Immigration Settlement Clears the Way for Thousands of H-1B and L-1 Spouses to Work in the US
In the recent legal settlement of Edakunni v. Mayorkas, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has agreed to resume adjudicating H-4 and L-2 dependent and H-4 employment authorization petitions at the same time...more
In an excellent development, as of January 25, 2023, the U.S. government agreed to resume the process of “bundling” H-4 and L-2 dependent applications, – including I-765 work permission applications, with the H-1B and L-1...more
Immigration Settlement Clears the way for thousands of H-1B and L-1 spouses to work in the U.S., Ulmer Immigration Group Leader David Leopold explains....more
With the COVID-19 pandemic easing, Baker Donelson's Business Immigration Team is seeing an increase in demand for U.S. employer-based employment visas. However, even as we have been obtaining employment visa petition...more
US President Donald Trump has extended the entry ban on H-1B, H-2B, L-1, and specific J-1 statuses as well as certain immigrant entries through March 31, 2021. The original proclamations were set to expire on December 31,...more
USCIS Resumes Premium Processing - USCIS has announced here that beginning the month of June 2020, it will again start accepting certain petitions for premium processing. Premium processing was indefinitely suspended as...more
The US District Court for the Southern District of New York on October 11 enjoined and halted enforcement of the new public charge rule that was due to become effective October 15, 2019. The court not only enjoined the US...more
On October 8, 2017, the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, announced that it has suspended all nonimmigrant visa services at all U.S. diplomatic facilities in Turkey. “Recent events have forced the United States Government to...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the expansion of mandatory in-person interviewing of applicants for lawful permanent residence. In its public announcement, USCIS notes that this change complies...more
This alert applies to you only if you are in H-1B, H-4, L-1 or L-2 status and you are applying for “adjustment of status” in the United States. If you have been approved to immigrate (approved PERM or approved Form I-140)...more
Vacation season is just around the corner. Whether you are a visa holder, tourist or U.S. permanent resident, organizing your travel documents is a critical part of international travel. Discovering an expired document too...more
On April 18, President Trump signed an Executive Order labeled the “Buy American and Hire American” initiative. Federal agencies are already subject to certain laws and regulations which require or give preference to American...more
From time to time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducts site visits at the offices of employers petitioning for temporary work visas on behalf of their employees. These visits are funded by the $500 “anti-fraud”...more
This article covers proposed legislation, sub-regulatory changes, and—from a practical standpoint—the process/timing for implementing changes under the new administration. Please note that while legislative immigration...more
Effective yesterday, January 17, 2017, a new USCIS rule seeks to improve multiple employment-based temporary nonimmigrant and immigrant visa (“green card”) programs. The new regulations are designed to help U.S. employers...more
Last week, the President signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 which provides full-year appropriations through September 2016 for all government agencies. Included in this bill are fee increases for certain L-1...more
Many of Julie Ferguson’s immigration law clients are entrepreneurs seeking to launch startups in the United States. They come from all over the world, but Ms. Ferguson, who practices in Miami, sees especially high numbers...more
USCIS has announced that it received nearly 233,000 H-1B applications during the first week of April, nearly three times the available quota. This means that nearly two-thirds of all applications submitted to the agency will...more
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) created and implemented the Administrative Site Visit and Verification Program (ASVVP) in July 2009, under which it conducts unannounced site inspections at the...more
The United States Supreme Court’s June 2013 ruling striking down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as unconstitutional has created an opportunity for certain foreign nationals in same-sex marriages to petition for...more
On September 30, 2010, Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2010 (CIRA). It differs somewhat from the Bill introduced by...more