This is the latest release from USCIS. I think they are misreading the fees requirement. The law seemed to require higher fees only for L-1 employee counts (see my highlighted comments below under 19 December 2015 entry). The current USCIS release counts both L-1 and H-1 employees even for H-1 filing fees. We will wait and see if this clarified
Effective Monday December 21, 2015, per the Fiscal Year 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act, the U.S. Consulate in Chennai will begin collecting an additional (U.S. dollar) $4,500 per application for all new Blanket L-1 applications.
An L-1A visa can be obtained for an international manager or executive who manages other professionals or who manages an important function of the organization (“functional manager”). Historically, it has been difficult to obtain L-1A for functional managers. USCIS is more esily convinced where professional employees are being managed.
USCIS published an update to Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence. The new edition is dated 11/23/15.
Starting 02/29/16, USCIS will accept only the 11/23/15 edition. USCIS will not accept editions dated 04/13/13 or earlier after that date. The edition date can be found at the bottom of every page on the form and instructions.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has approved the statutory maximum of 10,000 petitions for U-1 nonimmigrant status (U visas) for fiscal year 2016. This marks the seventh straight year that USCIS has reached the statutory maximum since it began issuing U visas in 2009.
USCIS recently began transferring certain casework from the Vermont Service Center (VSC) to the California Service Center (CSC) and Nebraska Service Center (NSC) to balance workloads. The CSC will now process Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status.
This entry is now old law. The new law is at http://www.immigration.com/blogs/i-140-ead-regulations-effective-17-jan…
Note: Updated all of the regulations comments on 31 December 2015. I will keep adding, as needed.
Starting January 1, 2016, customers who wish to file Form I-290B, Notice of Motion or Appeal, in response to a decision on their Form N-600 or N-600K must mail their Form I-290B to the Chicago Lockbox. USCIS will no longer accept these forms at local field offices.
Customers should mail their Form I-290B for Form N-600 or N-600K to:
| FORM NUMBER |
CASE TYPE |
TIME |
|---|---|---|
| I-129CW | CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker | 6 months or less |
|
I-129F |
Petition for Fiancée |
6 months or less |
|
I-129 H1B |
Nonimmigrant Specialty Occupation Worker |
6 months or less |
Discussion Topics, Thursday, September 30, 2021:
FAQ: Obtaining student or visitor's visa while a green card is pending || Continuing to use H-1B when I return on Advance Parole || Nuances of changing employers during the green card process || Green card holder working on multiple jobs - Is it legal? || How long can green card holders stay outside the U.S.? || Effect of a career change on naturalization process and timing.
Published by: The Times Of India - Date: October 02, 2021
Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv in the article:
We filed an H-1B extension petition for a small software company that offers customer software and technology solutions to the local clientele. USCIS approved the classification portion of the petition, but denied the portion of the petition requesting an extension of stay. USCIS stated that beneficiary had failed to maintain his nonimmigrant status because his H-1B status had expired prior to the filing of the H-1B extension petition and he was only in an authorized period of stay because of a pending extension request from the previous employer.
We responded to a Form I-485 Request for Evidence to prove that approximately a decade ago the permanent residency applicant had, in fact, attended two U.S. universities as he had claimed in previously approved petitions. Both universities had been certified by ICE under its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) during the applicant’s attendance.
We filed an H-1B petition for a company that provides IT related services, on behalf of the beneficiary, a software developer. An RFE was subsequently issued, responded to and then denied as failing to prove that petitioner established that sufficient speciality occupation work was available and that the position qualified as a specialty occupation. We filed an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Office, the appeal was sustained and the petition was remanded back for issuance of an approval notice.
We filed an H-1B extension petition for a software consulting and professional services firm on behalf of a software architect requesting status and work authorization for a duration of three years. The extension was, however, approved for a duration much shorter than requested and the approval notice was both dated and received after the shorter validity period had already expired, thereby destroying the legal status of the employee and causing him to accrue unlawful presence.
| Form Type | Case Type | Completed 0-180 Days | Quarterly Completions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative total of all completions | 47.50% | 1,061 | |
| I-129CW | Petition for CNMI Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker | 100% | 3 |
| I-129E2 | CNMI Treaty Investor | 100% | 5 |
| I-129F | Petition for Fiancée |
Number 59
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during November for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, October 14, 2021:
FAQ: Reentering the U.S.A. on a Visitor’s/Tourist Visa Soon After Leaving || Can GC-EAD holder start business and what impact on the pending I-485? || FAQ: Can GC-EAD holders start a business and what impact on the pending I-485? || Is there a problem listing one location in a PERM application while living and working remotely in a different location? || EB-2/EB-3 Options in PERM Filing and EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade and upgrade
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | May 2021 |
| Audit Review | November 2020 |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | May 2021 |
USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):
Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
08/31/2021 12:09 PM EDT
Starting 12/20/21, USCIS will only accept the 08/31/21 edition. Until then, you can use the 04/24/19 edition. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA)
08/31/2021 11:12 AM EDT
Release Date
10/20/2021
Eligible Hong Kong Residents May Apply for EADs and Travel Authorization
Release Date
10/20/2021
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is issuing updated and comprehensive guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual on adjudicating applications for T nonimmigrant status (or T visas) submitted by victims of human trafficking, including clarifying how applicants establish eligibility.