When Is The Best Time to Complete the I-485 Medicals? I-693 Medical Exam Validity Explained
Due to USCIS policy changes this content has been consolidated and updated - please check the consolidated and updated I-693 medical exam USCIS policy.
April 2023 Visa Bulletin – EB-2 and FB-2A Retrogression
The U.S. State Department has just released the April 2023 Visa Bulletin which is the seventh Visa Bulletin for the fiscal year. The headline in the upcoming month’s Visa Bulletin is the retrogression in EB-2 preference categories and the cutoff date for FB-2A approvals. […]
USCIS Ends COVID-Related Flexibilities and Deadline Grace Periods
Today, March 23, 2023, is the end of the set of COVID-related flexibilities instituted at the beginning of the pandemic in March of 2020. The end of these flexibilities means that there are no longer additional grace periods and automatic deadline extensions for USCIS notices issued after March 23, 2023. […]
March 2023 Visa Bulletin – No Movement; Retrogression Expected
The U.S. State Department has just released the March 2023 Visa Bulletin which is the sixth Visa Bulletin for the fiscal year. The headline in the upcoming month’s Visa Bulletin is the lack of any notable movement in the cutoff dates with an anticipated retrogression among many employment-based categories. […]
Reentry Permit Timing Strategies and Considerations
U.S. permanent residents (green card holders) who spend extended period of time are likely (or should be) aware that the reentry permit is a document, issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) allowing its holder to remain outside of the U.S. for an extended period of time without causing their green card to be considered abandoned (or facing hostile [...]
USCIS to Reinstate Policy Allowing Concurrent Approval of H-1B and H-4/EAD Applications
In a legal settlement USCIS has agreed to reinstate its procedure to “bundle” and review concurrently spouses’ H-4/EAD and L-2/EAD applications when such applications are filed concurrently with an underlying I-129 petition seeking H-1B (or L-1) for the primary worker. This is great news for H-4/L-2 spouses who rely on EADs to work in the US and provides another [...]