For people not accustomed to the open displays of merchandise typical in the United States, the opportunity to pick up a few small items could prove tempting. Many newcomers to this country do not realize that seemingly minor crimes can have very serious immigration, as...
Long-time followers of MurthyDotCom have likely read some of our articles on the increase in government scrutiny of the hiring and employment practices of U.S. employers. These articles focus on immigration compliance. However, employers of foreign workers also need to concern themselves with general employment...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently made it even more cumbersome to change status to F-1 full-time student status from within the United States. After implementing a revised policy in early 2017 that requires a B-1/B-2 visitor to maintain continuous B-1/B-2 status while...
The current H1B cap-filing season for fiscal year 2019 raises questions about extensions of F-1 student status and optional practical training (OPT) before the beginning of H1B status. MurthyDotCom readers have expressed concerns about coordinating H1B filings with the expiration of their F-1 status and...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) continues efforts to ensure employers of H1B and/or L-1 workers are compliant by visiting the worksites of selected foreign national workers. These site visits, which typically are carried out by Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) officers, generally...
The holiday season provides many with opportunities to have a good time, and a few drinks, with friends. Those who choose to do so should arrange for a designated driver or other safe, sober transportation home. Alcohol-related arrests, not to mention serious accidents, are all...
As is painfully evident for many, the process of sponsorship for permanent residence (commonly referred to as a "green card") via employment can be extremely lengthy. The timeframes, from initiation of the PERM labor certification (PERM LC) application with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)...
A key requirement of the employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) immigrant visa category is that the foreign national investor be able to clearly and thoroughly document the lawful source of the investment funds. The sourcing of the investment funds can be quite tedious, and is oftentimes...
When dealing with the government, the result of using unofficial adaptations of one's name for official documents can cause big problems in the immigration process. Surprisingly, immigration laws and regulations provide little guidance on the issue of the proper use of names in documents filed...
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...
