13 Mar 2014

Marketplace Radio: Indians Ascendant in Silicon Valley

It's nothing we didn't already know - in fact, it's a trend that's been evident for some time: the ascendancy of Indian techies to the pinnacle of Silicon Valley's elite. American Public Media's Marketplace broadcast commented on this trend in a recent radio piece, with...

12 Mar 2014

April 2014 Visa Bulletin

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has issued the April 2014 Visa Bulletin. As expected, there was little in the way of movement in this month's visa bulletin. Family-Based, Second Preference "A" (FB2A) The FB2A category applies to spouses and (unmarried, minor) children of U.S. lawful permanent...

08 Mar 2014

I graduated with a Master of Economics degree last year and am currently working on OPT. The CIP code for my major is not designated as a STEM degree, but I took as many courses in math as students in the mathematics program of study. Can I apply for a STEM OPT extension?

Answer No. Unfortunately, even if you had two majors, one of which was designated as a STEM degree, but the initial OPT was based on a non-STEM degree, you would still not be eligible for the STEM extension. According to SEVP policy guidance, "[i]f a student...