On December 22, 2015, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) concluded its review of a rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that would "allow certain approved immigrant petition for alien worker (form I-140) beneficiaries to obtain work authorization…" The rule...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a policy memorandum updating guidance on the approval of immediate relative spousal petitions after the death of the U.S. citizen spouse in cases where the widow/er has remarried. The memo, and the related revisions to the USCIS Adjudicator's...
Earlier today, both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate passed an omnibus spending bill that serves to prevent a government shutdown. President Obama has indicated that he will sign the bill into law once it reaches his desk. Included within the massive...
Congress is expected to vote on an omnibus bill by Friday that would fund the federal government through September 2016. Included in the 2,009-page bill is a provision that would add a fee of $4,000 per H1B petition and $4,500 per L-1 petition filed by companies...
The USCIS has improved their website with the addition of a virtual assistant named Emma. This is an effort to facilitate the public's ability to navigate the USCIS WebSite and gain access to general immigration information. Named after Emma Lazarus, author of the poem at...
Later today, Congress is expected to approve a stopgap bill to fund the federal government through Tuesday, December 22, 2015. More importantly, it appears Congress is poised to pass an omnibus bill later this week that will fund the government through September 2016. The omnibus...
Earlier today, December 15, 2015, a USCIS representative contacted AILA to clarify that no decision has yet been made that STEM optional practical training (OPT) employment authorization documents (EADs) will remain valid after February 12, 2016. The USCIS has now clarified that this question is...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) visa bulletin for January 2016 moves the final action (FA) cutoff date for employment-based, second preference (EB2) for India to February 1, 2008. The dates for filing (DF) cutoff date chart, which cannot be utilized for January 2016 EB...
Congress approved a spending bill this afternoon that will fund the federal government's operations through the evening of Wednesday, December 16, 2015. President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law later this evening.This bill delays a possible government shutdown, at least for a few...
In response to the recent attacks in Paris by ISIS operatives, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to tighten the visa waiver program that allows travel to the United States by citizens from 38 nations. Passed by an overwhelming margin of 407 to 19, with...
