Breaking News: USCIS to conduct Interviews for All Employment Based Green Cards

According to an article by Politico, it seems that under the rules of "extreme vetting", USCIS will be conducting an interview on adjustment of status for those applying for permanent residence based on employment (EB). Immigration authorities will require an in-person interview for certain applicants for green cards, a change likely to slow the process of obtaining one. The new requirement, which was confirmed Friday by a spokesman for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, will apply to anyone moving from an employment-based visa to lawful permanent residency. Visa holders who are family…Read More Breaking News

USCIS Investigation Results in Guilty Plea from Former Airline Staffing Executive Release Date: Aug. 11, 2017

LOS ANGELES—Thanks to the investigative efforts of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Eleno Quinteros Jr., the former vice president of operations for two airline mechanicstaffing companies, plead guilty yesterday to charges of making false statements in support of lawful permanent resident petitions for dozens of the companies’ mechanics. “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has zero tolerance for those who try to fraudulently misuse our country’s lawful immigration system,” said Susan Curda, director of the USCIS Los Angeles District. “We are proud of our role in uncovering this scheme and bringing the perpetrator to…Read More Breaking News

June 2017 Visa Bulletin – Retrogression on EB1 for India

Newark CA May 10 2017 - To our surprise, it seems that EB1 for India is retrogressed to January 2012 for Chart A (processing dates) on the Visa Bulletin June 2017. Fortunately, the acceptance date on Chart B is still current implying that EB1 categories will still be able to file for adjustment of status if they wish to do so. As for the EB2 and EB3 India, there are no great movements although we are glad it has not retrogressed. See full Visa Bulletin June 2017 here. June 2017 Visa BulletinRead More Breaking News

USCIS Completes Data Entry of Fiscal Year 2018 H-1B Cap Subject Petitions

USCIS announced on May 3, 2017, that it has completed data entry of all fiscal year 2018 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in our computer-generated random process. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected. Due to the high volume of filings, USCIS is unable to provide a definite time frame for returning these petitions. USCIS asks petitioners not to inquire about the status of submitted cap-subject petitions until they receive a receipt notice or an unselected petition is returned. USCIS will issue an announcement once all the unselected…Read More Breaking News

USCIS to crack down on H1B holders

Putting American Workers First: USCIS Announces Further Measures to Detect H-1B Visa Fraud and Abuse Agency Creates Avenue for American Workers to Report Abuse Release Date: April 3, 2017 WASHINGTON – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced multiple measures to further deter and detect H-1B visa fraud and abuse. The H-1B visa program should help U.S. companies recruit highly-skilled foreign nationals when there is a shortage of qualified workers in the country. Yet, too many American workers who are as qualified, willing, and deserving to work in these fields have been…Read More Breaking News

USCIS Will Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2018 Beginning April 3

WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year 2018 cap on April 3, 2017. All cap-subject H-1B petitions filed before April 3, 2017, for the FY 2018 cap will be rejected. The H-1B program allows companies in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require the application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific specialty, or its equivalent. H-1B specialty occupations may include fields such as science, engineering and information technology.…Read More Breaking News

Endless wait on Eb-2 ended with successful EB-1A petition!!!

  • Posted on March 9, 2017
  • /Under EB1
Client V.M. contacted Attorney Sharif Silmi after watching his informative video about keys to filing a successful EB-1A petition (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuE_TpNWksk) and asked for an analysis for EB1A. V.M., originally from India, has been in the United States for 16 years. First as a graduate student then after completing his studies he was hired as an information systems analyst with a large utility company. He had an approved EB-2 I-140 with potentially decades to go before his priority date came due. After being turned away by several attorneys, V.M. put his trust in the…Read More Breaking News

USCIS Will Temporarily Suspend Premium Processing for All H-1B Petitions

Announcement from USCIS Starting April 3, 2017, USCIS will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions. This suspension may last up to 6 months. While H-1B premium processing is suspended, petitioners will not be able to file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service for a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker which requests the H-1B nonimmigrant classification. We will notify the public before resuming premium processing for H-1B petitions. Who Is Affected The temporary suspension applies to all H-1B petitions filed on or after April 3, 2017. Since FY18 cap-subject…Read More Breaking News

Ninth Circuit today refused to lift the block on President Donald Trump’s immigration ban

At issue in this emergency proceeding is Executive Order 13769, “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States,” which, among other changes to immigration policies and procedures, bans for 90 days the entry into the United States of individuals from seven countries. Two States challenged the Executive Order as unconstitutional and violative of federal law, and a federal district court preliminarily ruled in their favor and STATE OF WASHINGTON V. TRUMP 3 temporarily enjoined enforcement of the Executive Order. The Government now moves for an emergency stay of the district…Read More Breaking News

USCIS Message: I-765 Workload Transfer and Form I-140 Filing Location Updates

Message from AILA: USCIS announced that on December 19, 2016, it began sending some Forms I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, filed by applicants with a pending asylum application from the Nebraska Service Center and the Texas Service Center to the Potomac Service Center in order to balance workloads. USCIS also changed the direct filing address for Form I-140 cases requesting premium processing with a worksite location in Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Tennessee.Read More Breaking News