The Department of State released the June 2025 Visa Bulletin and USCIS has confirmed they will accept the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based Adjustment of Status applications. The Final Action Dates chart notes...more
Adjustment of Status (AOS) has a very specific definition in the United States. It is defined as the process whereby someone goes from a temporary nonimmigrant status to a Lawful Permanent Resident without obtaining a visa...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
On January 4, 2023, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a proposed rule to increase fees for most immigration benefit requests. If implemented, employers will pay significantly more for...more
At the beginning of each fiscal year, U.S. government agencies announce their regulatory agendas, which guide the agencies’ future actions. Here are the most relevant short and long-term regulatory changes that have been...more
USCIS Will Accept Only New Employment-Based and Adjustment of Status Application Forms as of October 15, 2019 - On October 8, 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that will no longer accept...more
In this series, Partner Danielle Rizzo explores how several small changes to student visa policy by the Trump Administration are having a major impact on the international student population in the United States. These...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
After some earlier versions that encountered significant resistance and judicial challenge, President Donald Trump issued a Proclamation on Sept. 24 that restricts travel to the United States by nationals of eight countries –...more
A learned colleague, Rob Cohen blogged, what could be called “a cry into the wilderness” in 2014 suggesting that the regulation at 8 C.F.R.§245.23(j) be amended so that an individual who departed the United States before an...more
Advance Parole allows an individual to travel internationally during the pendency of an adjustment of status (AOS) application. Those individuals who hold a valid H or L visa also have the option of using that visa to travel...more
On March 3, 2017, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it would suspend premium processing, often referred to as fast tracking, for all H-1B petitions. The suspension takes effect on April...more
As of April 3, 2017, USCIS will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions. Therefore petitioners will not have the option to request 15-day, premium processing on H-1B petitions filed on or after April 3,...more
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposed rule that would amend its F-1 nonimmigrant student visa regulations regarding optional practical training (OPT) for students with higher education degrees...more
A new category of “filing” cutoff dates has been introduced to allow for earlier filing of adjustment of status applications and immigrant visa applications. The US Department of State (DOS) has released its October 2015...more