It Is Ok to Smile Again – but Not Too Much
Washington, D.C. – May 22, 2019: The Department of State (“DOS”) announced today that it is updating its guidance regarding photographs for visa processes. Under the latest guidance, it is permissible for applicants to show a faint smile, with no teeth showing. The guidance, set out at 9 FAM 303.6-2(A)(1) (U) “Photo Standards”, is copied […]
USCIS Begins Roll Out of New E-Filing for Visitor Visas
WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 22, 2019: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) today announced the launch of a new e-filing system for filing Form I-539 extension of status for certain B-1 / B-2 visas for visitors for business or pleasure, as well as certain M-1 visas for vocational students. USCIS currently has an online system […]
USCIS Completes H-1B Lottery For 2019-2020
Washington, D.C. – May 17, 2019: USCIS has completed data entry for all fiscal year 2020 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in our computer-generated random selection process, including those selected under the U.S. advanced degree exemption. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected in the H-1B lottery. Our law firm […]
EB-5 Visa Projections Update – Upcoming Indian EB-5 Waitlist
Washington, D.C. – May 15, 2019 – The U.S. Department of State (DOS) recently provided updated predictions on the EB-5 visa waiting lists for China, Vietnam, India, and the rest of the world. The news for India has not changed. The DOS predicts a waiting list for Indian-born EB-5 investors starting in June or July […]
USCIS Names New Deputy Director
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has named Mark Koumans as its Deputy Director. Koumans has a background of service with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and its umbrella agency, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Koumans also served for 17 years with the U.S. Foreign Service under the Department of State. I.A. […]
Canadian L-1 Pilot Program Extended for One Year
Canadians who qualify for L-1 Manager, Executive, or Specialized Knowledge employee visas can look forward to another year of remote adjudications at the Blaine, Washington port of entry. The pilot program, scheduled to expire on April 30, 2019, has been extended for one year until April 30, 2020. This preserves the three choices open to […]
Is This the Right Time for U.S. Citizens to File Green Card Petitions for Their Parents?
Although family-based petitions account for over two-thirds of all immigration approvals, the future may bring increasing legislative scrutiny and quota restrictions, as lawmaking discussions focus on business immigration visas. In its 2017 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recorded 1.1 million total immigrant approvals. 516,000 of these approvals were for U.S. […]
Embassy Branch in Tel Aviv Will Begin Processing Israeli E-2 Visas in May
As we reported in March, the E-2 Treaty Investor program is set to begin processing visa applications by Israeli businesses, nationals, and citizens starting on May 1, 2019. Israeli businesses and their staff may file directly with the U.S. embassy branch office in Tel Aviv without any prior USCIS filing. However, all applications to the […]
Washington, D.C. – April 25, 2019: For Immigration, Federal Laws on Controlled Substances Override State Laws
In a Policy Alert issued last week, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed its stance on controlled substance laws: violations of federal laws on controlled substances will continue to affect determinations of an alien’s good moral character, even if local state laws have decriminalized such activity. This Policy Guidance comes in the wake […]
Washington, D.C. – April 23, 2019: New Version of I-526 Filing Forms Scheduled for June Changeover
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on its I-526 website that a new version of the filing form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur, is now available. The latest version of the form, dated 04/15/2019, is substantively identical to the previous version, retaining the expanded request for 5 years of the petitioner’s employment history […]