Answer If a person has a valid I-94 and is outside of their grace period, they generally are considered to be out of status. But, because the I-94 is facially valid, the person typically would not start accruing unlawful presence. (22.Dec.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys...
Answer If a person has been counted against the H1B cap, they normally work in H1B status for a maximum of six years. If the individual has not utilized the full six years of H1B time, an employer typically can file an H1B petition on the...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a policy memorandum, implementing indefinite policy changes to the processing of asylum applications and benefit requests from certain countries. The policy directs USCIS personnel to place holds on certain pending applications and conduct comprehensive reviews of...
Nineteen states have filed suit in federal court seeking to block a Trump administration policy that requires a $100,000 payment to accompany certain new H1B petitions. The states argue the measure is unlawful, was put in place without required procedures, and harms public and private...
Answer USCIS allows only specific applications / petitions to be filed online. Some can even be filed by uploading a .pdf of the form. For more information, visit this USCIS website. (16.Dec.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on...
Answer We still are routinely seeing applications approved for people who apply for a change of status from H1B to B-2 while in their 60-day grace period. However, the USCIS has archived its webpage that specifically states looking for jobs while in B-2 status is permissible....
MurthyDotCom regularly addresses common questions and misunderstandings about immigration law. Questions regarding H1B status and changing employers often arise that refer to "transferring" the H1B. This term is frequently used, even by some immigration attorneys. The H1B is not actually transferred from one employer to...
Answer The pilot program that resumed domestic visa renewals ended in early 2024. At the time, the U.S. Department of State indicated that they expected to bring it back, and even expand eligibility to more nonimmigrant visa applicants.In May 2025, several members of Congress sent a...
The Murthy Law Firm has received multiple reports indicating an apparent uptick in prudential visa revocations issued by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) under INA §221(i). These notices have been sent to nonimmigrants across several categories, including individuals who previously completed required medical and...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced 03.Dec.2025 that it will expand mandatory social media screening to include all H1B visa “stamp” applicants and their H-4 dependent family members, effective 15.Dec.2025. The expansion extends an online presence review requirement that previously applied only to student...
