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 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...
On October 11, 2019, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) published an interim final rule in the Federal Register, entitled Visas: Ineligibility Based on Public Charge Grounds. Once this interim final rule goes into effect, it will greatly expand the categories of public benefits considered...
Answer Normally, it is possible to apply for an H1B visa "stamp" at a different consulate from the one listed on the H1B petition. This sometimes causes a delay in the visa being issued, but such delays typically are less than 2 weeks. (16.Oct.2019)Sheela Murthy and...
The November 2019 Visa Bulletin has been released by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). In November, there is some advancement in the oversubscribed employment-based (EB) categories for China. Unfortunately, India receives nearly no relief. Visa Bulletin Summary All cutoff dates listed refer to the dates in...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced today that the interim final rule regarding visa ineligibility based on public charge grounds is not yet being implemented. Per the announcement, "visa applicants are not requested to take any additional steps at this time and should attend...
This afternoon, a federal district court judge issued a nationwide injunction against the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) from enforcing the new public charge rule. The public charge rule had been scheduled to go into effect on October 15, 2019.The injunction specifically prohibits the...
