The new romantic comedy, Crazy Rich Asians, dominated the box office over Labor Day weekend, raking in more than $28 million and retaining its spot as the number one movie in North America since its August 15, 2018 release. It is easy to see why...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a news alert advising stakeholders impacted by special circumstances (e.g., natural catastrophes and other extreme situations), including the California wildfires, that certain forms of immigration relief may be available on a discretionary basis. Types of Relief for...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) recently announced the second phase of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Immigration Records SysTem (FIRST). This system is designed to bring FOIA requests into the digital age. More details on FOIA are available in the MurthyDotCom NewsBrief,...
During his campaign for the presidency, and ever since he moved into the White House, most of the immigration talk surrounding President Trump has been about undocumented immigrants and the "huge" wall he supposedly is going to have built between the United States and Mexico....
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced this afternoon that, effective September 11, 2018, petitioners will temporarily be unable to request premium processing for most types of H1B petitions. This restriction is expected to remain in place until February 19, 2019.As of September 11th,...
Answer Assuming that one has a valid F-1 visa, and is employed in a valid STEM position, this generally should not be a problem. A fresh I-20 endorsed for travel and an employment letter are required. (27.Aug.2018)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other...
Answer We would need to clarify the terminology here - a visa (i.e. the foil, or "stamp," inside one's passport) can only be renewed abroad at a U.S. embassy. This document is only used for entering the U.S. One's B-1/B-2 status, however, can be extended within...
Answer One can technically start work for the new employer on the day that USCIS physically receives the H1B change-of-employer petition. The receipt is not required. (A more conservative approach would be to wait for the receipt just to make sure the petition is not rejected...
Answer One would no longer have H1B status, but would be in a "period of authorized stay," and be permitted to remain in the U.S. lawfully in this scenario. (27.Aug.2018)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the...
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to share information and, ostensibly, to protect U.S. workers. This MOU is designed to make it easier to refer cases of potential discrimination in...
