Today, a representative from the office of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D) announced that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) had agreed to postpone furloughs of its staff until August 31, 2020. In the meantime, if Congress and the president are able to reach...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the August 2020 Visa Bulletin. All cutoff dates listed refer to the dates in the final action (FA) chart, unless otherwise specified. Visa Bulletin Summary Employment-Based, First Preference (EB1) Category The EB1 China and India categories continue to advance. The...
Today, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced a short list of exceptions to President Trump's April 22 and June 22, 2020 executive orders that prevent admission of certain foreign nationals. Notably, the announcement excepts "… spouses and children of certain visa class holders, such...
A large group of H1B and H-4 visa applicants have filed the first lawsuit against the Trump Administration's June 22, 2020, proclamation that prohibits the admission of certain nonimmigrants. Importantly, the lawsuit not only requests the court to rule on each individual's visa application, but...
Answer The USCIS has been noticeably delayed in terms of issuing receipts (up to 30 days). So, a delay like this is not necessarily an indication of a problem. (13.Jul.2020)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE...
Answer One in this situation could attempt to have the company file an H1B petition, requesting a change of status to H1B. However, there are some legal issues to this strategy that first should be discussed with a qualified attorney. (13.Jul.2020)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys...
Last week, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) sent out notices to more than two-thirds of its employees that they may be furloughed, effective August 3, 2020. The USCIS is seeking $1.2 billion in emergency funding from Congress; if this is not granted, the...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has announced via Twitter that "[b]eginning July 15, US Embassies and Consulates may begin the phased resumption of routine visa services depending on local conditions." No further details have been provided.As previously reported, the consulates are not expected to...
The U.S. Consulate in Singapore has confirmed that the June 22, 2020 executive order, which restricts many categories of nonimmigrants from being admitted to the United States, does not apply to the H1B1 visa category. The H1B1 category is very similar to the H1B category;...
Answer Premium processing time appears to be unaffected presently. However, given the current uncertainty regarding USCIS funding, it is unclear how long this will continue. (06.Jun.2020)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here....
