Nineteen states have filed suit in federal court seeking to block a Trump administration policy that requires a $100,000 payment to accompany certain new H1B petitions. The states argue the measure is unlawful, was put in place without required procedures, and harms public and private...
Today, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the January 2026 Visa Bulletin. There is some forward movement, especially in the EB1 category. All cutoff dates listed below refer to the final action chart (i.e., Chart A), unless otherwise specified. Visa Bulletin Summary Employment-Based, First Preference (EB1)...
Answer USCIS allows only specific applications / petitions to be filed online. Some can even be filed by uploading a .pdf of the form. For more information, visit this USCIS website. (16.Dec.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on...
Answer We still are routinely seeing applications approved for people who apply for a change of status from H1B to B-2 while in their 60-day grace period. However, the USCIS has archived its webpage that specifically states looking for jobs while in B-2 status is permissible....
Answer Among other requirements, an N-470 application requires that the applicant was present in the U.S. for an uninterrupted year as a lawful permanent resident. (16.Dec.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here....
MurthyDotCom regularly addresses common questions and misunderstandings about immigration law. Questions regarding H1B status and changing employers often arise that refer to "transferring" the H1B. This term is frequently used, even by some immigration attorneys. The H1B is not actually transferred from one employer to...
USCIS now requires immigration-document photos to be no more than 3 years old and no longer accepts self-submitted photos. Only USCIS or authorized providers’ photos will be used – a shift aimed at tightening identity verification and reducing fraud across key forms like the I-90,...
DHS is terminating all Family Reunification Parole (FRP) programs for nationals of Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, & Honduras. Parole will return to case-by-case review, with current FRP paroles ending 14.Jan.2026 unless a Form I-485 was filed by 15.Dec.2025. Employment authorization tied to...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released the details governing the new Gold Card program, an immigration initiative established by Executive Order 14351. The program will allow foreign nationals to pay a fee in order to apply for lawful permanent residency (i.e., a...
USCIS has released a draft of Form I-140G, for the proposed “Gold Card” immigrant program. The form and instructions have been posted online, offering a first look at how the program may be structured and what will be required. Stay tuned for official guidance once...
