USCIS CLOSES OFFICES FOR IN PERSON APPOINTMENTS
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced office closings in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the USCIS: “USCIS Offices Temporarily Closed to the Public: As of March 18, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has suspended routine in-person services until at least April 1 to help slow the spread of Coronavirus Disease […]
FY 2021 H-1B REGISTRATION PROCESS: MANY QUESTIONS, FEW ANSWERS
The USCIS has raised the anxiety levels among practitioners and corporate sponsors by not being fully forthcoming on the new H-1B registration process for FY2021 H-1B Cap subject petitions. The basic construct of the new process will mean that all petitions have to be registered between March 1, 2020 and March 20, 2020. Each petition […]
FY 2021 H-1B REGISTRATION PROCESS DETAILED
The USCIS has announced the successful completion of a registration process which will be implemented for the FY 2021 H-1B Cap petitions. Petitioners or their authorized representatives will be required to electronically register all prospective beneficiaries through the new system. Each registration will cost a $10.00 fee and the initial registration period will last from […]
USCIS INCREASES FILING FEES AMID CONCERNS ABOUT STRINGENT NEW REGULATIONS
The USCIS has released a proposed new rule that impacts multiple categories of immigrant and non-immigrant visas and is rumored to be the first in a series of upcoming measures from the administration. In the 314-page new rule, USCIS states that “USCIS estimates that it will take several years before USCIS backlogs decrease measurably.” At […]
FEDERAL REGISTER DOCUMENTS NEW FY 2021 H-1B REGISTRATION PROCESS
The U.S. Federal Register has recorded the new USCIS registration process which will be implemented for the FY 2021 H-1B Cap petitions. As stated previously, Petitioners or their Authorized Legal Representatives will be required to electronically register all prospective beneficiaries through the new system (which is yet to be unveiled). Each registration will cost a […]
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECUTIRY PROPOSES A MINIMAL FEE OF $10 FOR THE REGISTRATION OF H-1B CAP SUBJECT PETITIONS
The Department of Homeland Security Proposes a Minimal Fee of $10 for the Registration of H-1B Cap Subject Petitions The USCIS is Implementing New Rules for Processing FY2021 H-1B Cap Petitions Through its rules under 8 CFR Part 214, the USCIS implemented new plans for processing H-1B Cap Petitions starting with FY 2021. As stated […]
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE RELEASES OCTOBER VISA BULLETIN
U.S. Department of State Releases October Visa Bulletin Retrogression Is More Severe or Shows Little Movement for Indian Nationals in EB-1 and EB-2 Categories The October Visa Bulletin shows little movement for Indian Nationals – and for cases in the EB-1 category, shows severe retrogression. In the EB-2 category there was only a 4-day advance […]
THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY “ANNOUNCES FINAL RULE FOR A MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT H-1B VISA PROGRAM” WHICH WILL GO INTO EFFECT ON APRIL 1, 2019
The Final Rule Includes an Electronic Registration Requirement, which will be Suspended for the FY2020 H-1B Cap On January 30, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule “amending regulations governing H-1B cap-subject petitions.” The Final Rule, which will be published in the Federal Register on January 31, 2019 and will go into […]
USCIS TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION OF NTA (NOTICES TO APPEAR) POLICY MEMORANDUM ON OCTOBER 1, 2018
The USCIS intends to take an “Incremental Approach” when Implementing the NTA Policy Memorandum On June 28, 2018, the USCIS released a Policy Memorandum called “Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens.” An NTA is a document that orders a foreign […]
F-1 “CAP-GAP” STATUS AND WORK AUTHORIZATION EXTENSION NO LONGER VALID FOR FY2019 CAP
As of October 1, 2018, F-1 “Cap-Gap” Work Authorization Ends for F-1 Students who have H-1B Petitions Still Pending in the FY2019 Cap According to USCIS regulations, “an F-1 student who is the beneficiary of a timely filed H-1B cap-subject petition requesting a change of status to H-1B on [October 1, 2018],” is eligible through the “cap-gap” […]