The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the January 2016 Visa Bulletin. The dates for filing (DF) chart remains virtually unchanged in the employment-based categories. As expected, however, there is some movement in the final action (FA) chart. For those born in India, the cutoff date...
The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) has been considering the steps needed to improve the PERM labor certification (LC) process. These efforts are a response to President Obama's executive action seeking to improve the immigration process. The OFLC, which is part of the U.S....
Please Note The latest update from the U.S. Consulate in Chennai says they anticipate opening on December 8th.-----December 3, 2015The U.S. Consulate in Chennai, India has been forced to close December 3 and 4, 2015, because of the widespread flooding in the city. Those with appointments...
On November 20, 2015, the Obama administration petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear arguments related to an injunction issued by an appellate court in Texas v. United States that is halting the implementation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA)...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a draft policy memorandum on November 20, 2015, addressing the same-or-similar occupational classification requirement for job portability under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). AC21 allows an individual who has an employment-based (EB) application for adjustment...
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is making it easier for Nepali F-1 students, experiencing financial difficulties as a result of the April 25, 2015 earthquake in Nepal, to obtain employment authorization documents (EADs). In a notice published on November 9, 2015, the DHS announced...
The Murthy Law Firm has received many inquiries from those seeking advice on returning to the United States in H1B status after having used only a portion of the six years of H1B status generally allowed. In a typical scenario, the individual obtains the H1B...
On November 19, 2015, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) submitted a proposed rule, entitled "Retention of EB1, EB2, and EB3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting Highly-Skilled H-B Alien Workers," to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). No specifics are provided regarding...
Newcomers to the United States face many practical challenges adapting to a new country. In an effort to ease this transition, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released updated online resources, intended to "help you settle into everyday life in the U.S." The guide,...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) provides a monthly visa bulletin explanation, through Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division. This month, Mr. Oppenheim provides more details regarding the predictions in the December 2015 Visa Bulletin, as well as insights into the reasons...
