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News & EventsH-1B Cap Reminder
There are only eight (8) weeks before the start of the FY 2016 H-1B Cap filing season and to ensure timely filing, it is recommended that employers start submitting LCAs and gathering the necessary documents. Last year, the United States Citizen and Immigration...
BIOMETRICS OUTSIDE OF THE US
Anyone who has filed for a re-entry permit or I-90 (green card renewal) knows that they need to be fingerprinted in the US. This has caused much disruption for those living abroad. We have always wondered why the USCIS could not process these biometrics abroad....
Issues with the Biometric Scheduling System
Persons living on the east coast filing Adjustment of Status applications for permanent residence, Employment Authorization Documents (EAD), Advance Parole Documents, Permanent Residence Card renewals or replacements and re-entry permits (I-131), all need to first...
FILING I-130 PETITIONS AT USCIS OVERSEAS OFFICES
In limited circumstances, I-130 petitions may be filed directly with a US embassy, which will forward the request to a USCIS overseas office for adjudication. The I-130 is the first part of a family based immigrant visa petition. In 99% of all cases, the I-130 is...
Department of Labor to Pursue Modernized Recruitment and Application Requirements for the PERM Program
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the PERM regulations, which govern the labor certification process for the permanent employment of immigrant foreign workers and establish responsibilities of employers who wish to employ these workers permanently in the United...
Latest Information Regarding Work Authorization for H-4 Visa Holders
Dependents of H-1B visa holders (individuals working in a specialty occupation) are currently eligible for H-4 status, but unable to obtain work authorization from USCIS. However, USCIS is currently completing work to finalize a new regulation that would allow H-4...
Interview with Consular Chief, Ian Hopper, U.S. Embassy Amman Jordan
MEETING WITH CONSULAR SECTION By Heidi Son, Esq. US Embassy, Amman Jordan November 2014 Having just recently moved to Amman Jordan less than three months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing the Consular Chief of the U.S. Embassy in Amman, Jordan, Ian...
Update on USCIS Processing Times
We would like to update our clients on current processing times for the various USCIS processing centers. California Service Center Processing Time Report (1/20/15) H-1B: 2 months L: 1 month TN: 2 months Nebraska Service Center Processing Time Report (1/20/15) I-140...
DOL Agrees to Review PERM Regulations
The Department of Labor (DOL) will be reviewing PERM program regulations since it’s launch 10 years ago. Currently, PERM applications must be perfect prior to submission pursuant to recent case law. For example, a case where the employer’s attorney listed the wage as...
Potential changes in definition of specialized knowledge in the L-1b category
An L-1B visa (a type of nonimmigrant visa) may be issued to an alien employee of a multinational company, to allow the employee to transfer from the company abroad to an affiliate company in the United States, if the employee works "in a capacity that . . . involves...