The D.C. Circuit Court recently ruled in favor of the U.S. government in a lawsuit brought by a worker's union, holding the F-1 optional practical training (OPT) and STEM OPT programs were lawfully enacted. The union unsuccessfully argued that the statute passed by Congress that...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that the response time flexibility, initially announced on March 20, 2020, is being extended. This extension applies to qualifying USCIS requests issued through January 24, 2023. Response Time Flexibility The USCIS has extended the response time flexibility for...
The O-1 nonimmigrant category is reserved for individuals who possess extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics (O1A), or who have a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry (O1B). Unlike most other nonimmigrant visa categories, where...
A foreign national may be found to be inadmissible (i.e., ineligible to enter the United States, adjust status from within the U.S., or apply for certain other immigration benefits) for a variety of reasons. Some categories of inadmissibility result in a permanent bar to the...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that, as of September 26, 2022, a person's permanent resident card (i.e., "green card") will be extended for two years beyond the expiration date based on a properly filed application to replace permanent resident card (form...
Today, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the November 2022 Visa Bulletin. Unfortunately, the bulletin remains nearly identical to the October 2022 bulletin. All cutoff dates listed refer to the dates in the final action chart (i.e., Chart A), unless otherwise specified. Visa Bulletin Summary Employment-Based,...
If certain criteria are met, a group of ten or more applicants may schedule a group appointment at a U.S. consulate. An overview of the process of scheduling such an appointment at a U.S. consular post in India is provided here for the benefit of...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it has received sufficient filings to reach the congressionally mandated H2B cap for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2023. Any cap-subject H2B petitions received by the USCIS after September 12, 2022 requesting a...
"Can I file a green card for myself?" The Murthy Law Firm regularly receives inquiries like this from foreign nationals wondering whether it is possible to self-sponsor to become a lawful permanent resident (“green card” holder). While most of the employment-based categories require a U.S....
A large percentage of foreign nationals who come to work as physicians in the United States do so pursuant to H1B status. Ordinarily, the foreign national must be counted against the H1B cap before that individual is eligible to work in H1B status. This usually...
