On April 1, 2024, the new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fee schedule took effect. The fee schedule has been modified since publication, which can make determining the appropriate fee challenging....more
On January 31, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a Final Rule to announce new filing fees for immigration and naturalization benefit requests. The rule is set to take effect on April 1, 2024....more
The U.S. immigration system poses significant hurdles for foreign nationals seeking employment within the United States. With few exceptions, employer sponsorship is generally required. For many, the sole avenue to obtain...more
On June 14, 2023, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued updated policy guidance to address eligibility criteria and standards for employment authorization involving compelling circumstances. Such policy...more
On December 9, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the release of a new version (12/23/22) of Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, in connection with a new...more
Federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland have temporarily blocked the implementation of President Trump’s most recent travel ban, which was issued by Presidential Proclamation on September 24, 2017 (Proclamation) and set to take...more
10/25/2017
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Green Cards ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
National Security ,
Refugees ,
Terrorist Threats ,
Travel Ban ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
With the recent change by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to mandate in-person interviews for employment based adjustment cases along with changes to require the review of social media and to what...more
10/10/2017
/ Employment Eligibility Verification ,
Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) ,
Hiring & Firing ,
I-140 ,
I-485 Applications ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration and Nationality Act ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Interviews ,
Ombudsman ,
Social Media ,
USCIS ,
Visa Applications ,
Visas
On September 5, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the unfortunate Memo to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program (Memo). DHS Acting Secretary, Elaine C. Duke, noted that...more
9/7/2017
/ DACA ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Deportation ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Executive Orders ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Obama Administration ,
Path To Citizenship ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Trump Administration ,
USCIS
On August 28, 2017, the USCIS announced that beginning October 1st, the USCIS will begin to phase-in “in-person” interviews for Employment-Based, Adjustment of Status applicants (Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent...more
On August 8, 2017, the Department of State (DOS) updated its Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) to modify instructions to consular officers considering F-1 student visas. The modified instructions address how a consular officer...more
8/31/2017
/ Buy America ,
F-1 Visa ,
Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
OPT ,
Travel Restrictions ,
Trump Administration ,
US Department of State ,
Visas