The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be conducting a nationwide trial of updates to the naturalization test. The trial will include changes to the English-speaking and civics portions of the test, while leaving the reading and writing portions unchanged. Goal of Improving Naturalization Process This...
Many aspects of immigration law are tied to expiration dates, grace periods, filing deadlines, and other date-driven matters. So, it is vitally important to keep informed and on top of calendar items and timelines specific to one’s immigration process. Many serious problems can be avoided...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated its policy manual so that a receipt for an application for naturalization (form N-400) now also will provide a 24-month extension of the applicant's "green card" (I-551). Prior to this change, if an N-400 applicant wished...
Part 1 (15.Dec.2022) of this MurthyDotCom article provides a number of tips and reminders for companies to verify that they have remained in compliance with certain key employment and immigration regulations. This second part continues the discussion, focusing on wage issues related to H1B workers. Salary...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the January 2023 Visa Bulletin. With the exception of retrogression for China and India in the employment-based, first preference (EB1) category, there little-to-no movement in any of the employment-based categories. All cutoff dates listed refer to those...
Prior to there being a material change in an H1B employee's working conditions, the employer is ordinarily required to file an H1B amendment. It is not always clear whether a particular change is "material," but, in the context of a change in an H1B employee's...
As we approach the end of another new year, now is a good time for employers to review a number of immigration-related matters and documents to help ensure smooth business operations in 2023. It is always advisable to engage in internal audits to identify and...
As is painfully evident for many, the process of sponsorship for permanent residence (commonly referred to as a "green card") via employment can be extremely lengthy. The timeframes, from initiation of the PERM labor certification (PERM LC) application with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)...
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) recently sent a letter to the U.S. Department of State (DOS), urging the DOS to address ongoing issues related to E-1 and E-2 visa applications. In the letter, AILA also includes various suggestions that could be implemented to alleviate...
When an individual applies for an F-1, H1B, or other nonimmigrant visa at the U.S. consulate abroad, it can be fairly common to be refused initially under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This broad section applies to a wide variety of...
