The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the April 2018 Visa Bulletin. The most notable changes are that cutoff dates have been imposed in the employment-based, first preference (EB1) category for India and China, and that there is considerable movement in the employment-based, third...
The proposed rule to terminate the program that allows certain H-4 spouses to obtain employment authorization is not expected to be published until at least June 2018. The rule was previously slated for publication in February 2018. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is apparently...
On February 22, 2018, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a policy memorandum entitled Contracts and Itineraries Requirements for H1B Petitions Involving Third-Party Worksites. This policy memo revises USCIS policy related to H1B petitions filed for workers who will be employed at...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has updated the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) with regard to how consular officers should analyze whether a foreign national will be considered a public charge. This update to the FAM also addresses the use of affidavits of support, which...
This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court refused the Trump Administration's request to hear a direct appeal of a federal district court's nationwide injunction blocking the termination of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This means that, for the time being, those who had...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) issued a reminder to employers enrolled in the E-Verify program to properly and fully complete the E-Verify process. The bulletin explains the steps necessary for employers to complete the verification process and reminds employers of the importance in...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a memo yesterday that stresses the requirement for proper documentation when filing a petition for an H1B worker who will be placed at a third-party location. The policy memo states that petitioning employers that routinely place H1B...
Yesterday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted the Trump Administration's motion to hold the lawsuit challenging the legality of the H-4 EAD program in abeyance for 90 days. This means the lawsuit will remain suspended for the next 90...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is in the process of launching a pilot program related to the InfoPass system, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). InfoPass is an online system that allows a stakeholder to schedule an appointment to speak in-person...
This afternoon, the U.S. Senate failed to pass a bipartisan immigration bill that would have provided protection for beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and increase funding for border security. The bill needed 60 votes to proceed, but only received 54...
