Headlines: 1. DOS Makes ‘Significant Progress’ in Bringing Visa Processing Back Online and Clearing Backlogs – DOS said it has caught up with issuances for most of the worldwide backlog of nonimmigrant visa cases and is working to bring the system back to full operational capacity. 2. CBP Announces New Mobile Passport Control App – […]
Headlines: 1. Consular Visa/Passport System Crashes – The Department of State’s Consular Consolidated Database, used to print and approve visas and passports, has been having significant problems, including outages. Backlogs have ensued. 2. August Visa Bulletin Shows Advances in China and ‘Other Workers’ EB-3 Preference Categories, India EB-2 Preference – Cut-off dates for the China-mainland […]
Headlines: 1. White House Requests $3.7 Billion for Border Crisis – As the United States continues to grapple with an influx of undocumented children and others along the southern border, President Obama has requested a $3.7 billion supplemental appropriation to fund related activities. 2. EOIR Interim Rule Addresses ‘Largest Caseload’ in U.S. History With Temporary […]
Headlines: 1. White House Announces Response to Increase in Unaccompanied Children, Families – On June 20, 2014, President Obama announced that he will take administrative action to correct parts of our broken immigration system. In the meantime the President directed the start of a government-wide response to an increase in unaccompanied children entering the United […]
Headlines: 1. Comprehensive Immigration Reform Prospects Appear Dim Following Cantor’s Defeat – House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s historic defeat in Virginia in favor of the vocally anti-“amnesty” David Brat suggests that Congress will not enact comprehensive immigration reform this year, although not everyone agrees. 2. DHS Announces DACA Renewal Process – The first Deferred Action […]
Headlines: 1. OCAHO Launches E-Filing Pilot, Rules That E-Verify Participation Does Not Provide Blanket Protection – OCAHO has launched a voluntary pilot program to test an electronic filing system in certain cases. Also, an employer argued that participation in E-Verify entitled it to a presumption that it had not violated the law, but OCAHO ruled […]
Headlines: 1. DHS Proposes Rule To Extend Work Authorization To Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses of H-1B Nonimmigrants – DHS has proposed extending the availability of employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of principal H-1B nonimmigrants. The extension would be limited to H-4 dependent spouses of principal H-1B nonimmigrants who are seeking lawful permanent resident […]
Headlines: 1. USCIS Holds Stakeholder Call on L-1A Site Visits – The L-1 inspection program is being phased in and may be extended to initial petitions and/or L-1Bs in the future. 2. USCIS H-1B Premium Processing Has Begun for FY 2015 Petitions – On April 28, 2014, USCIS began premium processing for H-1B petitions subject […]
Headlines: 1. H-1B Cap Reached for FY 2015 – USCIS received about 172,500 H-1B petitions during the filing period that began April 1, including petitions filed for the advanced degree exemption. 2. White House To Propose New Regs, Steps To Attract Entrepreneurs – Among other things, proposed regulations will include rules authorizing employment for spouses […]
Headlines 1. USCIS Holds Teleconference With EB-5 Stakeholders – Nicholas Colucci, the new director of USCIS’s Immigrant Investor Program Office, led the teleconference. 2. USCIS Releases New EB-5 Statistics; Chinese Petitions Surge – Chinese investors now account for more than 80% of EB-5 visas issued, up from 13% a decade ago. 3. State Dept. Reports […]