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20 Mar 2020

NewsFlash! USCIS Temporarily Accepting Forms with Photocopied Signatures

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that, effective March 21, 2020, it will begin accepting all benefit forms and documents with reproduced signatures. Per the announcement, "[t]his means that a document may be scanned, faxed, photocopied, or similarly reproduced provided that the...

16:30 / Employment Based / Family Based / For Employers / For Families / For Individuals / Immigrant Family / NewsBrief / Nonimmigrant Family / Resident / Student / USCIS News / Worker
20 Mar 2020

NewsFlash! USCIS Temporarily Suspends Premium Processing for All I-129s and I-140s

Effective immediately, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is temporarily suspending the availability of premium processing service for all form I-129 and form I-140 petitions. The USCIS will continue to provide premium-processing service for cases for which the I-907 request for premium processing has...

14:47 / Employment Based / For Employers / For Individuals / NewsBrief / Resident / USCIS News / Worker
19 Mar 2020

I heard that the USCIS shut down its field offices. Will this impact my pending H1B extension? What about my wife’s H-4 application?

Answer For the time being, the USCIS service centers are still in operation. This means that many types of applications and petitions, including H1B petitions, should continue to be processed. However, biometrics appointments are on hold. Therefore, if your wife has not yet had her biometrics...

08:06 / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Nonimmigrant Family / Worker
19 Mar 2020

I am in H-4 status. I was working for a company, but was just laid off due to the Coronavirus. Am I eligible to collect unemployment? Would that make me a public charge?

Answer Unemployment benefits generally are not taken into consideration for public charge purposes. However, you would need to check with your state's unemployment agency to see if you qualify for this benefit. (18.Mar.2020)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information...

07:56 / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Nonimmigrant Family / Worker
13 Mar 2020

NewsFlash! All Visa Appointments at U.S. Consulates in India Canceled

The U.S. Department of State announced today that, effective Monday, March 16, 2020, all nonimmigrant and immigrant visa appointments at U.S. Mission India posts - which includes the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, and all U.S. consulates in India - have been canceled. This measure...

13:44 / Consulates / Employment Based / Family Based / For Employers / For Families / For Individuals / Homeland Security / Immigrant Family / NewsBrief / Nonimmigrant Family / Resident / Student / Travel / Visitor / Worker
12 Mar 2020

U.S. Imposes 30-Day Travel Ban on 26 European Countries

On March 11, 2020, President Trump announced a 30-day ban on all travel from the 26 European countries encompassing the Schengen Area, beginning Friday, March 13th. Certain individuals are exempt from the 30-day ban, including U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and their direct family members....

11:56 / Citizen / Consulates / For Employers / For Families / For Individuals / Homeland Security / NewsBrief / Resident / Travel / Worker
12 Mar 2020

I am in H1B status, but my wife is finishing school in India. She has a B-1/B-2 visa in her passport. Can she use this to visit me? Or does she need to get an H-4 visa?

Answer Normally, if a person has a valid B-1/B-2 visa, she could use this to request admission in order to visit her H1B spouse in the U.S. (11.Mar.2020)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services,...

09:23 / FAQs / For Families / For Individuals / Nonimmigrant Family / Travel / Worker