Immigrants who cross over to our shores have a myriad of hopes and dreams for their new lives in the United States. Some aspire to be entrepreneurs, while others seek to pursue some of the educational opportunities this nation offers. Still others may be fleeing...
Charles Oppenheim, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, gave a presentation at the IIUSA EB5 Industry Forum on October 29, 2019, where he provided stakeholders with his updated predictions on backlogs and wait times for EB5 applicants....
On November 2, 2019, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) that prevents enforcement of President Trump's executive order that would have required a foreign national requesting admission on an immigrant visa to have qualifying health insurance. The rule had been scheduled to...
Representatives of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recently met with representatives from the U.S. Department of State's Visa Office (VO) to discuss current immigration policies and procedures. Prior to the meeting, AILA submitted written questions to the VO, to which the DOS responded in...
Answer Normally, an H1B change-of-status denial would have no impact on one's current status or eligibility to continue working in STEM OPT. (30.Oct.2019)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here.Access more FAQs here. Copyright...
Answer In the current environment, the USCIS generally will only approve an expedite request if the person can provide a compelling reason and strong supporting evidence for the expedite request. That being said, if the request is denied, this normally should not negatively impact the pending...
Answer Generally speaking, it is possible to apply for a visa "stamp" in Canada. It is suggested that you read this official information regarding third-country nationals applying for a visa in Canada. (30.Oct.2019)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information...
A student in F-1 status typically is eligible to participate in optional practical training (OPT) upon completion of the degree program or, in some circumstances, before graduation. The purpose of OPT employment is to provide the foreign national student with an opportunity to apply the...
On October 31, 2019, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will publish a final rule in the Federal Register that will increase the premium processing fee to $1,440. This fee increase is scheduled to go into effect 30 days after the final rule is...
Most months, Charles Oppenheim, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, provides visa bulletin explanations and predictions. Following the release of the November 2019 Visa Bulletin, Mr. Oppenheim provided some updated predictions for fiscal year 2020 (FY20), which...
