Readers of the July Visa Bulletin may have been surprised to learn that the final action date for the employment-based third preference category for nationals of India retrogressed by more than 3 years and 5 months from June 15, 2012 (in the June Visa Bulletin) to January 1, 2009 (in…
Articles Posted in Consular Processing
Nonimmigrant Visa Fee Increases Effective June 17, 2023
Certain types of nonimmigrants will be expected to shell out more money for the nonimmigrant visa process. The State Department has announced that starting June 17, 2023, nonimmigrant visa (NIV) application processing fees for visitor visas for business or tourism (B1/B2s and BCCs), and other non-petition based nonimmigrant visas such…
July Visa Bulletin: Big Advancements for Family Sponsored Categories, and EB-3 Retrogressions
It’s that time of the month again. Time to share the latest trends and projections of the July Visa Bulletin! To help you prepare for your upcoming immigrant visa or green card filing, in this blog post, we share what you can expect to see in the upcoming month’s visa bulletin…
Department of State Vows to Decrease Administrative Processing, but is it an Empty Promise?
The Department of State raised eyebrows earlier this month when it released information that it will be reducing the waiting period for 221(G) “administrative processing,” in an effort to process visas more efficiently. While this is welcome news, in practice it may not mean much. Consulates and Embassies have been…
Important Announcements for F or M International Students and Increases in Fees Starting May 30, 2023
In this blog post, we alert our readers to a new broadcast message issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) provided updated guidance explaining that Consular officers have the authority to issue F or M student visas for up to…
All About the June 2023 Visa Bulletin
In this blog post we share with you the latest trends and projections of the June Visa Bulletin, and updates on visa availability for family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories. To help you prepare for your upcoming immigrant visa or green card filing, we share what you can expect to see…
This Week in Immigration: Suspension of Visa Services in Sudan, ICE launches online CeBONDS capability to automate bond payments
In this blog post, we share with you some recent updates in the world of immigration. Suspension of Visa Services in Sudan Today, April 24, 2023, the Department of State announced suspension of non-immigrant and immigrant visa services in Sudan, due to armed conflict in the country. The U.S. Embassy…
Your Guide to the May 2023 Visa Bulletin
It’s that time of the month again. The Department of State has released the May 2023 Visa Bulletin, giving you the latest updates on visa availability for family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories. To help you prepare for your upcoming immigrant visa or green card filing, we share what you can…
All About the April 2023 Visa Bulletin
In this blog post, we discuss major changes in the April 2023 Visa Bulletin for both family-sponsored and employment-based categories. To help you prepare for your upcoming immigrant visa or green card filing, we share what you can expect to see in the employment based and family preference categories for…
AILA Meeting with State Department Representatives: Q & A
In this blog post, we share with you new information provided by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Department of State Liaison Committee following a meeting with the National Visa Center (NVC) addressing some common issues of concern for immigrant visa applicants waiting for their visas to be processed at…