at the local USCIS office. What should I do? All USCIS offices have been closed to the public at least until June 4, 2020. USCIS is preparing to reopen its offices on or after June 4, 2020. USCIS will...more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has made a significant change regarding eligibility for clinical J-1 waivers for foreign educated physicians who have completed graduate medical programs or training in...more
COVID-19 is rapidly affecting business immigration in multiple ways. Below is an outline of key impacts to date. International Travel- •Most U.S. embassies and consular posts have temporarily suspended visa services......more
U.S. agencies are rapidly adapting immigration policy to respond to shifting developments in the COVID-19 pandemic. Our immigration lawyers provide information on the unprecedented range of revised policies...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
A new US Department of State policy that took effect on January 24 makes it more difficult for pregnant women to obtain B nonimmigrant visas to visit the United States if the consular officer has reason to believe that the...more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its Spring 2019 Regulatory Agenda, announcing the agency's priorities and how it plans to continue furthering the current administration's immigration-related goals....more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released its spring 2019 regulatory agenda, highlighting the agency’s rulemaking priorities through 2019. While many of the agenda items appear to be carryovers from agendas past,...more
According to its text, the Trump Administration’s travel ban is not absolute. It currently prohibits entry into the United States by all immigrants and certain nonimmigrants from Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, and...more
Over the course of the past year, it has become harder for companies to bring foreign employees to the U.S. Although for the most part current laws governing visas, business meetings, and tourism have not changed, the...more
On January 5, 2018, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) kicked off two new “traveler compliance initiatives” aimed at assisting those travelers to the US on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)....more
The Trump administration has not been reserved in its mission to not only reinforce but to heighten and enhance current immigration regulations. The President has quickly tried to implement measures to increase national...more
Travel to the United States, with its new immigration enforcement-minded administration, will require foreign travelers to be even more aware of the rules governing border protection, and take advantage of the travel programs...more