23 Oct 2025

I am still confused about the $100,000 fee. If am in the U.S. in F-1 status and am hoping to change status to H1B in next year’s lottery. Does the fee apply in this situation?

Answer No, the $100,000 fee would not apply to an F-1 student, if the H1B is approved as a change of status. (23.Oct.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here. Access more FAQs...

02 Oct 2025

Navigating Immigration Enforcement at Formerly Protected Locations

For over three decades, immigration enforcement agencies operated under policies that restricted enforcement activities at certain sensitive locations, such as schools, places of worship, and hospitals. This protective framework, built through successive presidential administrations, ended abruptly on January 20, 2025, when the Trump Administration rescinded...

03 Sep 2025

I used only 3 months of OPT after completing my first master’s degree. I am considering enrolling for a second master’s. If I do this, would I be eligible to get the rest of my OPT period once I complete that program?

Answer The OPT time does not work like H1B time. In most circumstances, once you use any portion of your OP, the rest is ‘use it or lose it.’ (02.Sep.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE...

28 Aug 2025

USCIS Updates Guidance on Discretionary Factors in Immigration Benefit Adjudications

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published policy guidance on 19.Aug.2025, updating the factors officers may consider when exercising discretion in certain immigration benefit requests. The update emphasizes negative discretionary weight for applicants with connections to “anti-American” or terrorist organizations. Understanding Discretionary Analysis Many immigration benefit...

20 Aug 2025

The U.S. college where I obtained my master’s degree was accredited when I graduated but then lost its accreditation a few years later. Can I use this degree to qualify for a PERM position that requires a master’s degree?

Answer If the college was accredited at the time the degree was conferred, the degree typically can be used to meet a PERM position’s degree requirements. (20.Aug.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click...

23 Jul 2025

I am in H-4 status and recently was charged with shoplifting. What immigration impact might this have?

Answer It is important to get immigration guidance and criminal representation. The consequences depend, to a large extent, upon the maximum possible sentence allowed for the charge in the particular state. In some locations, a conviction for shoplifting makes one removable (i.e., deportable) and inadmissible. In...