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News & EventsJanuary 2020 Visa Bulletin Issued
The Department of State (DOS) has issued its January 2020 Visa Bulletin. Most notably, there was a small advancement for EB-3 China after several months of no advancement. EB-1-Worldwide: China: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Priority date of May 22, 2017Â (Advancement of 7...
December 2019 Visa Bulletin Issued
The Department of State (DOS) has issued its December 2019 Visa Bulletin. Most notably, there have been steady advancements for nearly all chargeability areas. EB-1-Worldwide: China: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Priority date of May 15, 2017Â (Advancement of 104 days) India: Â ...
USCIS Announces Implementation of H-1B Cap Registration for FY 2021
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made an announcement that the H-1B cap electronic registration process would be implemented for the fiscal year (FY) 2021 H-1B cap season. Employers seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions will be...
Year-End Agenda Plans Sweeping Policies Before the End of 2019
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of State (DOS) announced their Fall 2019 regulatory agendas. These agendas disclose each agency's immigration policy priorities for the upcoming months. If finalized, these rules could have significant impact on...
Congress Passes Another Short-Term Spending Measure
Congress has passed another short-term spending measure to temporarily extend federal government funding through December 20, 2019 while FY 2020 budget negotiations continue. This means that many key immigration programs, which are under federal functions, will...
DHS Proposes Fee Structure Changes
DHS is proposing changes to its fee schedule that would increase costs for most petitioners and applicants and impose new requirements for many types of cases. Several highlights of this proposal are below. Form I-129 DHS is proposing to separate the Form I-129,...
DHS Finalizes H-1B Cap Registration Fee
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has officially finalized the H-1B Cap registration fee of $10 for each H-1B registration. However, DHS has yet to announce if this $10 non-refundable registration fee will be implemented for the fiscal year (FY) 2021 cap...
Federal Appeals Court Sends H-4 EAD Lawsuit Back to Lower Court
In a previous article, we noted that a proposed rule by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to rescind employment authorization for spouses of H-1B workers remained under federal review at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This was in response...
Federal Judge Blocks the Trump Administration’s Health Insurance Rule
On November 2, 2019, a federal judge in Portland, Oregon granted a preliminary injunction that prevented a rule established by the Trump administration requiring immigrants to prove they will have health insurance or will have the ability to pay for their medical care...
Department of State Clarifies Standard of Review for Blanket L Visa Application
The Department of State recently updated its guidelines regarding the review of Blanket L visa applications, stating that applicants must demonstrate their eligibility by "clear and convincing evidence." Further, consular officers are directed by the new guidelines to...