Tag Archives: nonimmigrant visas

USCIS Will No Longer Premium Process H-4s and L-2s filed with H-1B and L-1 Petitions

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) reports that USCIS will no longer continue its “courtesy practice” of providing premium processing service to H-4 and L-2 applications (Form I-539) filed concurrently with H-1B and L-1 petitions (Form I-129). Rather, USCIS will separate an I-539 application from the I-129 petition and follow the regular I-539 processing time, […]

By mdeutsch | Published July 17, 2019 | Posted in Immigration, Immigration News, Uncategorized | Tagged applying for immigration, employment-based immigration, foreign workers, H-1B, H-1B Visas, H-4 visas, Immigration, immigration application, immigration for businesses, immigration for children, immigration for executives, immigration from canada, immigration general, L-1, nonimmigrant visas, professional workers, US Visa, visa, Visas, work permits | Comments Off on USCIS Will No Longer Premium Process H-4s and L-2s filed with H-1B and L-1 Petitions

DHS Plans to End Employment Authorization for H-4 Spouses

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed amending its rule permitting employment authorization for H‑4 dependent spouses. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues H‑4 visas to the spouses and minor children of H‑1B visa holders. Currently, an H‑4 dependent spouse is permitted to receive an employment authorization under certain conditions, specifically if the H‑1B visa holder is […]

By mdeutsch | Published February 26, 2019 | Posted in Immigration, Immigration News, Media and Publications, Permanent Residence | Tagged employment-based immigration, foreign workers, H-1B, H-1B Visas, H-4 visas, Immigration, immigration application, immigration for businesses, immigration for executives, immigration general, immigration plan, nonimmigrant visas, professional workers, work permits | Comments Off on DHS Plans to End Employment Authorization for H-4 Spouses

Update: New Rule for H-1B Visas Goes into Effect

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its final rule, amending the process for selecting foreign nationals to receive cap-subject H-1B visas. The H-1B visa program allows companies to hire, for a three-year term (renewable once), foreign workers who have a bachelor degree or higher and have highly specialized knowledge in specialty occupations such as […]

By mdeutsch | Published February 5, 2019 | Posted in Immigration, Immigration News, Media and Publications, Uncategorized | Tagged applying for immigration, employment-based immigration, foreign workers, H-1B, H-1B Visas, Immigration, immigration application, immigration for businesses, immigration for executives, immigration general, nonimmigrant visas, professional workers, US Visa, Visas, work permits | Comments Off on Update: New Rule for H-1B Visas Goes into Effect

Update on Premium Processing for 2018/19 H-1B Cap Petitions

UPDATE – August 28, 2018 USCIS announced is extending the previously-announced temporary suspension of premium processing for cap‐subject H‐1B petitions and, beginning Sept. 11, 2018, will be expanding this temporary suspension to include certain additional H‐1B petitions. USCIS expects these suspensions to last until February 19, 2019. The expanded temporary suspension applies to all H‐1B petitions […]

By mdeutsch | Published August 30, 2018 | Posted in Immigration, Immigration News | Tagged employment-based immigration, H-1B, H-1B Visas, immigration for businesses, immigration for executives, immigration general, nonimmigrant visas, professional workers, US Visa, USCIS, visa, Visas, work permits | Comments Off on Update on Premium Processing for 2018/19 H-1B Cap Petitions

Administration Increases Quota for H-2B Seasonal Workers used at Trump Properties

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen announced on May 25, 2018, that the federal government will add 15,000 H-2B seasonal worker visas for fiscal year 2018. She determined there is a shortage of qualified, U.S. workers available to perform temporary nonagricultural labor to fulfil the needs of U.S. businesses in FY 2018. This is […]

By mdeutsch | Published June 6, 2018 | Posted in Immigration, Immigration News, Media and Publications | Tagged applying for immigration, employment-based immigration, foreign workers, H-2B workers, Immigration, immigration for businesses, immigration general, nonimmigrant visas, seasonal workers, visa, Visas, work permits | Comments Off on Administration Increases Quota for H-2B Seasonal Workers used at Trump Properties

The Illusory Entrepreneur Parole Program is No More

May 25, 2018 The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is proposing a rule to end a program that allows certain foreign entrepreneurs to be considered for parole to temporarily come to the United States to develop and build start-up businesses here, known as the International Entrepreneur Rule (IE Final Rule). An advance copy of the proposed rule is […]

By mdeutsch | Published May 25, 2018 | Posted in Immigration, Immigration News, Media and Publications | Tagged applying for immigration, employment-based immigration, entrepreneurs, foreign workers, Immigration, immigration application, immigration for businesses, immigration for executives, immigration general, immigration reform, nonimmigrant visas, professional workers, State Department, US Visa, visa, Visas, work permits | Comments Off on The Illusory Entrepreneur Parole Program is No More

The State Department Wants to View Your Social Media

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has requested the Office of Management and Budget to approve a revision of the visa application forms, adding several new questions. A visa applicant to list all of the social media platforms he or she used during the preceding five years. DOS said it will collect this information from […]

By mdeutsch | Published April 4, 2018 | Posted in Immigration, Immigration News, Media and Publications | Tagged applying for immigration, family-based immigration, foreign workers, Immigration, immigration application, immigration general, nonimmigrant visas, Practice of immigration law, State Department, US Visa, visa | Comments Off on The State Department Wants to View Your Social Media

Giving Away With One Hand, Taking Away With the Other, International Entrepreneur Rule

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on December 14, 2017, that it is taking steps to implement the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) in accordance with a recent court decision. USCIS noted that while the agency implements the IER, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will also “proceed with issuing a notice of proposed rulemaking […]

By mdeutsch | Published December 20, 2017 | Posted in Immigration, Immigration News, Uncategorized | Tagged employment-based immigration, entrepreneurs, foreign workers, Immigration, immigration for businesses, immigration for executives, immigration general, nonimmigrant visas, obtaining us visa in canada, US Visa, USCIS, visa, Visas, work permits | Comments Off on Giving Away With One Hand, Taking Away With the Other, International Entrepreneur Rule

U.S. Supreme Court Permits Implementation of Trump Travel Ban

In late September 2017, President Trump issued his third attempt at imposing travel restrictions on people from certain countries. Federal district courts in Hawaii and Maryland temporarily struck down the new travel ban. Those cases are now pending before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Fourth and Ninth Circuits. The travel ban only applies […]

By mdeutsch | Published December 6, 2017 | Posted in Immigration, Immigration News, Media and Publications, Uncategorized | Tagged applying for immigration, employment-based immigration, family-based immigration, foreign workers, H-1B, H-1B Visas, H-4 visas, homeland security, Immigration, immigration delays, immigration general, immigration reform, nonimmigrant visas, professional workers, State Department, travel ban, undocumented workers, US Visa, visa, Visas | Comments Off on U.S. Supreme Court Permits Implementation of Trump Travel Ban

Previous H-1B Approval No Longer Assures Extension will be Approved

Under updated policy guidance, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is instructing its officers to apply the same level of scrutiny to both initial petitions and extension requests for certain nonimmigrant visa categories. The guidance applies to nearly all nonimmigrant classifications filed using Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. In other words, previous approval […]

By mdeutsch | Published November 2, 2017 | Posted in Immigration, Immigration News, Uncategorized | Tagged applying for immigration, employment-based immigration, H-1B, H-1B Visas, immigration application, immigration for businesses, immigration for executives, immigration general, NAFTA, nonimmigrant visas, professional workers, US Visa, Visas | Comments Off on Previous H-1B Approval No Longer Assures Extension will be Approved