As we celebrate this great country on the 4th of July, may we remember our blessings of living in a free country where we are all created equal. Warm wishes to you and yours on this Fourth of July! In observance of the Independence Day holiday our offices will be…
Articles Posted in Work Visas
All About the EB-3 Retrogression for India in the July Visa Bulletin
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…
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…
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…
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: CBP Releases Update ending COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for International Travelers, New CDC Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance for Civil Surgeons Completing Form I-693 Immigration Medical Examination
CBP No Longer Requires Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Passengers from Any Country starting today May 12, 2023 The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) now joins the State Department and Department of Homeland Security in announcing the end of the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for international travelers starting…
State Department Announces the End of COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Nonimmigrant International Air Travelers and Land Travelers, Starting May 12th
Welcome back to Visalawyerblog! In this blog post we share with you some breaking news regarding the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for non-immigrant international travelers. On May 4, 2023, the State Department announced that the Biden administration will end the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for international air travelers at the end of…
New Insights into the FY 2024 H-1B Electronic Registration Period – Most Competitive Season Yet with Record High Registrations
This Friday afternoon, we share with you some interesting new insights revealed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regarding the recent H-1B electronic registration period for fiscal year 2024. USCIS has disclosed that this H-1B season, it received 758,994 eligible registrations for FY 2024, breaking its previous record of…
What’s New in Immigration: USCIS Extends Temporary Suspension of Biometrics Submission for Form I-539 Applicants seeking H-4, L-2, or E Status
We have good news for applicants filing Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, requesting an extension of stay in or change of status to H-4, L-2, or E nonimmigrant status. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that it has extended the temporary suspension of the…
H-2B Visa News: Employers May File for FY 2023 Beginning April 13, 2023
Good news for U.S. employers of H-2B visa workers! Starting April 13, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), will begin accepting petitions for H-2B temporary non-agricultural workers for the late second half of fiscal year (FY) 2023, for employment start dates from May 15, 2023, to September 30,…