Many of our readers and clients are already aware and are using the new Form I-9, but it is worth sending another alert to remind that the revised Form I-9 (revision date 03/18/2013) becomes the only acceptable version after May 7, 2013. Please see our recent alert about the changes to the Form I-9. Among [...]
USCIS has released an updated set of processing statistics for petitions filed under the fifth employment-based preference category (EB-5) for foreign investors. It is interesting to note that the number of I-526 applications (for initial EB-5 green card) have more than doubled compared to 2010 (4,156 compared to 1,955) while the approval rate has remained [...]
One of the most popular U.S. work visas, the H-1B, will start accepting filings for new H-1B employment on April 2. Pursuant to each yearly H-1B quota, new H-1B filings can be filed on April 1 (April 2nd this year because April 1st is a Sunday), at the earliest, for a starting date of employment [...]
Throughout the H-1B cap filing season (which opened back in April), we have been providing updates on the available H-1B cap numbers. Over the past few weeks, we have been also issuing alerts (on our website, via our newsletter and through our twitter and facebook pages) on the upcoming H-1B cap limit. Partially as a [...]
USCIS has just announced that they are launching a new website which is intended to provide new data reports covering agency performance in a number of areas. The website can be accessed at http://www.uscis.gov/data/. Data Reports Available Currently, there are ten data sets available on the website. Four of the data sets will be updated [...]
The Department of State (DOS) announced yesterday, May 13th, 2011, that a computer glitch has caused all results of the DV 2012 lottery (also called the "green card lottery") to be voided. Accordingly, lottery results published earlier on the DV 2012 lottery website are void and those applicants who were "selected" would not be able [...]
One of the most popular U.S. work visas, the H-1B, will start accepting filings for new H-1B employment on April 1, in exactly one week. Pursuant to each yearly H-1B quota, new H-1B filings can be filed on April 1, at the earliest, for a starting date of employment on or after October 1. The [...]
Our office received many inquiries by both H-1B sponsor companies and employees about what kind of fee payment arrangement is permissible under the H-1B regulations. Background of H-1B Filing Fees There are several H-1B filing fees, which are applied differently depending on the employer (private employer v. university or non-profit research entity) and on the [...]
In a November 2009 AILA meeting, Mr. Charlie Oppenheim, who is Chief of the Immigrant Visa Control and Reporting Division at the Department of State (or also known as the person who determines the visa bulletin dates), has indicated some ways in which the visa bulletin numbers will move over the next few months. Mr. Oppenheim’s [...]
USCIS has released a schedule of the inventory of pending Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status. The statistics are fairly recent - as of August 25, 2009 - and are very helpful to understanding the relative queue positions for adjustment of status applicants. How Can I Determine My Place in the AOS Queue? An AOS application’s preference [...]