Alert: 2026 U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery Registration Period Has Begun
The Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (colloquially the diversity visa or diversity lottery) is designed to promote immigration to the United States by natives of countries with otherwise low US immigration rates. Interested applicants must have been born in a country of low admission to the United States. If the applicant was not born in a […]
PERM Processing Times Update: October 1, 2024
PERM Applications As of September 1, 2024, the Department of Labor was conducting Analyst Reviews of PERM applications filed on or before August 2023 and conducting Audit Reviews of cases filed on or before December 2022. The DOL is reviewing Reconsideration Requests to the Certifying Officers that were appealed on or before February 2024. Please […]
New Guidance on Child Status Protection Act
On September 25, 2024, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published new guidance regarding the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA). For immigration purposes, a child is an unmarried individual who is under 21 years old. A person who is older than 21 years loses eligibility to gain a green card as a child, […]
Client Alert: USCIS Extends Green Card Validity Extension to 36 Months for Green Card Renewals
Permanent Residents who need to replace their physical green card due to loss, theft, damage or expiration must file form I-90 to request the issuance of a new card. When the Permanent Resident has filed form I-90 to replace an expiring green card, the I-90 receipt notice may be paired with the old green card […]
Client Alert: Government Shutdown Update
The current government fiscal year will toll on September 30. In order to provide continued funding for the federal government, Congress must pass legislation permitting further spending by December 20.[1] If an agreement cannot be reached by this time, the federal government faces a shutdown. If a shutdown does occur, this means that spending ceases […]
Client Alert: Guidance on Paying Fees and Completing Information for Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers
In early 2024 USCIS updated most filing fees, which had remained static since 2016 in order to account for inflation. Prior this, USCIS charged a flat fee for each I-140 filing. The new I-140 fees consist of a $715.00 filing fee and a variable Asylum Program fee. Generally, the Asylum Program fee is $600.00. USCIS […]
October 2024 Visa Bulletin
The October 2024 visa bulletin has been published. USCIS will be accepting cases this month based on dates for filing, not final action. Changes are as follows for both charts. If a change is not listed here, the date remained the same. Final Action *Most of these are moving forward and not retrogressions so we […]
DHS Implements Keeping Families Together Process
On August 19, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security announced a Federal Register Notice to implement the Keeping Families Together process. The Process will apply to certain nonimmigrant spouses and stepchildren of US Citizens who are present in the US without admission or parole to request parole in place. USCIS will immediately begin accepting requests […]
PERM Processing Times Update: September 3, 2024
PERM Applications As of August 1, 2024, the Department of Labor was conducting Analyst Reviews of PERM applications filed on or before July 2023 and conducting Audit Reviews of cases filed on or before December 2022. The DOL is reviewing Reconsideration Requests to the Certifying Officers that were appealed on or before November 2023. Please […]
USILAW Success Story: BALCA Reverses Four PERM Denials in Consolidated Decision
In a recent decision for a USILAW client, the Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (“BALCA”) vacated the wrongful denial of four PERM Labor Certification cases and remanded them for certification. The Certifying Officers (“COs”) had previously denied certification on the basis that the dates the PERM applications were filed did not comply with the […]
