Nationwide, you and millions of families, businesses, and individuals applying for immigration benefits are waiting longer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to process and approve applications and petitions. Based on previously available USCIS data1, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014, an average case took about five months to process. In FY2020,…
Applicants for immigration benefits provide fingerprints, photographs, and a signature, to conduct required background checks. Applications for immigration benefits can be denied for abandonment if an applicant fails to appear for their biometrics appointment unless they timely filed a request…
On July 20, 2021 USCIS announced new policy guidance that eliminates the need for individuals who have applied for a change of status (COS) to F-1 student to apply to change or extend their nonimmigrant status while their initial F-1…
Every year there are only 65,000 H-1B visas available to applicants in general. This 65,000 is known as the Regular Cap. Beneficiaries who have “earned a master’s or higher degree from a United States institution of higher education,” are not…
Haiti On May 22, DHS announced a new 18-month designation of Haiti for TPS, enabling Haitian nationals and individuals without nationality who last resided in Haiti currently residing in the U.S. as of 5/21/21 to file initial applications for TPS….
Presidential Proclamation 10199 issued on April 30, 2021 restricts and suspends the entry into the United States of nonimmigrants, who were physically present within India during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. The…
USCIS has announced it will suspend the biometrics requirements for certain I-539 applicants for a two-year period beginning on May 17, 2021. The biometrics suspension will apply to the H-4, L-2, and E-1, E-2, and E-3 categories of Form I-539…
The COVID-19 global pandemic has resulted in travel restrictions by various countries and airlines. Many green card holders are not returning to the U.S. even if permitted, to avoid the risk of being infected, as well as due to inability…
USCIS has announced that they have received enough electronic registrations during the initial period to reach the FY 2021 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), and have randomly selected from among the registrations properly submitted. They have notified petitioners with selected…
DHS announced on March 9th 2021 that it will no longer appeal judicial decisions invalidating or enjoining enforcement of the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule because continuing to defend the final rule, Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds, 84 Fed. Reg. 41,292…
