Visa Bulletin For June 2015
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during June. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; U.S.
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during June. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; U.S.
Starting May 26, 2015, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B Extension of Stay petitions until July 27, 2015. During this time frame, petitioners will not be able to file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, for a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, requesting an extension of the stay for an H-1B nonimmigrant. USCIS will continue to premium process H-1B Extension of Stay petitions filed with Form I-907 premium requests prior to May 26, 2015.
USCIS has published information to help eligible H-4 dependent spouses who want to apply for employment authorization under the Employment Authorization for Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses final rule.
You can view the information on:
On April 9, 2015, USCIS’ Administrative Appeal Office (AAO) issued a precedent decision, Matter of Simeio Solutions, LLC, which held that employers must file amended H-1B petitions when a new Labor Condition Application for Nonimmigrant Workers (LCA) is required due to a change in the H-1B worker’s worksite location. Specifically, the decision stated:
***Please note that you may not apply for employment authorization under the new H-4 rule until May 26, 2015***
REMINDER: Do NOT submit an application for employment authorization (Form I-765) before May 26, 2015. USCIS will not accept a Form I-765 requesting employment authorization based on your H-4 status until the H-4 rule takes effect on May 26, 2015. If you submit a Form I-765 requesting employment authorization on this basis before May 26, 2015, USCIS will reject and return your application with the filing fee. You would then need to re-submit the application on or after May 26, 2015.
Beginning Monday, June 1, 2015 USCIS will accept only the new version (edition date: 01/29/2015) of Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service. The edition date is printed at the bottom of every page. USCIS will reject previous editions of this form if you submit them on or after June 1.
Each month, the Visa Office subdivides the annual preference and foreign state limitations specified by the INA into monthly allotments based on totals of documentarily qualified immigrant visa applicants reported at consular posts and CIS Offices, grouped by foreign state chargeability, preference category, and priority date.
All USCIS offices worldwide are open. Activities continue despite Government Shutdown.
On the other hand The State Department had this announcement to make
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are jointly issuing this Investor Alert to warn individual investors about fraudulent investment scams that exploit the Immigrant Investor Program, also known as “EB-5.”
A registered nurse who is coming to the United States to perform labor in covered health care occupations (other than as a physician) and wishes to apply for Immigrant Visa(Permanent Resident Status) is required to have the following:
While E-Verify is unavailable, you will not be able to access your E-Verify account. As a result, you will be unable to:
Physicians seeking a permanent employment opportunity in the United States and employers seeking to sponsor a physician for lawful permanent residency based on permanent employment in the United States must go through a multi-step process.
Foreign nationals and employers must determine whether the foreign national is eligible for lawful permanent residency under one of several, acceptable paths to lawful permanent residency.
Effective immediately, all K visa applicants are required to complete the DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application. The DS-160 replaces forms DS-156, DS-156K, and DS-230.
For K visa cases already in process at a U.S. embassy or consulate, the DS-160 is not required when, prior to October 7, 2013, one of the following situations exist:
Effective immediately, all K visa applicants are required to complete the DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application. The DS-160 replaces forms DS-156, DS-156K, and DS-230.
For K visa cases already in process at a U.S.
Immigration courts nationwide are continuing to adjudicate detained cases. Court functions that support the detained caseload will continue, but other functions are suspended. For specific information about a particular court, please see below.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announces that Congress passed a bill extending the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program for Iraqi nationals who worked for or on behalf of the U.S. government, which the President signed into law on Oct. 4, 2013.
Review the FAQs below for more information about the online DS-260 form.
You must have:
Immigration courts nationwide are continuing to adjudicate detained cases. Court functions that support the detained caseload will continue, but other functions are suspended. For specific information about a particular court, please see below.
According to the New York Times :
About 12:30, President Obama signed the measure passed by the Senate and the House to reopen the government and extend federal borrowing power. Earlier, the Office of Management and Budget said federal employees should return to work on Thursday.
E-Verify has resumed operations following the federal government shutdown. All E-Verify features and services are now available.
If an H-1B, H-2A, or H-2B petitioner submits evidence establishing that the primary reason for failing to timely file an extension of stay or change of status request was due to the government shutdown, USCIS will consider the government shutdown as an extraordinary circumstance and excuse the late filing, if the petitioner meets all other applicable requirements.