Most months, Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division for the U.S. Department of State (DOS), provides visa bulletin explanations and predictions. The information for the September 2017 Visa Bulletin includes updated predictions for fiscal year 2018 (FY18), which begins October 1,...
Answer From the time the I-129F is filed to the time your fiancée is scheduled for an appointment at a U.S. consulate would likely take at least 8-12 months. (14.Aug.2017)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the...
Answer Travel would typically not be necessary. As soon as one leaves the H1B employer (without the filing of another H1B petition by the new employer), one is no longer in H1B status. But, based on the pending I-485, one generally would automatically fall into a...
In a recent trend, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has begun to deny advance parole (AP) applications (form I-131) for applicants who have traveled abroad before their applications are approved. This is in stark contrast to the previous, longstanding policy, which allowed...
The September 2017 Visa Bulletin, which is the last visa bulletin of fiscal year 2017, was released by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) this morning. There was no movement in the dates for filing chart, and only a bit of progress in the final...
Answer In general, an approved I-140 can be used to extend H1B status beyond 6 years, regardless of the job or employer. (07.Aug.2017)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law in real time. For details on...
Today, President Trump announced his support for a bill proposed by Republican Senators Tom Cotton (AR) and David Perdue (GA) that, if passed, would make massive changes to the U.S. immigration system. The proposal would replace the current employment-based immigration system with a merit-based system....
Answer Retention of the priority date has nothing to do with the nature of the job. In general, one may retain the earliest priority date on any approved I-140, regardless of whether the job is similar or not. (31.Jul.2017)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy...
Answer If one in this situation is still being offered the same job by the I-140 sponsor, the case could be converted to "consular processing" by filing an I-824. One would apply for an immigrant visa at the U.S. consulate. (24.Jul.2017)In frequent sessions of our Chat,...
Answer Generally, one could be sponsored for a change back to H1B at any time, assuming that one has H1B "time" remaining. (24.Jul.2017)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law in real time. For details on...
