General Nonimmigrant Visa

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently began transferring some extension of stay casework from the Vermont Service Center to the California Service Center to balance workloads. The affected casework includes the following form:

• I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, filed by an employer to extend the stay of an alien to perform services as an H-1B specialty occupation worker.

How You Will Be Affected

For temporary visitors to the United States (nonimmigrants), reciprocity tables, available from the drop-down menu above, show applicable visa issuance fees by country and by visa classification type, and the maximum period of visa validity and number of applications, or entries, that may be authorized.

The Department of State has updated the visa reciprocity tables. Please click here to get the updated information.

http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/fees/fees_3272.html

[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 215 (Wednesday, November 6, 2013)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 66813-66815]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-26590]

[[Page 66813]]

Vol. 78

Wednesday,

No. 215

November 6, 2013

Part II Department of State

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

22 CFR Part 41

According to "Times of India" :

The US government plans to punish Indian outsourcing giant Infosys with the largest immigration fine ever for seeking visas fraudulently for workers at big clients in America, the Wall Street Journal reported. 

Infosys is accused of putting workers on visitor visas rather than work visas. The former are much easier and cheaper to obtain than the latter. The fine is expected to be about $35 million, the paper said, quoting people close to the matter. 

UNCLASSIFIED
STATE
00112850
AUG 13
SUBJECT: NEXT STEPS ON DOMA

GUIDANCE FOR POSTS

Currently, the LCR displays all certified H-1B1 and E-3 Labor Condition Applications (LCA) and Permanent labor certifications, dating back to April 15, 2009. However, the Department is experiencing technical difficulties with the display of approved H-1B LCAs. In addition, due to the historical paper-based filings of H-2A and H-2B applications, these labor certification documents must be manually redacted and uploaded to the LCR and, therefore, only a limited number of records covering Fiscal Year 2013 are currently available.

The I-94 Web Application has been designed to provide travelers with the I-94 number that is assigned by Customs and Border Protectio or CBP - upon entrance to the United States. The I-94 number may be used for verification with other government agencies. Foreign travelers entering the UnitedStates at air or sea ports of entry will be able to access their electronic Form I-94 by visiting www.cbp.gov/I94

To learn more about this Web Application please visit the link below.

The period of time when an F-1 student’s status and work authorization expire through the start date of their approved H-1B employment period is known as the "Cap-Gap". 

The Yearbook of Immigration Statistics is a compendium of tables that provides data on foreign nationals who, during a fiscal year, were granted lawful permanent residence (i.e., admitted as immigrants or became legal permanent residents), were admitted into the United States on a temporary basis (e.g., tourists, students, or workers), applied for asylum or refugee status, or were naturalized. The Yearbook also presents data on immigration enforcement actions, including alien apprehensions, removals, and returns.

On February 28, 2013, USCIS will disable the alternative legacy online filing channel for Form I-539 and offer customers the option to: 

• File online with USCIS ELIS, or 
• File a paper application by mail.

Following the launch of our paperless electronic immigration system, USCIS ELIS, we offered customers three ways to file the Form I-539. Since then, USCIS has improved USCIS ELIS and consolidated its filing methods.