The Murthy Law Firm receives many inquiries from individuals who have planned a major event, like marriage, travel, or school, who lastly think to seek advice on how to address these matters related to their immigration. Frustration often ensues when they learn of the immigration...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is again extending the response time flexibility, initially announced on March 30, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This flexibility applies to applicants and petitioners responding to any of the following, issued from March 1 through September 11,...
Answer The Executive Order only prohibits the issuance of visas at consulates. It does not prevent the adjudication of I-130 petitions, and these should progress normally, as far as we know. (01.Jul.2020)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on...
Most months, Charles Oppenheim, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, provides visa bulletin explanations and predictions. Following the release of the July 2020 Visa Bulletin, Mr. Oppenheim provided some information regarding the use of immigrant visa numbers...
Answer The "merit-based system" discussed by the Trump Administration was merely a proposal. There is not even an active bill in Congress to effectuate such a change, so any speculation on the requirements is premature at this point. And, chances of such a bill being signed...
The employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) category returns to being current in the July 2020 Visa Bulletin. This is the first time in a year that EB5 India has not required a final action cutoff date in the monthly visa bulletin. Still, it is important to...
Answer U.S. citizens normally can apply for their parents' "green cards" if they are physically present in the U.S. and have been legally admitted. This is done by filing an application for adjustment of status. The rules from the Trump administration, thus far, have had no...
Answer This situation actually occurs frequently. One can file the N-400 application for naturalization (i.e., citizenship) while the I-751 is still pending. However, the N-400 cannot be approved until the I-751 has been approved. Occasionally, USCIS officers will have both files, and conduct interviews for both...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the July 2020 Visa Bulletin. All cutoff dates listed refer to the dates in the final action (FA) chart, unless otherwise specified. Visa Bulletin Summary Employment-Based, First Preference (EB1) Category The EB1 category for India continues to advance. The cutoff...
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced changes to the J-1 waiver program for clinical care in response to the public health emergency created by COVID-19. These changes expand the potential pool of physicians and their employers who could seek J-1...
