USCIS to Implement Premium Processing for Certain Previously Filed EB-1 and EB-2 Form I-140 Petitions U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is implementing Premium Processing for certain petitioners who have a pending Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, under the EB-1 and EB-2 classifications. This expansion of Premium Processing only applies to certain previously …
Update on Employment Authorization for Certain E and L Nonimmigrant Spouses As of January 30, 2022, USCIS and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began issuing Form I-94, Arrival-Departure records, with new classes of admission (COA) codes for certain E and L nonimmigrant dependent spouses who are employment authorized based on their status. The COA designations …
USCIS: Case Processing Info Changes Announced U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced changes to case processing information available online. Users can now immediately find processing time information for their particular type of case rather than seeing an aggregate of all related case types. Additional changes include: · Adding drop-down options for form categories to …
USCIS Increases Automatic Extension Period of Work Permits for Certain Applicants U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a Temporary Final Rule (TFR) that increases the automatic extension period for employment authorization and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), available to certain EAD renewal applicants, to up to 540 days. The increase, which will be effective immediately …
Homeland Security (DHS) Extends Form I-9 Requirement Flexibility (Effective May 1, 2022) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced an extension of the flexibility in complying with requirements related to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, due to COVID-19. This temporary guidance was set to expire on April 30, …
U.S. Immigration Updates- Week of April 25, 2022 Read More »
New Bill Introduced To Recapture Unused Visas On April 4, 2022, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (CA-19) introduced H.R. 7374, the “Jumpstart our Legal Immigration System Act,” a bill that would recapture approximately 400,000 family- and employment-based visas, create an accelerated path to adjustment of status for those already in the United States, and provide additional funds …
U.S. Immigration Updates- Week of April 11, 2022 Read More »
USCIS Announcement 2023 H-1B Cap Season Update U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released several updates related to the fiscal year (FY) 2023 H-1B cap season: · USCIS has received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the FY 2023 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap). …
USCIS Announces New Actions to Reduce Backlogs, Expand Premium Processing and Provide Relief to Work Permit Holders On Tuesday, March 29, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a trio of efforts to increase efficiency and reduce burdens to the overall legal immigration system. USCIS will set new agency-wide backlog reduction goals, expand premium …
U.S. Immigration Updates- Week of March 28, 2022 Read More »
COVID-19 Temporary Policy for I-9 List B Documents to End on May 1 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that beginning May 1, 2022, it is ending the COVID-19 temporary policy for List B identity documents. As of that date, employers will no longer be able to accept expired List B documents. If an …
U.S. Immigration Updates- Week of March 21, 2022 Read More »
Omnibus Appropriations Bill Signed – Reauthorizes Certain Immigration Programs The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, an omnibus spending bill passed by Congress and signed by President Biden on March 11, reauthorizes certain immigration programs. These include e-Verify, the special immigrant non-minister religious worker program, and the Conrad 30 waiver program through the end of this fiscal …
