News

Revised Form I-539 Change…

Revised Form I-539 Changes

In March 2019, USCIS published new editions of Forms I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status and I-539A, Supplemental Information for Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status with edition dates of February 4, 2019. USCIS also… Read More
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August 2019 Visa Bulletin

August Visa Bulletin Available U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released the August 2019 Visa Bulletin. Understanding the Visa Backlogs There are a limited number of employment-based immigrant visas (“green cards”) available each… Read More
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Categories: Visa Bulletin
July 2019 Visa Bulletin

July 2019 Visa Bulletin

July Visa Bulletin Available U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released the July 2019 visa bulletin. Understanding the Visa Backlogs There are a limited number of employment-based immigrant visas (“green cards”) available each yea… Read More
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Categories: Visa Bulletin
USCIS To Close Internatio…

USCIS To Close International Offices

USCIS plans to close all of its international field offices by March 10, 2020. USCIS already closed the Ciudad Juarez Field Office in Mexico and the Manila Field Office in the Philippines, and plans to take a staggered approach with the remainder of… Read More
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Proposed H-1B Registratio…

Proposed H-1B Registration Fee Regulation Pending Review at OMB

On May 22, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its Spring 2019 Fall Unified Agenda of Regulatory and De-regulatory Actions. This list is a public overview of anticipated federal regulatory actions. It is important to note that t… Read More
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Categories: H-1B
New Zealand Nationals Now…

New Zealand Nationals Now Eligible for E-1 & E-2

Starting last Monday, June 10, 2019, USCIS announced that New Zealand nationals can request a change of status to the E-1 nonimmigrant trader classification and E-2 nonimmigrant investor classification. E-1 status allows citizens of specific countrie… Read More
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USCIS Starts Premium Proc…

USCIS Starts Premium Processing for H-1B Petitions Today

Today, June 10, 2019, USCIS will begin premium processing for the remaining fiscal year 2020 H-1B cap-subject petitions. Starting today, petitioners may file the request for premium processing, or the Form I-907, with the USCIS service center that is… Read More
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DOL Will Only Accept ETA-…

DOL Will Only Accept ETA-9141 via FLAG System

Starting today, June 10, 2019, the Department of Labor will only accept the Application for Prevailing Wage Determination (Form ETA-9141) in the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) System. This change is a part of the Department’s initiati… Read More
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Check-in with DOS's Charl…

Check-in with DOS's Charlie Oppenheim

AILA’s Department of State (DOS) Liaison Committee checks in each month with Charlie Oppenheim, the Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division at DOS for updates about Visa Bulletin progress. Oppenheim also provides analysis of current tr… Read More
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DHS Adjusting Student and…

DHS Adjusting Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) Fees

DHS issued a final rule which will increase fees for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), effective 06/24/2019. It adjusts fees for school certification petitions and applications for nonimmigrants seeking to obtain F visas (academic stud… Read More
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