The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) strictly enforces the requirement to file the optional practical training (OPT) application within 30 days of the date the designated school official (DSO) enters the OPT recommendation into the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record, and...
A student in F-1 status with initial optional practical training (OPT) authorization may meet the employment requirements by engaging in self-employment as an alternative option from the standard employment relationship. For a student interested in such an alternative or who is otherwise interested in starting...
For those not selected in the H1B cap-subject lottery, some options are discussed in this article, including transferring to another F-1 program of study, finding cap-exempt employment or determining if another nonimmigrant option is viable. There also are options for nationals of certain countries like...
The Murthy Law Firm routinely receives calls from individuals asking how to deal with birth documents that have incorrect information. Foreign nationals seeking to apply for U.S. immigration benefits should ensure that the birth information on official documents, like birth certificates and passports, is accurate....
The typical H1B cap-filing season raises questions about extensions of F-1 student status and optional practical training (OPT) before the beginning of H1B status. Many foreign national students tend to have questions about coordinating H1B filings with the expiration of their F-1 status and OPT...
The official U.S. Visa Information Service website for consular services in India has updated its guidance for Indian students applying for emergency student visa appointments. This guidance was prompted largely by a shortage of regular visa appointments at U.S. consular posts in India, necessitating many...
The Murthy Law Firm has received multiple reports that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has been erroneously denying STEM optional practical training (OPT) applications filed by F-1 students, alleging that the applicant’s degree was not in a STEM designated field. This MurthyDotCom NewsBrief...
The holiday season provides many with opportunities to have a good time, and a few drinks, with friends. Those who choose to do so should arrange for a designated driver or other safe, sober transportation home. Alcohol-related arrests, not to mention serious accidents, are all...
There are two recent updates that impact how certain nonimmigrant visas are being processed at U.S. consular posts in India. The first update relates to a procedural change that impacts certain foreign nationals who scheduled nonimmigrant visa appointments in India on or after November 15,...
On October 30, 2023, U.S. President Joseph Biden issued a wide ranging executive order on artificial intelligence (AI) which, in part, calls for the expansion of immigration opportunities for highly skilled foreign nationals with expertise in AI or other critical and emerging technologies to study,...
