USCIS Opening a New Lockbox Facility
Release Date
USCIS is planning to open a new facility in Elgin, Illinois, next year to expand the lockbox capability.
Release Date
USCIS is planning to open a new facility in Elgin, Illinois, next year to expand the lockbox capability.
We assisted a client company in filing an EB-2-based PERM. The submitted ETA Form 9089 was selected for an audit by DOL. They requested evidence/explanation as to why only the specified combination of a higher degree and significant years of experience were required, beyond the normal requirements defined by O*Net, a source of occupational data often cited by the government.
We successfully responded to an H-1B request for evidence (RFE), questioning the beneficiary’s maintenance of status. The beneficiary’s previous employer (Employer A) had submitted an H-1B extension. While the petition was pending the beneficiary’s nonimmigrant status expired. An RFE was subsequently received by Employer A, and following the filing of a comprehensive RFE response, the petition was denied.
We assisted petitioner, a public accounting firm, in filing an H-1B petition for beneficiary for the position of staff accountant. We received an RFE requesting additional evidence that the position qualified as a specialty occupation by satisfying at least one of the four qualifying criteria for a specialty occupation. In our lengthy response, we argued that the job duties, as detailed in the petition, and as compared with OOH’s job description for staff accountant not only comports with but goes beyond OOH guidance in its uniqueness and complexity.
We filed an H-1B extension for a specialized medical practice on behalf of a physician who had completed a fellowship in this specialty. We subsequently received a Request for Evidence questioning whether his position satisfied the requirements for a specialty occupation and questioning his current immigration status.
We were approached by an employer in the health and wellness industry to respond to an RFE (Request for Evidence) for an Operations Research Analyst. The RFE indicated that the job duties were vague, and did not allow Service to ascertain the minimum requirements for the position, or determine whether it constituted a specialty occupation. We responded with considerable detail, elaborating on the job duties and providing considerable context about the employer and the strict FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations that they are required to operate under.
We assisted an employer in successfully responding to a Request for Evidence (RFE) received subsequent to the filing of an H-1B (specialty occupation worker) extension petition. The RFE requested additional information regarding the employer and the beneficiary’s qualifications. More specifically, the RFE questioned the evidentiary value of an education evaluation that was provided with the petition, requesting additional evidence regarding the qualifications of the college official who authored the evaluation.
In this case we assisted a client whose employee, with a valid H-1 visa stamped in this passport, traveled outside the U.S. and was unable to return due to the COVID 19 travel restrictions. We prepared a comprehensive letter with details about the petitioning employer, the specific project that the employee would be assigned to, and the urgency of the employee’s presence in the U.S., to the consulate requesting consideration under the National Interest Exception (NIE) for business travel to the U.S. for vital support of the U.S.
In this case our client retained us to respond to a Request for Evidence (RFE) that he had received for the I-130 that was filed on his behalf by his sister. There were two issues identified in the RFE: 1. His birth registration certificate was registered more than two decades after the client’s birth. Service requested we provide the oldest documentation available that would establish a sibling relationship between the petitioner and the beneficiary; and 2.
We assisted a client company, who develops its own software products and provides related consulting services in filing an H-1B petition to employ a software developer. An RFE was issued requesting additional information regarding the employer, and additional documentation to show that the beneficiary was engaged in a valid curricular practical training (CPT) and was maintaining a full course study in a master’s degree program at a U.S. university at the time of filing.
In a huge relief for Indian techies spooked over reports of the Trump administration considering a proposal to prevent the extension of H-1B visas, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services said it “is not considering a regulatory change that would force H-1B visa holders to leave the United States” reports The Indian Express.
I am UK citizen and had withdrawn a bank loan when I was in UK, which I did not pay back. I am on bad credit in UK.
Currently I am working in USA for more than 2 years and my current employer in USA is ready to sponsor Green Card for me. My current USA employer does not know about my bad credit in UK.
My Question is: During background and security check for green card process, will this loan effect my GC? Does the GC background and security check process includes financial unpaid loans/bad credits in other countries as well?
Watch the Video on this FAQ: Does bad credit or private loans/litigation affect immigration?
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.
The USCIS London Field Office in the United Kingdom is moving to the new U.S. Embassy facility in the Nine Elms area of London. The last day that USCIS will provide services at Grosvenor Square facility will be January 10. Anyone who has an urgent request while the field office is closed should email USCIS.london@uscis.dhs.gov for assistance.
On January 10, 2018, the Department of State launched improvements to how we share information with U.S. travelers. These improvements will provide U.S. citizens with clear, timely, and reliable safety and security information worldwide. Under the new system, every country will have a Travel Advisory, providing levels of advice ranging from 1 to 4:
Discussion Topics, Thursday 11 January 2018:
FAQ: Submitting adjustment of status, form I-485, When the applicant is in between projects/not working || H-4 EAD rules change and H-1B extensions rules change || Change in job title after getting a green card approval || Transferring H-1B while an RFE is pending || How to find an accredited university to get Master’s degree to process an EB-2 green card. Other: Wage requirements under the H-1B LCA ||Converting back to H-1B from a compelling circumstances EAD ||Extending H-1B from outside the USA with an approved I-140 || RFE pending delay in an adjustment of status case || Applying for adjustment of status while in authorized period of stay||Status while an H-1B extension spending ||Questions about EB-5 green card through investment/investment visa ||H-1B quota exemption if approved within
On February 12, 2018, the Texas Service Center (TSC) will begin processing certain Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker petitions for L nonimmigrant classification, also known as L visas. The TSC will share this workload with the California Service Center to balance workloads and to provide flexibility as USCIS works towards improving processing times and efficiency. The Vermont Service Center will no longer process any new Form I‑129 petitions requesting L nonimmigrant classification.
Jan. 13, 2018, Update: Due to a federal court order, USCIS has resumed accepting requests to renew a grant of deferred action under DACA. Until further notice, and unless otherwise provided in this guidance, the DACA policy will be operated on the terms in place before it was rescinded on Sept. 5, 2017.
Form Type | Case Type | Completed 0-180 Days | Quarterly Completions |
---|---|---|---|
Cumulative of all completions | 99.4% | 1,160 | |
I-129CW | CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker | 100% | 1 |
I-129E | Treaty Trader or Investor | 100% | 4 |
In January 2017, the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) modified how it presents processing time information. Previously, the AAO reported, by form type, the average completion time for the month’s cases. But certain scenarios (such as a month with few completions in certain categories) could result in an imprecise portrayal of processing times. The AAO will now provide, by form type, the total number of completions for the quarter and the percentage completed within 180 days, which is our goal.
While submitting application for 485, must the primary applicant be on a project? My husband is a consultant on H1B, the employer has filed for green card - should my husband in a project during the 485 submission; will a between projects situation be an issue for filing 485?
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.
Number 14
Volume X
Washington, D.C
Are you seeking to adjust your status and become a U.S. permanent resident under a family-sponsored or employment-based preference immigrant visa? If you have not yet had a relative or employer file an immigrant visa petition on your behalf, please learn more about the Adjustment of Status Filing Process.
I can only recommend working with Rajiv's law offices. Rajiv himself and his teammates (Kalpana in our case) have been professional, efficient, smart and reliable.
We started to work with Rajiv to apply for a cap H1B in March 2016. Our file was excellent and we have been selected. Our petition, to our and Rajiv's immense surprise, has been denied without any relevant arguments from the immigration agent. Rajiv gave us precious advices, he was confident that we would win with an appeal. Rajiv built our appeal file, and later our RFE answer. We contacted Rajiv and Kalpana many times in the process; they always came back to us promptly and proposed call appointments in the next 2-4 business days. They were very well organized and precise in their answers. Our appeal has been sustained.
I was finally able to get the H1B visa. I know Rajiv and Kalpana are a big part of our success. I am very grateful for their work.