We are getting updates from the U.S. Department of State and from other sources that the global visa processing system used by the Department of State to process U.S. visa applications and passports is experiencing technical problems -- as a result, U.S. Consulates around the world are unable, at least temporarily, to complete visa application [...]
In a policy memorandum dated July 11, 2014, USCIS has provided some guidance and clarifications as to the applicable standards for adjudication of H-1B petitions for nurses. While USCIS continues to maintain the position that most nurses may not qualify for an H-1B due to the fact that a bachelor's degree is not normally requires, [...]
The U.S. State Department has just released the August 2014 Visa Bulletin which is the eleventh Visa Bulletin for the FY2014 fiscal year. The major headline in the upcoming month’s Visa Bulletin is the significant (four month) forward movement in EB-2 India, the significant (two years) forward movement in EB-3 China and the lack of [...]
The U.S. State Department has just released the July 2014 Visa Bulletin which is the tenth Visa Bulletin for the FY2014 fiscal year. The major headline in the upcoming month’s Visa Bulletin is the significant (four years) forward movement in EB-2 India and the lack of any movement in FB-2A. Summary of the July 2014 [...]
The Department of State (DOS) has just confirmed that due to increasingly heavy demand by Canada-based visa applicants, the seven U.S. visa processing posts (U.S. Consulates) in Canada are extremely limited in their ability to accept TCN cases during the peak demand period of June, July, and August. TCN refers to "third-country nationals" or non-Canadians [...]
Visit our booth #1354 at the Annual SHRM Conference in Orlando, June 22-24 for a conversation with one of our attorneys regarding your company's corporate immigration needs. If you are coming to the Conference, please stop by to say "hello" - we look forward to seeing clients, colleagues and friends.
Many of our clients and readers are already aware of the move by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) to issue what are hundreds, or perhaps even thousands, of very similar, if not identical, requests for evidence (“RFE”) on pending employment-based primary Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status, cases. Our office has been receiving such [...]
Last week we reported on the announcement of the proposed rule which would allow certain H-4 dependent spouses to apply for and obtain work authorization. Our article generated tremendous interest and feedback from clients and readers but at that time we did not have the actual proposed rule so we could not answer any specific [...]
Many of our readers are aware that as of April 7, 2014, USCIS had received a sufficient number of H-1B cap-subject petitions to fill the annual H-1B quota. All cap-subject new H-1B petitions received by USCIS on or after April 7th have been or are currently in the process of being rejected and sent back [...]
OCAHO reduced fine for a mom and pop family business, from $14,025 to $1,650, stating in the decision that “ICE overreaches when it issues a NIF and files a complaint containing allegations that the government actually knows to be false.” (U.S. v. Crescent City Meat Company, Inc., 4/22/14) This recently published case appears to demonstrate [...]