March 2017 Visa Bulletin – EB-2 India Moves Forward; EB-3 China Advances Significantly
The U.S. State Department has just released the March 2017 Visa Bulletin which is the sixth Visa Bulletin for the FY2017 fiscal year. The headline in the upcoming month’s Visa Bulletin is the significant (six months) forward movement in EB-3 China which continues to create a significant opportunity for EB-2 to EB-3 China downgrades and I-485 filings. EB-2 India advances slightly [...]
Executive Order Suspends (at Least Parts of) the Visa Interview Waiver “Dropbox” Program
There has been a tremendous amount of discussion and comment on President Trump's executive order banning certain travelers from the seven countries; however, one provision of the executive order which has a significant impact on many visa holders from all countries is the suspension of the interview waiver program (commonly called "dropbox") which allows visa stamp renewals to be processed as [...]
H-1B Work Visa Cap Season Is Underway – Opens for New Filings on Monday, April 3, 2017
On April 3, 2017 the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will start accepting applications for one of the most popular U.S. work visas, H-1B, for fiscal year (FY) 2018. Our intelligence and past experience suggest that this year’s H-1B cap season will be very short — five business days. Our office is already preparing a number of H-1B [...]
Visa Bulletin Predictions and Updates from Charles Oppenheim (January 13, 2017)
Every day, our office receives numerous inquiries and questions about the anticipated movements in the Visa Bulletin cutoff dates. So when we have reliable information, we are happy to share with our readers and clients. Mr. Charles Oppenheim, who is the Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division at the U.S. Department of State, has provided some [...]
USCIS Releases Final Rule for International Entrepreneurs
USCIS has delayed the implementation of this rule and is seeking to rescind it. USCIS has just released the final text of the “International Entrepreneur Rule” which would allow international entrepreneurs parole to be able to remain and work in the U.S. while developing and growing their startup companies. The rule aims to stimulate foreign entrepreneurs to attract capital and [...]
February 2017 Visa Bulletin – No Movement in EB-2 India; Gradual Forward Movement Elsewhere
The U.S. State Department has just released the February 2017 Visa Bulletin which is the fifth Visa Bulletin for the new FY2017 fiscal year. The headline in the upcoming month’s Visa Bulletin is the slow forward movement across many categories, including the lack of any movement in EB-2 India. EB-3 China continues to have a more favorable cutoff date than EB-2 China which creates favorable [...]