We kick off the week with a brand-new update from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for those applying to extend or change their nonimmigrant status using Form I-539. The agency has announced that it will be exempting all I-539 applicants from paying the biometrics service fee of $85…
If you have been waiting for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to reopen in-person appointments, then this topic may interest you. Recently, USCIS announced the launch of a new procedure to request an in-person appointment at a local USCIS field office by completing an online form. This form may be…
Did you recently file an L-1 petition as an Intracompany Transferee under a previously approved blanket petition? Then you may want to hear about this important new update. On Thursday August 3, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship, and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced new changes to the way that the agency will…
The news we have all been waiting for is finally here. Today, July 31, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship, and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that they have conducted a second lottery to select from previously submitted electronic registrations to reach the FY 2024 numerical cap. At this time, USCIS has notified…
Did you participate in the H-1B electronic registration for Fiscal Year 2024? If so, we have some exciting news for you. On Thursday, July 27, 2023, USCIS issued a news alert informing the public that they will conduct a second H-1B lottery to select additional H-1B registrations to reach the fiscal year…
In this blog post, we share with you an important announcement from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Carrier Liaison Program. The agency has announced that certain nationals participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), who have been physically present in Cuba, or who are dual nationals of Cuba and…
The news you have been waiting for is finally here. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the expansion of premium processing for applicants filing Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, and seeking a change of status to F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, or J-2 nonimmigrant status. For the…
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…
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…
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…