The Murthy Law Firm recently overcame a rather novel issue involving India's Dowry / Spousal Abuse Law, known as Section 498A. The USCIS issued a notice of intent to deny (NOID) an H1B extension-of-status request because the individual had an outstanding arrest warrant in India...
The USCIS Service Center Operations (SCOPS) recently addressed a question regarding the ability to obtain eligibility for an additional six years of H1B time after spending one year abroad. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) requested clarification regarding brief trips to the U.S. during the...
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) made a March 15, 2010 announcement of its intent to begin certifying U visa applications on behalf of victims of certain crimes. This is a major change in the processing of U visa applications. Prior to this change, U...
Many applicants for nonimmigrant visas are required to use a new U.S. Department of State (DOS) application form. The nonimmigrant visa electronic application (Form DS-160) is being phased in for use at consulates worldwide. It is currently required for visa applications at the consulates in...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has issued updated plans to expand web-based nonimmigrant visa applications. The DS-160 is a fully web-based form that will replace the current DS-156, 157, and 158 forms. The DS-160 is scheduled for worldwide implementation by April 30, 2010. This...
President Obama signed a continuing resolution on October 1, 2009, temporarily extending funding for the Conrad 30 program for physicians, the non-minister immigrant religious worker category and EB5 immigrant investor pilot programs until October 31, 2009.Regular readers of MurthyDotCom may recall that these programs were...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reinstated premium processing for Nonimmigrant Religious Workers (R-1s), effective July 20, 2009. The premium, expedited processing option was suspended since November 28, 2006, based on concerns of fraud. The premium processing service for R-1 petitions will be limited...
We at the Murthy Law Firm have received some recent questions about proposed legislative changes to the H1B and L-1 programs. Specifically, there are concerns regarding legislation that was introduced on April 23, 2009 by U.S. Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Charles Grassley (R-IA). Known...
Special immigrant religious workers are currently able to petition for permanent residence in two distinct categories. One category is for those who enter the United States to carry on the vocation of minister in a religious denomination. The other category is for those who have...
International Medical Graduates (IMGs), who are completing their graduate medical training in the H1B classification, and who seek to undertake employment with U.S. employers in H1B classification, must be mindful of the applicability of the H1B numerical cap. When moving from a cap-exempt H1B to...
