The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has posted guidance for transferring the underlying basis of a pending adjustment of status (AOS) application (form I-485). This process, more commonly referred to as interfiling, is the method I-485 applicants use to "upgrade" or "downgrade" between the...
This is the second in our two-part NewsBrief on extended travel by U.S. permanent residents ("green card" holders). Here we provide additional information regarding when such travel is acceptable and when it can be regarded as an abandonment of U.S. permanent resident status. Also addressed...
This afternoon, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the H1B registration period for fiscal year 2023 (FY23) will run from noon Eastern Time (ET) March 1 through noon ET on March 18, 2022. Background on Registration Process In order to submit a registration, employers...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has provided updated guidance for healthcare workers seeking to expedite the processing of applications for employment authorization (form I-765). The guidance is specifically for healthcare workers seeking to renew their work authorization. Expedite Requests for EAD Renewals Per the USCIS...
The Murthy Law Firm often receives questions from permanent residents ("green card" holders) regarding their options for traveling abroad for extended periods. There are certain common misunderstandings within the immigrant community regarding U.S. immigration laws for such travel by permanent residents. Here, we address some...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released guidance to clarify that if a foreign national files an application to extend / change nonimmigrant status (form I-539) online, and biometrics are required, the USCIS will transmit the biometrics notice solely via the applicant's USCIS...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the February 2022 Visa Bulletin. The most notable movement is in the employment-based, second preference (EB2) category for foreign nationals born in India. All cutoff dates listed refer to the dates in the final action chart (i.e.,...
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has lifted the non-essential travel restrictions that were in place at the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico land borders since early in the pandemic. This broad travel restriction is replaced...
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has withdrawn a final rule promulgated during the final days of the Trump Administration, which would have replaced the H1B lottery registration system with one that prioritizes cases filed based on wage level. The withdrawal comes after several...
A group of twenty-three Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives have sent a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, urging him to take steps to reduce processing times for applications for employment authorization (form I-765) filed by H-4...
