U.S. immigration law includes provisions intended to help authorities keep track of foreign nationals in the United States. By law, all non-U.S. citizens aged 18 or older are required to carry at all times, a "certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card" (e.g.,...
In light of recent immigration policies and heightened scrutiny at U.S. ports of entry, many noncitizens are feeling anxious about returning to the U.S. It is important to approach reentry with preparation and caution. While every situation is unique, there are several best practices that...
This afternoon, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the agency had received enough registrations for unique beneficiaries to meet the regular H1B cap and the advanced degree exemption (i.e., the master’s cap) for fiscal year 2026 (FY26). All employers that submitted online...
Most foreign national workers in the U.S. understand that H1B status can be extended beyond the standard six-year maximum once they reach a certain point in the process of being sponsored for an employment-based green card. Managers and executives in L1A status, however, normally cannot...
Details of the alien registration requirement, which had been announced by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on 25.Feb.2025, have now been released. Effective 11.Apr.2025, foreign nationals who are subject to the new registration mandate must comply with the registration requirement via an online...
On 26.Feb.2025, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued updated guidance in the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) removing the policy that a consular officer’s recommendation for approval of a foreign national’s nonimmigrant visa (NIV) waiver request be consistent with a prior adjudication of the individual’s...
As the H1B cap registration season approaches, it is essential for employers to ensure that all information submitted in the electronic registration is accurate. With the transition to a beneficiary-centric registration system last year, even minor errors can have significant consequences. While the U.S. Citizenship...
On 28.Feb.2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a policy memorandum that dramatically expands the circumstances under which the USCIS intends to issue a notice to appear (NTA), or refer cases to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for NTA issuance. An...
All too often, H-4 dependents inadvertently find themselves in challenging immigration situations. This may occur because of a simple oversight or misunderstanding of the requirements to remain in valid status, or even potentially because of an error made by an immigration official. Below are three...
Last month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) implemented a final rule that updates the criteria for nonprofit and governmental research organizations sponsoring H1B visa beneficiaries under the cap-exempt category. This change is expected to expand the number of organizations that qualify as cap...
