Are you seeking to adjust your status and become a U.S. permanent resident under a family-sponsored or employment-based preference immigrant visa?
On April 1, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2017 cap. U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in occupations that require highly specialized knowledge in fields such as science, engineering and computer programming.
The congressionally mandated cap on H-1B visas for FY 2017 is 65,000. The first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed for individuals with a U.S. master’s degree or higher are exempt from the 65,000 cap.
On March 1, USCIS began transferring certain cases to the Potomac Service Center (PSC) from other service centers to balance workloads. The affected casework includes Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, filed by F-1 and M-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and J-1 dependents.
USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the
DHS extended the designations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for an additional six months. Although there have been significant improvements in the conditions in all three countries since their designations for TPS in November 2014, the lingering effects of the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak and continued recovery challenges support this six-month extension. The extended designation is effective May 22, 2016, through Nov. 21, 2016.
The STEM Designated Degree Program list is a complete list of fields of study DHS considers to be science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields of study for purposes of the 24-month STEM optional practical training extension described at 8 CFR 214.2(f). Under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(2), a STEM field of study is a field of study “included in the Department of Education’s Classification of Instructional Programs taxonomy within the two-digit series containing engineering, biological sciences, mathematics, and physical sciences, or a related field.
Topics for Discussion:
FAQ: 221(g) Administrative Processing problems with visa stamping; H-1 entering USA when visa is about to expire; Advantages of Special Handling process for PERM university professors; Travel while H-1 COS is pending; Does H-4 EAD has to be applied again if H-1 changes jobs?
Other: TPS from Nepal and AOS or COS; COS or visa stamping for F-1; 240 days H-1 pending; Applying for naturalization; PERM appeal; Changing employers after I-140 approval; I-140 approved, Applying for H-1 extension with another employer; Changing EB-1B job profile after green card approval; Options if OPT is denied; H-1B transfer through multiple employers; U visa; AC21 I-140 revocation when employer is out of business; Continuing (simultaneously) with old job even after green card is approved; etc.
Workload Transfer from the Vermont Service Center to the Nebraska Service Center
USCIS recently began transferring certain casework from the Vermont Service Center (VSC) to the Nebraska Service Center (NSC) to balance workloads and decrease processing times.
The NSC will now process some:
Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, for petitioners requesting H-1B nonimmigrant classification;
As you study for the U.S. history and government (civics) test, make sure that you know the most current answers to these questions. Periodically, answers change to reflect the results of federal and state elections and appointments or to clarify content and ensure consistency in terminology. The revised answers to the questions below are effective immediately.
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PERM Processing Times (as of 05/31/2018)
WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began issuing redesigned Certificates of Citizenship and Naturalization today, following a successful pilot in four USCIS field offices and one service center. The redesign of these eight certificates is one of the many ways USCIS is working to combat fraud and safeguard the legal immigration system.
WASHINGTON—Starting June 1, benefit-granting agencies using U.S.
I am currently working on L1B with company A and I received my H1B I-797 last year from same company A, but didn’t do the conversion to it yet.
I want to change to company B in regards to which I have the below questions:<br>
1- What is the process of switching the visa, and does it need me to setup an interview appointment?<br>
2- If yes, does this have to be out of USA and in my home country?<br>
3- Do I need to get the stamping for H1B with company A before moving to company B? Or can I switch to company B without going for H1B stamping for company A?
FAQ: How does one change status while within the United States?
Video Transcript
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
As previously announced, USCIS began accepting H-2B petitions on May 31, 2018, under the temporary final rule increasing the numerical limit, or cap, on H-2B nonimmigrant visas by up to 15,000 additional visas through the end of fiscal year (FY) 2018.
USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):
FAQ: Can EB-2 approved file for EB-3?
On May 31, 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began receiving H-2B petitions under the temporary final rule increasing the numerical limit, or cap, on H-2B nonimmigrant visas by up to 15,000 additional visas through the end of fiscal year (FY) 2018.
As of June 11, 2018, petitioners who file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence, or Form I-829, Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status, will receive a Form I-797 receipt notice that can be presented with their Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card, as evidence of continued status for 18 months past the expiration date on their Permanent Resident Card.
With speculations that EB-3 may go ahead of EB-2, can we port down to EB-3 from EB-2 using existing labor, in general is it risky to do that, what happens if porting is denied will we loose existing approved EB-2 petition?.
Watch the Video for this FAQ: Can EB-2 approved file for EB-3?
Video Transcript:
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
USCIS has recently updated the following form: