Many F-1 students on optional practical training (OPT) are the beneficiaries of H1B petitions filed against the fiscal year 2015 cap. Some of these F-1 students have learned, or will learn shortly, that they are among the lucky ones whose H1B petitions were selected in...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that, as of January 2014, more than half a million employers are participating in the E-Verify program. E-Verify allows employers to verify online whether an individual is legally authorized to work in the United States. The increased...
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a public notice on February 6, 2014 reconfirming that unpaid internships are a permissible form of employment for foreign nationals in F-1 status engaged in initial optional practical training (OPT). This statement was issued in response to...
In October 2013, the Nebraska Service Center (NSC) of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) unexpectedly began denying optional practical training (OPT) STEM extension applications submitted by F-1 students who had served as unpaid interns during their initial 12-month stays in OPT. Two foreign...
In a recent and concerning adjudication trend, the Nebraska Service Center (NSC) of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has begun denying F-1 optional practical training (OPT) STEM extension applications filed by students who engaged in employment as unpaid interns during the initial 12...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a news alert on November 15, 2013, reminding those impacted by the devastation in the Philippines created by Typhoon Haiyan that certain forms of immigration relief may be available. This reminder covers a number of general provisions applicable...
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) ordered the University of Northern Virginia (UNVA) on July 15, 2013 to close its operations in the United States. This action places UNVA students in limbo, with regard to both their academic and immigration status. With...
Colleges and universities certified to sponsor foreign students for F-1 classification often receive applications from potential students who meet these schools' academic standards, but lack sufficient proficiency in English. To address this matter, many Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP)-authorized schools have created various types...
Foreign students have many questions about their status and related issues. The number of questions received by the Murthy Law Firm from F-1 students has been growing over the past few years. In an effort to assist these students, MurthyDotCom answers a frequently asked question...
As we launch into New Year 2013, we at the Murthy Law Firm would like to remind our readers that now is a good time to double check important documents and dates related to one's immigration. This is the first in a series of articles...
