02 Dec 2024

USCIS Updates Guidance on Custody Requirement for Children Acquiring Derivative Citizenship

On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had updated guidance on determining the legal and physical custody requirements of a child of one or more U.S. citizen parents for purposes of qualifying for derivative citizenship. Derivative citizenship...

27 Nov 2024

I have a pending I-485, and recently filed a Supplement J based on my move to a new employer. Do I need to file anything for my wife’s I-485?

Answer Assuming your wife's I-485 was filed based as your dependent, normally nothing would need to be filed for your spouse in this situation. (26.Nov.2024)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here. Access...

27 Nov 2024

I don’t have my birth certificate from my home country. What alternate documents will U.S. immigration officials accept for birth documentation for my green card case?

Answer The U.S. Department of State’s visa reciprocity schedule lists civil documents, such as birth and marriage certificates, that are acceptable alternative documents based on one's country of birth. (26.Nov.2024)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE...

27 Nov 2024

After working in India for several years as a manager, my employer transferred me to its U.S. subsidiary in H1B status. For the company to sponsor me for EB1(c), do I have to move to L1A status, first?

Answer No, there is no requirement that you be in L1A status for your employer to sponsor you for an EB1(c) position. If you meet the requirements for EB1(c), whether you are in H1B or L-1 status generally has little-to-no impact. (26.Nov.2024)Sheela Murthy and other senior...

25 Nov 2024

Preparing for a Possible Travel Ban Under the Trump Administration

President-elect Donald Trump soon will be sworn in as the forty-seventh President of the United States, and many foreign nationals are nervously waiting to see how and when he will implement many of the disruptive immigration policies that marked his first term in office. One...

21 Nov 2024

Trump Administration Frequently Asked Questions

President-elect Donald Trump will begin his second term in office as President of the United States, effective January 20, 2025. Since the election, the Murthy Law Firm has received numerous questions about how his new administration will impact U.S. immigration law and policy. To assist...

20 Nov 2024

My H1B and my wife’s H-4 are both valid for another year. I am in the process of changing employers, and my new employer will be filing an H1B change-of-employer petition for me soon. Does my spouse need to file an I-539 to extend her H-4 status together with my H1B?

Answer Your spouse does not need to extend her H-4 status, given that her current I-94 is valid for another year. However, we usually recommend that the H-4 spouses file a new I-539 in these circumstances so that their H-4 end date matches the expiration of...

14 Nov 2024

New Administration: President-Elect Trump Taps Several Immigration Hardliners for Administration

Over the past several days, President-elect Donald Trump has selected several people to serve in his administration, which will start on January 20, 2025. All, unsurprisingly, have expressed views that parallel those the President-elect when it comes to immigration issues. Former ICE Director to Serve as...