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USCIS Resumes Premium Processing for Certain Petitions
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that it will resume premium processing for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, in phases over the next month.
Effective June 1, 2020, USCIS will accept Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service for all eligible Form I-140 petitions.
USCIS Begins Implementing New Interactive Voice Response Telephone System
USCIS is introducing a new interactive voice response (IVR) telephone system today for English and Spanish calls to the USCIS Contact Center. The new IVR system personalizes the caller’s experience by giving the caller the ability to:
USCIS Publishes Interim Final Rule Implementing the Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act of 2018
Rule creates new requirements for CNMI employers to protect U.S. workers
DHS Offers Flexibilities to Increase Food Security, Stabilize U.S. Supply Chain During COVID-19
WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a temporary final rule to change certain H-2B requirements to help support the U.S. food supply chain, maintain essential infrastructure operations and reduce the impact from the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency.
Military Personnel and Veterans Can Now File Their Form N-400, Naturalization Application, Online
WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that U.S. service members and veterans can now file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, online.
USCIS Extends Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests
In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March 30 to assist applicants and petitioners who are responding to certain:
May 14, 2020 Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday)
Nonimmigrant Visas
Immigration Law
FAQs:
- Covid Coronavirus: H-B during Covid, H-1B not sure if I am laid off, LCA/H-1B amendments, and travel during H-1B
- H-1B start own business or invest
- Promotion after getting the green card
- Extraordinary circumstance EAD
- Extension of tourist stay during Covid
- H-1B delayed entry
May 28, 2020 Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday)
Green Card
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 28 May 2020:
FAQ: Applying for I-485 through a past employer or through a new employer || L-1A moving back to home country with green card pending || Can green card be applied for an old job under the international manager EB1C category? || Applying for naturalization/citizenship under Trump administration || Effect on H-1B of working from outside the USA || Laid off while green card is pending
Other: Porting priority date from EB-2 two EB-1C as international manager || J-1 gap in status/O-1 visa || H-1 RFE converting to H-4 || Amendment or extension timing || Nunc pro tunc or consular processing of H-1B || H-4 extensions || OPT and CPT times || International adoption procedures || F-1 student working in the USA for a foreign company, etc.
Rajiv's Article - Decoding US' rule allowing STEM students on OPT to work for startups
Published by: The Economic Times - Date: January 02, 2024
Link: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/work/decoding-us-new-rule-allo…
Synopsis
STEM OPT Employed with Startups - A Special Case
For international students on an F-1 visa in the United States, the STEM OPT extension program provides an opportunity to gain valuable work experience after graduation while extending their stay in the US for a chance of an H-1B lottery win. Concomitantly, the program is invaluable for US employers in facilitating access to well-qualified workers, most with graduate degrees.
USCIS Issues Policy Guidance on “Ability to Pay” Requirement When Adjustment of Status Applicants Change Employers
Release Date
01/05/2024
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today issued policy guidance (PDF, 322.3 KB) on how USCIS analyzes an employer’s ability to pay the proffered wage for immigrant petitions in certain first, second, and third preference employment-based immigrant visa classifications, including instances when the sponsored worker is changing employers.
Recording for January 4, 2024 Conference Call with Rajiv S. Khanna
Nonimmigrant Visas
Green Card
Discussion Topics, Thursday, January 04, 2024
FAQ: Holding two full-time IT jobs on H-4 EAD || Transitions From H-1B job loss to B-2 status and impact on future H-1B employment || NIW Criteria || H-1B laid off: grace period, last employment date, health insurance, and legal stay during change of employer
Updated USCIS Forms
USCIS recently updated the following form(s):
08/31/2021 10:46 AM EDT
Edition Date: 08/31/21 E. USCIS will also accept the 08/31/21 edition. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
Visa Bulletin For February 2024
Number 86
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS FOR PREFERENCE IMMIGRANT VISAS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during February 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.
Agency
Green Card
Immigration Law
USCIS to Launch Organizational Accounts, Enabling Online Collaboration and Submission of H-1B Registrations
Release Date
01/12/2024
Will Also Introduce Online Filing for I-129 H-1B Petitions and H-1B I-907 Premium Processing Service
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the upcoming launch of a package of customer experience improvements for H-1B cap season. The measures are expected to increase efficiency and ease collaboration for organizations and their legal representatives.
PERM Processing Times (as of 12/31/2023)
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | January 2023 |
| Audit Review | December 2022 |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | March 2023 |
Agency
Green Card
Immigration Law
Jan 13, 2024, Rajiv in QnA session on behalf of students, young professionals
Immigration.com
Nonimmigrant Visas
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
Rajiv's Article - Green Card 101: Why you should be interested in the National Interest Waiver
Published by: The Economic Times - Date: January 17, 2024
Link: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/migrate/green-card-101-why-you-should-be-interested-in-the-national-interest-waiver/articleshow/106930371.cms
Recording for January 18, 2024 Conference Call with Rajiv S. Khanna
Nonimmigrant Visas
Green Card
Discussion Topics:
FAQ: H-1B lay off 60 days grace, options including B-1/B-2, approved I-140, Severance pay || Optimizing H-4 EAD options and bundling premium processing for H-1B and H-4 extensions || Implications of visa fraud by an employer on H-1B, L-1, green card, citizenship || Advantages of a National Interest Waiver, transitioning to EB-1, entrepreneurship, and H-4 employment for spouse
January 20, 2024, Rajiv in QnA session on behalf of students, young professionals
Immigration.com
Nonimmigrant Visas
SUBSCRIBE to Immigration.com YouTube Channel for further updates.
mmigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
USCIS Forms Update Notice
Recently updated USCIS forms:
Form I-942, Request for Reduced Fee
12/20/2023 12:51 PM EST
Edition Date: 12/20/23. Starting March 25, USCIS will only accept the 12/20/23 edition. Until then, you can also use the 12/02/21 and 02/13/19 editions. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
USCIS Updates Guidance on Untimely Filed Extension of Stay and Change of Status Requests
Release Date
01/24/2024
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced an update to its Policy Manual providing that USCIS, in discretion and under certain conditions, may excuse a nonimmigrant’s failure to timely file an extension of stay or change of status request if the delay was due to extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of the applicant or petitioner.
H-1B Lottery Regulation Implementing Beneficiary-Centric Selection
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 8 CFR Part 214
[CIS No. 2766-24; DHS Docket No. USCIS-2023-0005] RIN 1615-AC70
Improving the H-1B Registration Selection Process and Program Integrity AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, DHS.