Immigration Insights Podcast: International Entrepreneur Parole Program & Biometrics Requirement
The H-1B visa is among the most popular working visas in the U.S. for individuals filling professional positions. Most H-1B visas are subject to an annual quota or “cap.” Because demand exceeds the number of available visas,...more
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire highly skilled foreign professionals. But with a limited number of visas and high demand, early preparation is key. Here is a quick overview of the 2026 H-1B visa lottery...more
H-1B Registrations for the FY2026 cap season will open at noon ET on March 7, 2025, and run through noon ET on March 24, 2025. The USCIS filing fee is $215 per registration this year (a significant increase from $10)....more
With the second round of the H-1B cap lottery just completed, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has now released statistics for this year’s H-1B cap selections as well as statistics on H-1B...more
In just two weeks, on April 1, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement its new filing fee structure. The new fees will vary by visa type with exceptions for small employers and non-profit...more
Cost increases due to inflation have become a norm over the last two years, and immigration fees are no exception. USCIS announced that effective April 1, 2024, fees for certain immigration benefits will be adjusted for the...more
This complimentary webinar will be led by Richard M. Green, Partner & Chair of CDF's Immigration Practice Group, and will delve into the critical aspects of the H-1B visa. This webinar will explore general eligibility, recent...more
As the H-1B visa lottery registration for the USCIS fiscal year 2025 approaches, it is crucial to understand the process and prepare accordingly. This annual event continues to attract significant attention from...more
Beginning January 29, 2024, under a pilot program, the U.S. Department of State will allow certain H-1B visa holders to renew their expired or expiring H-1B visas from within the United States, rather than needing to travel...more
The H-1B visa, highly sought after and a valuable route for foreign nationals to ultimately pursue U.S. residence status, will become available for pre-registrations in the lottery submission process in March 2024. We await...more
On December 21, the U.S. Department of State issued regulations with details of its pilot program for issuance of renewed H-1B visa stamps in the United States. The pilot program eliminates the need for applicants to obtain...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On October 30, 2023, President Biden issued an Executive Order that sets a new course for the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Interestingly, this order is...more
Significant modifications to the H-1B visa program are expected to be implemented by the Department of Homeland Security. The agency issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) that would “modernize the H-1B specialty...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: The below summarizes recent legal updates that impact U.S. immigration: 1. Submission Deadline for FY2024 H-1B Cap Petitions - Employers should be reminded that the deadline to file a cap-subject...more
On March 27, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had selected sufficient H-1B visa preregistrations to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 regular H-1B cap (bachelor’s degree cap)...more
For the last several years, unnecessary delays and long processing times of H-4 and H-4 EAD (Employment Authorization) applications have caused frustration for H-1B dependents attempting to change or extend their status,...more
In a recent post, this blog covered the more-complicated-than-it-seems issue of how someone can best determine exactly when their lawful immigration status in the United States expires. We discussed the matter of how, in some...more
An accounting firm hires a new graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree from a local university for its audit team. This new graduate is a foreign student utilizing the one-year Optional Practical Training...more
As more companies are struggling to hire and retain talent in the midst of the “Great Resignation,” I am beginning to get more questions from clients who have never considered sponsoring an applicant for a visa about the...more
In a move not seen since the introduction of the electronic H-1B registration process, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a third round of lottery selections for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 H-1B cap...more
On Burr & Forman's "Immigration Insights" podcast, host Melissa Azallion Kenny provides listeners with updates on the International Entrepreneur Parole Program and the suspension of biometric fees for dependent applicants....more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) announced on February 5, 2021, that this year’s annual application period for the FY 2022 H-1B program will run from March 9, 2021, through March 25, 2021. Continuing the new...more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will delay the effective date of the January 8, 2021 rule modifying the H-1B cap selection process to prioritize high wage earners until December 31, 2021. This...more
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will delay the effective date of a rule issued two weeks prior to the end of the Trump administration that seeks to change how H-1B “specialty occupation” visa applications are...more
Recent developments which are likely to have a dramatic effect on certain foreign workers seeking entrance to the United States occurred earlier this week with the introduction of dual regulatory changes by the U.S....more