Answer The NIW and the J-1 (Conrad) waivers serve two different purposes. The NIW is a green card filing that waives the requirement of a PERM labor in the GC process. The Conrad 30 waives the J-1 2-year home residency requirement (HRR) for physicians. People subject...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has adopted a decision of the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) addressing the requirements for medical specialists seeking a physician-specific national interest waiver (NIW). This solidifies a long-standing practice by the USCIS, which allows all physicians, both primary care...
Answer There is not a nurse-specific nonimmigrant category. This is a long-standing problem. Some (but certainly not all) RNs qualify for H1B status. They must have bachelor's degrees and work in the limited types of nursing jobs that require the 4-year degree as a minimum requirement....
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that the Vermont Service Center (VSC) is experiencing delays in issuing J-1 waiver approval notices. This is creating problems for J-1 physicians who need these notices from the VSC in order to proceed with the waiver...
On July 11, 2014, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigrant Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum that provides updated guidance to adjudicators to determine whether a particular nursing position meets the H1B category's specialty occupation requirement. This issue was last addressed by the USCIS in 2002. The...
As explained in our NewsBrief, EB5 Regional Center Program extended to Sep 2015 (22.Oct.2012), there were four immigration programs that were recently extended beyond their slated September 30, 2012 expiration. The three remaining programs extended through September 30, 2015 are: the "non-minister" Religious Worker Program...
The President has signed legislation extending the expiration or "sunset" dates of four important immigration programs. These programs are: the EB5 (investor) Regional Center Program; the E-Verify employment verification program; the EB-4 Religious Worker (non-minister) Program; and the Conrad State 30 physician J-1 waiver program....
Reliable sources have been reporting a wave of denials of J-1 visas for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) applying at U.S. Consulates in India. The scenario involves Indian physicians requesting J-1 exchange visitor visas to begin U.S. medical residency programs at teaching hospitals throughout the United...
Numerous questions have been generated by movement of the EB2 cutoff date for India and China, as reflected in the U.S. Department of State (DOS) visa bulletin during the early portion of fiscal year 2012 (FY12). Among these is one important series of questions concerning...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued an announcement on March 16, 2011 that they are reviewing the current policy regarding H1B cap exemptions for cases filed by nonprofit affiliates of institutions of higher education. This is an important topic for many MurthyDotCom and...
