The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will not issue receipt notices or begin data entry for cap-subject H1B petitions until at least May 1, 2020. The USCIS further cautions of a general delay in processing cap-subject H1B petitions. Per the...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Vermont Service Center (VSC) has reopened today, following a brief closure last week. The closure was the result of a possible case of COVID-19. However, the test fortunately came back as negative for the virus. Copyright © 2020, MURTHY...
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has received a number of reports from members that there was a possible COVID-19 exposure at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Vermont Service Center (VSC), forcing the center to temporarily close. According to the reports, the VSC...
The Congressional Research Service (CRS), which works exclusively for the United States Congress to provide nonpartisan policy and legal analysis, has released a report confirming that many nonimmigrants are eligible to receive recovery rebates (frequently referred to as stimulus checks) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief,...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has temporarily suspended offering in-person service at passport agencies during the COVID-19 epidemic. The only exception for this is if the applicant needs a U.S. passport due to a "qualified life-or-death emergency."U.S. citizens may still apply in person at...
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced via "Twitter" that it has placed on hold a rule, initially released at the beginning of March 2020, that would have increased this year's cap on H2B nonagricultural workers by 35,000. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which...
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) National Visa Center (NVC) has temporarily reduced its staff. This has hampered the ability of the NVC to respond to queries submitted via the Ask NVC form. Accordingly, the NVC is instructing stakeholders to...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and application support centers (ASCs) will remain suspended until at least May 3, 2020. In-person services may resume on May 4, 2020, depending upon what transpires with...
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced that, from March 25, 2020, through June 30, 2020, the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) generally will be sending certified labor certifications (LCs) (i.e., form 9089) by eMail, instead of through the U.S. Postal Service, or...
Note that this page has been updated from the original post. At this time of uncertainty, health and safe practices to avoid spreading or contracting COVID-19 are paramount for our families and the wider community. The State of Maryland considers law practices and law firms to...
