Certain Student Visas Now Can Be Issued One Year in Advance
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) recently announced that first time F and M student visa applicants now can be issued visas up to 365 days in advance of the program start date listed on the I-20...
View ArticleUSCIS Updates Policy on I-140 Ability to Pay
On March 15, 2023, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its ability-to-pay guidance, which can be found in Volume 6, Chapter 4 of the USCIS Policy Manual. The new...
View ArticleUSCIS Announces New I-551 Stamp Mail Delivery Process
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) recently announced a new mail delivery process for lawful permanent residents (LPRs) to receive an alien documentation, identification, and...
View ArticleCourt Affirms DHS Power to Implement the H-4 EAD Rule
On March 28, 2023, the U. S. District Court for the District of Columbia held that the program that allows certain H-4 spouses to apply for employment authorization documents (EADs) was lawfully...
View ArticleMay 2023 Visa Bulletin
This afternoon, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the May 2023 Visa Bulletin. All cutoff dates listed refer to those in the final action chart (i.e., Chart A), unless otherwise specified....
View ArticleDOL Reviews PERM Denials Based on Answers to Question H.10-B
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has agreed to review denials of ETA form 9089, application for permanent employment certification (PERM labor certification) based on question H.10-B, which asks...
View ArticleFee Increases for Certain Nonimmigrant Visas and Border Crossing Cards from...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) recently published a final rule in the Federal Register to raise fees charged by U.S. consulates for many categories of nonimmigrant visas. The cost for border...
View ArticleEmployers Can Now File H2B Petitions for Returning Workers for FY2023
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is now accepting petitions for H2B workers for the late second half of fiscal year 2023 (FY2023), with employment start dates from May 15, 2023, to...
View ArticleUSCIS Extends Validity of Medical Examination Forms to Two Years
On March 31, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) removed the requirement that civil surgeons sign the report of immigration medical examination and vaccination record (form...
View ArticleMurthyAudio: Other Nonimmigrant Options
Many foreign nationals eagerly await results of the annual H1B lottery. Because there normally are many more applicants than available visas, Murthy Law Firm attorneys discuss strategies for filing...
View ArticleNewsFlash! USCIS Releases FY24 H1B Registration Numbers and Raises Concerns...
This morning, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released data relating to the FY24 H1B registration lottery in an eMail to stakeholders and on its H1B Electronic Registration...
View ArticlePriority Dates: How Does the Visa Bulletin Work?
The concept of priority dates is confusing for many. There are statutory limits to the number of foreign nationals who may be granted permanent residency (commonly, green cards) under all...
View ArticleOFLC to Implement New Form ETA 9089 for PERM
The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) soon will cease accepting form ETA 9089, application for permanent employment certification (PERM), via the legacy PERM online filing system, and...
View ArticleUSCIS Extends Suspension of Certain Biometrics Requirement until 30.Sep.2023
The U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the suspension of the biometrics requirement for certain I-539 applicants through September 30, 2023. The prior policy had suspended...
View ArticleOFLC Postpones Implementation of New Form ETA 9089
Today, the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) announced that it is postponing the implementation date for using the new Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) system until June 1, 2023. The...
View ArticleJune 2023 Visa Bulletin
Today, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the June 2023 Visa Bulletin. Most cutoff dates in the employment-based categories remain unchanged. All cutoff dates listed refer to those in the...
View ArticleExpansion of CBP Stampless Entry Program
The U.S Customs and Border Protection (CBP) initiated a “stampless” entry pilot program in April 2022, and is now in the process of implementing the program at all airports, seaports, and land ports of...
View ArticleOverview on H1B1s for Citizens of Chile and Singapore
The annual cap on the H1B category, combined with tremendous demand, has forced many employers and foreign national professionals to seek out reasonable alternatives. One such option for citizens of...
View ArticleCap-Gap Extensions of F-1 Status and OPT
The typical H1B cap-filing season raises questions about extensions of F-1 student status and optional practical training (OPT) before the beginning of H1B status. Many foreign national students tend...
View ArticleMurthyAudio: F-1 Overview
F-1 status, how students can avoid violating their F-1 status, and employment options available to F-1 students are the topics discussed by Murthy Law Firm attorneys in the May 2023 podcast. The MP3 is...
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