NewsBrief Archives - Murthy Law Firm

22 May 2026

NewsFlash! USCIS Reinforces that Adjustment of Status is Discretionary – Not a Right

On May 21, 2026, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0199, reminding its officers and the public that adjustment of status (AOS) under INA § 245 is an act of administrative grace, not an entitlement. Even applicants who satisfy every statutory...

20 May 2026

The Critical Need for Accuracy on a PERM Application

Of all the immigration filings an employer makes on behalf of a foreign employee, the PERM Labor Certification is the one in which small mistakes can cause the most damage. The PERM process is known to be exacting, and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)...

07:14 / Employment Based / For Employers / For Individuals / NewsBrief / Resident

18 May 2026

Source of Investment Funds for EB5 Cases

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 oftentimes is...

09:00 / Complexities / EB5 Investor / Employment Based / For Individuals / Investor / NewsBrief / Resident

11 May 2026

Overview of the EB5 Immigrant Investor Category

The employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) immigrant investor program provides an avenue for foreign nationals to become U.S. permanent residents ("green card" holders) based on a qualifying investment in a U.S. commercial enterprise. This category, established in 1990, was once underutilized, but has become a popular...

08:25 / EB5 Investor / Employment Based / For Individuals / InfoArticle / Investor / NewsBrief / Resident

11 May 2026

MurthyAudio: CBP / Port of Entry Issues

Common issues that non-citizens face when reentering the U.S. after travel abroad are discussed by Murthy Law Firm attorneys in this podcast, broadcasted on 06.May.2026.The MP3 is available here and soon can be found in the archive of our podcasts and teleconferences on iTunes. Find...

07:21 / Employment Based / Family Based / For Families / For Individuals / Homeland Security / Immigrant Family / MurthyAudio / NewsBrief / Nonimmigrant Family / Resident / Student / Travel / Visitor / Worker

04 May 2026

Reclassification of Medical Marijuana Offers Limited Immigration Relief

The Trump administration has announced a significant shift in federal drug policy, reclassifying state‑licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA). This action, taken by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) pursuant...

10:49 / Consulates / Employment Based / Family Based / For Families / For Individuals / Homeland Security / Immigrant Family / NewsBrief / Nonimmigrant Family / Resident / Student / Worker

29 Apr 2026

EB5 Direct Investment vs. Regional Center: What’s the Difference?

The EB5 program offers a path to a green card for a foreign national who invests in a U.S. business that creates American jobs. But “investing in a U.S. business” can mean two very different things under EB5. An investor can put money either directly...

18:54 / EB5 Investor / Employment Based / For Individuals / Investor / NewsBrief / Resident

23 Apr 2026

FAQs on Interfiling at the I-485 Adjustment of Status Stage

For many years, the EB2 India category consistently had a cutoff date more favorable than its EB3 counterpart. Since October 2020, however, there has been considerable back-and-forth, with the EB3 India cutoff date surging ahead of EB2, then EB3 stalling and the EB2 cutoff date...

06:22 / Employment Based / For Individuals / NewsBrief / Resident

14 Apr 2026

May 2026 Visa Bulletin

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the May 2026 Visa Bulletin. There is little to no forward movement for most employment-based categories. All cutoff dates listed below refer to the final action chart (i.e., Chart A), unless otherwise specified. Filing Charts for May 2026 The...

14:40 / Consulates / EB5 Investor / Employment Based / For Employers / For Families / For Individuals / Homeland Security / Immigrant Family / Investor / NewsBrief / Resident / USCIS News / Visa Bulletin

13 Apr 2026

How to Permanently Keep Your Foreign Employee

Your company has a great employee from another country working on a temporary visa and wants to keep them permanently. That means helping them obtain Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status, better known as a green card. For most employers, that journey starts with the PERM...

10:08 / Employment Based / For Employers / For Individuals / NewsBrief / PERM Labor / Resident

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