Headlines: 1. USCIS Expands ‘FIRST’ Digital FOIA System -USCIS said FIRST is the only system in the U.S. government that allows users to submit and track FOIA requests and receive documents digitally. 2. USCIS Extends Parole and Work Authorization for Certain CNMI Residents -USCIS will automatically extend parole, and employment authorization if applicable, for certain […]
Category Archives: Immigration Insider
Headlines: 1. USCIS Aims to Decrease Processing Times Based on Location for Applications for Naturalization and to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status -USCIS said this may mean scheduling applicants to appear for an interview at a field office outside of their normal jurisdictions. 2. Green Card Backlogs Are Long, Growing, and Inequitable, CATO Institute […]
Headlines: 1. Ken Cuccinelli Named Acting Director of USCIS -Mr. Cuccinelli previously served as Virginia’s attorney general from 2010 to 2014. 2. Visa Bulletin for July Notes Slowdowns or Retrogressions (Visa Unavailability) in Several Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Categories Before End of Fiscal Year -The Visa Bulletin also includes details on expected potential monthly movement for […]
Headlines: 1. Premium Processing Begins for Remaining H-1B Cap-Subject (Lottery) Petitions -On June 10, 2019, USCIS will begin premium processing for all remaining FY 2020 H-1B lottery petitions. 2. OFLC’s New Online ‘FLAG’ Portal to Replace iCERT -The Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) will serve as the new application filing and case management portal for […]
Headlines: 1. State Dept. Notes Continued Heavy Demand, Retrogressions (Visa Unavailability) in Several Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Categories -The Visa Bulletin for June 2019 notes heavy demand in several employment-based visa categories for India and Vietnam. 2. USCIS Requests Info on EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Experience -USCIS wants information from attorneys, accredited representatives, regional center owners, […]
Headlines: 1. Regulatory Agenda Includes Stripping Employment Eligibility From H-4 Spouses of H-1B Visa Holders, Other Actions -The agenda also includes a proposal to revise the definition of “specialty occupation” to “increase focus on obtaining the best and the brightest” foreign nationals via the H-1B program, revise the definition of “employment” and “employer-employee relationship” to […]
Headlines: Trump Proposes Merit-Based Immigration Plan – President Donald Trump proposed an immigration plan on May 16, 2019, that shifts the emphasis to a merit-based system to admit highly educated, high-skilled immigrants. USCIS Completes Data Entry for FY 2020 H-1B Cap-Subject (Lottery) Petitions – USCIS announced that it has completed data entry for all […]
Headlines: 1. USCIS Clarifies Period of Authorized Stay for P-1S Essential Support Personnel of Individual Athletes -USCIS emphasizes that the periods of initial authorized stay are different for individual athletes (P-1A visa) and their essential support personnel (P-1S visa). 2. DHS Increases H-2B Cap for FY 2019 by 30,000 Additional Visas -The purpose of the […]
Headlines: 1. SSA Resumes Issuing No-Match Letters -The Social Security Administration has resumed mailing notifications to employers identified as having at least one name and Social Security Number combination submitted on the wage and tax statement (Form W-2) that do not match SSA’s records. A no-match letter is not necessarily an indication that a person […]
Headlines: 1. E-2 Investor Visa Program Opens to Israelis May 1 -Effective May 1, 2019, the E-2 investor visa program will open to Israelis under a reciprocal treaty investor agreement signed between the United States and Israel. 2. USCIS Responds to Congressional Letter Asking for Info on Backlog Causes -The letter asked the agency to […]