08 Jun 2015

Expect RFEs on I-485s as Cutoff Dates Advance

Foreign nationals with long-pending adjustment of status applications (form I-485) should anticipate being issued requests for evidence (RFEs) as the visa bulletin cutoff date approaches the priority dates of their respective cases. These RFEs typically request submission of updated I-485 eligibility documentation, including new medical...

01 Jun 2015

DHS Proposal on EADs for I-140 Beneficiaries, but Rule Change may be Long Way Off

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) are in the initial stages of proposing important regulatory changes affecting employment-based (EB) immigration. The spring 2015 DHS regulatory agenda includes rulemaking that, if implemented, would make certain beneficiaries of...

28 May 2015

BIA Decision Brings Uncertainty to Priority Date Retention After I-140 Revocation

Many immigration strategies in employment-based cases rely upon the ability to retain the priority date between permanent resident (or, "green card") case filings for the same individual. It is widely used in what is commonly known as upgrading between categories, as well as during changes...

19 May 2015

Analysis, Predictions, and Trends: EB2 India May Advance Less Than Predicted

Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division for the U.S. Department of State (DOS), offers analysis of visa bulletin trends and predictions for the June 2015 Visa Bulletin, as he does each month. This latest information includes the disappointing possibility that the...