October 2023 Visa Bulletin is Published On September 15, 2023, the Department of State released the October 2023 Visa Bulletin, indicating which green card applications are eligible to move forward based on their initial filing date. For employment-based filings, USCIS has directed the public to use “Chart B,” the Dates for Filing chart in the …
U.S. Immigration Updates- Week of September 18, 2023 Read More »
Department of State Jettisons 2019 Public Charge Restrictions On September 5, 2023, the Department of State issued a final rule to discard the regulatory amendments included in a 2019 rule regarding ineligibility for immigration benefits based on an applicant’s likelihood to become a public charge. Before 2019, only public cash assistance for income maintenance or …
U.S. Immigration Updates – Week of September 11, 2023 Read More »
Participants Sought for USCIS ‘myAccount’ Usability Study U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is conducting a usability study for USCIS’ myAccount application, a platform designed to streamline access to U.S. government websites such as myUSCIS. USCIS seeks input to help it improve the user experience and the design of its application. USCIS would like to …
U.S. Immigration Updates – Week of September 5, 2023 Read More »
August 28, 2023 Update USCIS Updates Policy Guidance on CSPA ‘Sought to Acquire’ Requirement U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on August 24, 2023, that it is updating the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify how it will apply the extraordinary circumstances exception to the “sought to acquire” requirement under the Child Status Protection Act …
U.S. Immigration Updates + August 2023 Monthly Review Read More »
USCIS Seeks Comments on the Next Generation of E-Verify U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) seeks comments by August 28, 2023, on “E-Verify NextGen” (I-9NG), a new online “demonstration project” intended to further integrate the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, process with the E-Verify electronic work eligibility confirmation process “to create a more secure and …
U.S. Immigration Updates Department of Labor Postpones H-1B and PERM Prevailing Wage Plans Indefinitely The Biden administration has postponed indefinitely its plans to raise the wages of professional foreign workers in the H-1B and employment-based green card categories while reconfirming intentions to propose reforms to the H-1B visa program by the end of the year. …
U.S. Immigration Updates– June 26, 2023 & June 2023 Monthly Review Read More »
USCIS Provides Guidance on EADs Based on Compelling Circumstances U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released policy guidance on the eligibility criteria for initial and renewal applications for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) in compelling circumstances. An applicant must meet the following eligibility requirements to be eligible for an initial EAD based on compelling …
Dept. of State: July 2023 Visa Bulletin Shows EB-3 Final Action Data Retrogression for Multiple Countries The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for July notes that due to high demand, retrogressions have been necessary for the employment-based third preference (EB-3) category for India, Mexico, the Philippines, and the Rest of the World. The Rest of …
Department of State: Nonimmigrant Visa Fee Increases Delayed Until June 17 On June 17, 2023, the nonimmigrant visa (NIV) application processing fee for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s and BCCs), and other non-petition-based NIVs such as student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and J visas), will increase from $160 to $185. The …
U.S. Updates – Week of May 30, 2023 Department of State Delays Consular Fee Rule Effective Date The Department of State (DOS) is delaying until June 17, 2023, the effective date of its rule raising consular fees for most nonimmigrant visas and special visas, published on March 28, 2023. DOS said this was to “provide …
U.S. Immigration Updates– Week of May 30, 2023 & May 2023 Monthly Review Read More »
