Yesterday, President Biden rescinded Proclamation 10014. Proclamation 10014 suspended the entry of certain immigrants until March 31, 2021. This immigrant visa ban affected employment-based, family-based and Diversity Lottery immigrant visa (green card) applications, with limited exceptions. Effective immediately, consulates are permitted to resume processing affected immigrant visa applications. The nonimmigrant ban affecting certain H-1B, H-2B, … Read more

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that it will delay the H-1B Selection final rule, which amends the regulations governing the process by which USCIS selects H-1B registrations for the filing of H-1B cap-subject petitions, until December 31, 2021. The final rule, which was to take effect on March 9, 2021, would replace … Read more

USCIS has just announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 H-1B cap will open at 12pm EST on March 9 and run through 12pm EST on March 25. During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to fill out petitioner and beneficiary information and submit their registrations online. As before, there will be a $10 registration fee. USCIS intends to complete selections and notify registrants of … Read more

President Trump has extended Proclamation 10052 and Proclamation 10014 which were set to expire on December 31, 2020. Both Proclamations have been extended until March 31, 2021 and may be extended further. Proclamation 10052 restricts the issuance of certain nonimmigrant visas such as H-1B, H-2B, L-1, and certain J-1 statuses, including those for dependents. The … Read more

For the first time since 2016, USCIS is adjusting the fees required to file applications and petitions with the Service. They have calculated that the weighted average of the change is an increase of approximately 20%. Some fees have increased dramatically, and others have actually decreased. Some of the changes impacting cases frequently filed by … Read more

As a result of an injunction issued by the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York on July 29, 2020, USCIS will not apply the enhanced “public charge” requirements that went into effect on February 24, 2020. Pursuant to this decision, USCIS has indicated that applications or petitions filed on or after … Read more