The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the March 2018 Visa Bulletin. The movement in the final action (FA) chart is in line with the short-term predictions made last month. Overview of Movement in Employment-Based Categories As expected, the employment-based, first preference (EB1) category remains current...
A new non-precedent decision from the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) provides a broad interpretation for the meaning of "related entities" in the context of multiple H1B filings for the same beneficiary. In Matter of S-S- Inc., the AAO found that the absence of a legal...
This morning, President Trump is expected to sign a bill that will reopen the federal government through March 23, 2018. This bill will also extend various immigration programs, including the employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) regional center program, for the same time period. Copyright © 2018, MURTHY...
On February 6, 2018, President Trump ordered the creation of a National Vetting Center, saying it is needed "…to better identify individuals seeking to enter the country who present a threat to national security, border security, homeland security, or public safety." The center, which will...
In what has become almost routine, the federal government is teetering on yet another potential government shutdown. The deadline for passing a spending bill to extend government operations is midnight on Thursday, February 8, 2018. Failure to pass such a bill would result in the...
Answer There is no prohibition on having multiple employment- and family-based immigrant visa petitions filed on one's behalf. The sibling (FB4) category is backlogged by decades, however. (05.Feb.2018)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law in...
Answer Either option would generally be acceptable, although filing together can prevent mistakes later on. It is easy to forget to extend the H-4. (05.Feb.2018)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law in real time. For...
Answer An immigrant petition filed by a nonprofit would normally take the same amount of time as one filed by a for-profit companies. The process is generally the same for either type of entity. (05.Feb.2018)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys...
Answer This is not prohibited. However, one should be prepared to answer questions about this at the port of entry regarding "immigrant intent" (i.e. whether one is truly a visitor, or whether one is actually intending to remain in the United States permanently on this trip.)...
There are times when it is necessary to request that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) forgive someone's failure to timely file a request to change or extend status. A request to change or extend status typically must be filed before the current nonimmigrant...
