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15 May 2019

June 2019 Visa Bulletin: EB1 India Retrogresses, EB5 India Retrogression Coming Soon

The June 2019 Visa Bulletin has been released by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). The most notable movement is that the employment-based, first preference (EB1) category for India retrogresses significantly, albeit only temporarily. In addition, the latest visa bulletin cautions that the employment-based, fifth...

15:37 / Employment Based / For Employers / For Individuals / Investor / NewsBrief / Resident / Visa Bulletin
13 Jul 2018

NewsFlash! New Memo Makes it Easier for USCIS to Deny Cases Without First Issuing RFE or NOID

This afternoon, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum that provides officers with more discretion to deny an application or petition without first having to issue either a request for evidence (RFE) or notice of intent to deny (NOID). This memo...

18:03 / Citizen / Employment Based / Family Based / For Employers / For Families / For Individuals / Immigrant Family / Investor / NewsBrief / Nonimmigrant Family / Resident / Student / USCIS News / Visitor / Worker
07 May 2018

May 2018 Visa Bulletin Check-In: Short-Term Predictions

Most months, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, Charles Oppenheim, provides visa bulletin explanations and predictions. For the May 2018 Visa Bulletin, Mr. Oppenheim only provides some very minor, short-term predictions. Family-Based Preference Categories For most family-based (FB) preference...

11:29 / AOS/CP / EB5 Investor / Family Based / For Families / For Individuals / Immigrant Family / Investor / NewsBrief / Resident / Visa Bulletin
23 Mar 2018

NewsFlash! President Trump Signs Bill Funding Federal Government Through September 2018

This afternoon, President Trump signed a federal spending bill that keeps the government open through September 30, 2018. This bill also extends the employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) regional center program for the same time period. The bill does not, however, provide any protections to beneficiaries...

13:42 / Consulates / EB5 Investor / For Employers / For Families / For Individuals / Investor / J-1 Exchange / Legislation / NewsBrief / Resident / Travel / USCIS News / Worker
21 Mar 2018

Government Faces Yet Another Possible Shutdown After March 23, 2018

Congress must pass a spending bill to extend government operations by midnight of March 23, 2018, or else another temporary shutdown of the federal government will go into effect. A government shutdown at this time would be especially problematic because H1B cap season is upon...

08:57 / AOS/CP / Consulates / EB5 Investor / Employment Based / For Employers / For Individuals / H1B / Homeland Security / Investor / Medical / NewsBrief / Resident / Travel / USCIS News / Worker
09 Feb 2018

NewsFlash! Government Reopening Following Hours-Long Shutdown

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...

08:01 / For Employers / For Families / For Individuals / Investor / Medical / NewsBrief / Physicians / Resident
07 Feb 2018

Government Faces Yet Another Possible Shutdown After February 8, 2018

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...

13:51 / Consulates / EB5 Investor / Employment Based / For Employers / For Families / For Individuals / Homeland Security / Investor / Medical / NewsBrief / Physicians / Resident / USCIS News / Worker
22 Jan 2018

NewsFlash! Senate Reaches Agreement to End Government Shutdown

This afternoon, Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate came to an agreement on a stopgap bill to fund the federal government through February 8, 2018. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to approve the bill and send it to President Trump to sign...

15:45 / Consulates / Employment Based / For Employers / For Families / For Individuals / Homeland Security / Investor / Medical / NewsBrief / Physicians / Resident / Travel / Worker