A policy alert was issued in September 2014, announcing an update to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) online policy manual. The USCIS Policy Manual, which was published online in January 2013, remains a work-in-progress, with new sections sporadically being added. This latest addition pertains to...
If one were to wonder about Sheela Murthy's commitment to philanthropy, it could not be made more apparent than on Saturday, October 19, 2014. On that beautiful autumn day, Murthy participated in two major events in greater Washington D.C. The first was as moderator of...
Answer In order to change nonimmigrant status in the U.S., you first need make sure that you comply with general change of status requirements as described in the USCIS's Information Sheet. In addition, in order to request a change from one SEVIS status to another, such...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) provides official insights into the visa bulletin on a monthly basis. This information comes directly from Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, to members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). These predictions are in...
Top officials from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) participated in an October 9, 2014 meeting with an American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) committee on immigration benefits. One key topic discussed during that meeting was the current state of the H1B and L-1 Administrative...
In a promising sign that our economy is finally recovering after a prolonged recession, the number of foreign-born people in the United States grew by 523,400 last year. This is the biggest jump since 2006, and is fueled in no small part by immigrants from...
Answer If the AR-11 was not submitted at the time of the move, just do it now. The AR-11 is submitted online on the USCIS WebSite. While it is supposed to be submitted within 10 days of the move, many people fail to do so. It...
Answer If the PERM was filed far enough in advance to meet the 365-day rule, there would be options. If there is a basis for challenging the I-140 rejection, an MTR or appeal will keep it "alive" and make H1B extensions possible (if the 365-day rule...
Answer Yes, the employer could file a PERM labor for someone on OPT. While F-1s are a nonimmigrant intent category, the PERM filing does not void the status. (27.Oct.2014)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law...
Answer The USCIS continues to process I-485s, even if the date is not current. They are processed through to a pre-adjudication point, where the only thing missing is the visa number. The USCIS can definitely issue an RFE without a visa number available and can deny...
