“GAP-Cap” Extension Through April 1 of the Relevant Fiscal Year Many students graduating in the Spring are faced with a situation where their OPT w...
The Department of Homeland Security is proposing a new rule called “Modernizing H-1B Requirements, Providing Flexibility in the F-1 Program, ...
We’re excited to share that the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has confirmed the details of a new pilot program for H-1B visa hold...
It’s essential for artists and entertainers to choose the right visa category that aligns with their professional activities in the United St...
In a recent case, we have successfully navigated the complexities of 60-day grace period regulation to secure approval for an H-1B transfer petitio...
Department of State has launched a new system for scheduling visa appointments. The new URL for scheduling visa appointments is https://www.usvisas...
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program, also known as the “green card lottery”, registration is now open until November 7, 2023. This annual ...
As a F-1 student seeking OPT, filing Form I-765 comes with its own set of challenges. However, with the recently updated tip sheet from the Office ...
Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) have just made it easier for STEM OPT students by updatin...
The TN visa is a non-immigrant visa category that allows certain Canadian and Mexican citizens to work in the United States temporarily. It is base...
DHS is taking action to improve the regulations surrounding H-1B specialty occupation workers and F-1 students. With the proposed rule curre...
There is no doubt that the new registration process implemented by USCIS failed miserably due to significant flaws which opened doors for abuse and...
The USCIS is revising its guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to deal with scenarios in which the final day for submitting a benefit request or res...
Previously the Lawful permanent residents (LPR) had to call USCIS Contact Center and book an infopass appointment and visit the local field office ...
In simple words, H-1B portability means a person who is on H-1B status may change his or her employer if the new employer files an H-1B petition on...
USCIS has recently been issuing Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) on H-1B petitions where multiple registrations were submitted through multiple comp...
Section 212(a)(6)(A)(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) provides that “any alien or foreign national who by fraud or willfully m...
When your visa applications are not being processed by the consulates overseas in a timely manner, and when the applications are temporarily...
The US visa priority date is the date that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)/DOL (Department of Labor) receives your petition to i...
When an applicant with a pending adjustment of status application wishes to adjust on a different approved petition than the one that currently for...
It is a frequently asked question whether a student can work (trained) with multiple employers. Students participating in a 24-month science, tec...
USCIS on February 23, 2022, has added an additional attestation under penalty of perjury, that company certifies that the registration(s) reflects ...
USCIS recommends filing I-485 under EB-2 or EB-1 category, instead of EB-3, and recommends the interfiling of the EB-3 I-485 to that of EB-2, in or...
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will no longer mail paper biometric services appointment notices for electronically filed Forms I...
The Department of State has authorized consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain categories of visa applicants thr...
The Secretary of State has authorized consular officers through the end of 2022 to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain temporary ...
A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of seven U.S. employers whose H-1B petitions have been unlawfully rejected, challenges U.S. Citizenship and Immi...
USCIS today announced it may reopen and/or reconsider denials on Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, made based on the below three resc...
The Department of State has temporarily expanded the ability of consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for individuals appl...
USCIS has announced that the registration period for the FY2022 H-1B Electronic Registration will be open from March 9, 2021, to March 25, 2021. T...
On 01/21/2021, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain issued a memorandum that directs, in part, that 1) all rules pending at the Federal Register th...
The DHS has sent a Final Rule to the Federal Register for publication, which will amend its regulation to clarify how USCIS will determine whether ...
DOL is revising its interpretation of its regulations as to which employers must file a Labor Certification Application (LCA). DOL is now classifyi...
Many legal practitioners have reported that they are receiving Request for Evidence (RFE’s) for the I-765, Application for Employment Authori...
Mike Pompeo, the Secretary of State, has temporarily expanded the ability of consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for ind...
In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March ...
The U.S District Court, Northern District of California, in the matter of Chamber of Commerce v. DHS, has set aside the interim rule by the Departm...
USCIS recently announced significant changes to the civics test mandatory for most applicants seeking to obtain U.S. Citizenship. The new test wil...
The U.S. Department of State has released the October 2020 Visa Bulletin after delaying it for more than a week, which is the first visa bulletin o...
This flexibility applies to the above documents if the issuance date listed on the request, notice, or decision is between March 1, 2020, and Jan. ...
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is conducting a review of SEVIS records for OPT participants and is mailing notices directly to stu...
The US Consulates across India are now accepting drop box applications for renewals of all nonimmigrant visa categories at Visa Application Centers...
On August 25, 2020 Secretary Pompeo, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, has temporarily expanded the ability of consular off...
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that the agency will avert an administrative furlough of more than 13,000 employees, sche...
The U.S Consulates in India has announced that consular sections at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad,...
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today provided guidance on how it will implement Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf’s July 2...
We have learned that the USCIS is wrongly rejected several H-1B petitions claiming insufficient funds in the bank account to honor the check issued...
On August 8, 2020, USCIS announced that Form I-797 Notice of Action showing approval of the I-765 application will be an acceptable document confir...
The Proclamation does not apply to applicants who were in the United States on the effective date of the Proclamation (June 24), or who had a valid...
As per the current interpretation of the Public Law 113-114, H-1B and L-1 employers who employ 50 or more employees in the United States with a wor...
Today, the Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule that adjusts fees for certain immigration and naturalization benefit requests to ...
The U.S. District Court of New York (Southern District) on July 29, 2020 issued an order temporarily blocking the public charge rule during the COV...
A major lawsuit has been filed challenging Presidential Proclamation issued by Donald Trump suspending the entry of foreign nationals on H-1B, L, H...
The Trump Administration on Tuesday 07/14/2020, rescinded its directive issued last week that would bar the international students on F-1 status fr...
The U.S. Department of State on 07/11/2020 has announced that beginning July 15, US Embassies and Consulates may begin the phased resumption of rou...
University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have filed a lawsuit seeking the federal court to temporarily block a Trump administrat...
SEVP Modifies Temporary Exemptions for Nonimmigrant Students Taking Online Courses The ICE and SEVP announced that it would no longer provide exemp...
On June 26, the Texas Service Center will move to a new address. Although the move is scheduled for June 26, USCIS cannot accept mail at the new ad...
The Amended Executive Order signed by President Trump suspends and limits the entry of certain non-immigrants until December 31, 2020. The Executi...
USCIS has now officially rescinded the 2010 Determining Employer-Employee Relationship memo and the 2018 Contract and Itinerary Memorandum. ...
Since June 1, 2020, several students have received notification emails from the U.S. Consulates mentioning that their F-1 visas have been revoked. ...
Current regulations allow certain students with a pending or approved cap-subject H-1B petition to remain in F-1 status during the cap-gap period. ...
AILA [American Immigration Lawyers Association] has informed its members that there have been credible rumors regarding possible Extension and Expa...
Law Office of Thomas V. Allen has filed a lawsuit challenging the H-1B denial for Specialty Occupation and Employer-Employee relationship for our c...
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that it will resume premium processing for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker...
On 21 May 2020, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and IT Serve Alliance reached a settlement agreement, by which the H1B proced...
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has the authority and the responsibility over the admission of t...
Access insight, news and updates from across the Thomas V. Allen