The sponsorship of temporary, nonimmigrant work visas and U.S. permanent residence can be a tremendous lure for U.S. employers to attract and retain foreign talent— but it comes with a large price tag. Is a U.S. employer...more
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
Each month, federal immigration authorities publish a list of dates informing immigrant visa applicants when they should expect to be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to government officials. This...more
The Department of State released the April 2024 Visa Bulletin. USCIS will continue to accept employment-based Adjustment of Status applications based on the Final Action Dates chart. Most employment-based categories will...more
In an effort to address the ongoing Employment Authorization Document (more commonly known as an “EAD”) processing backlog, USCIS recently announced it would lengthen the maximum validity period for certain EAD categories to...more
On January 19, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reached a settlement in Edakunni v. Mayorkas. As a result of the settlement, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has agreed to resume its...more
It is no secret that certain sectors of U.S. employers have engaged in significant layoffs over the last six months. Meta—the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—laid off more than 11,000 employees in November...more
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released its Visa Bulletin for October 2022. The Visa Bulletin is a monthly DOS publication regarding immigrant visa availability. The Bulletin lists the cut-off dates that govern visa...more
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has made a critical update that, as of July 1, 2022, allows some Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders to overcome inadmissibility issues and become eligible for...more
When filing for an adjustment of status (AOS), which enables individuals to apply for a Green Card while still present in the United States, applicants may simultaneously apply for an employment authorization document (EAD)...more
On August 3, 2020, USCIS published a final rule that will increase filing fees for certain petitions and applications to help recover its operational costs. The final rule goes into effect on October 2, 2020, and any...more
1. Process to Abandon Lawful Permanent Residence (Green Card) streamlined - Instead of requiring an in-person appointment at the U.S. consulate or U.S. embassy abroad, lawful permanent residents (LPRs) of the United...more
August 28, 2018, USCIS announced that it is extending the temporary suspension of premium processing for cap-subject H-1B petitions. In addition, starting September 11, 2018, USCIS will expand the suspension to include...more
Today August 28, 2018, USCIS announced that the temporary suspension of Premium Processing (expedited processing) for H-1B Cap Petitions will be extended beyond September 10, 2018 and will likely last until February 19, 2019....more