Articles Discussing General Topics In Employing Immigrants.

USCIS is extending the validity of conditional permanent residence cards, or green cards, for 48 months beyond the card’s expiration date.

The move is in response to the long processing delays for those filing petitions to remove conditions on residence – the Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) final rule on public charge inadmissibility has been in effect since December 23, 2022. Accordingly, USCIS released a revised Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, for applications submitted on or after December 23, 2022, for adjustment of status to comply

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 H-1B cap will open on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at noon ET, and will end on Friday, March 17, 2023, at noon ET. It is only during this period that employers or

As we move deeper into the new year, the U.S. government continues to try to resolve the challenges facing the immigration system due to the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting processing backlogs. These challenges may still continue, but new changes and updates have already taken effect—and more

In a settlement agreement signed on January 19, 2023, USCIS agreed to “bundle” the adjudication of dependent applicants’ Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status) and Form I-765 (Application for Employment Authorization) with the primary applicant’s Form I-129 (Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker) if the forms are filed together as one

On January 30, 2023, US Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) will permit employers petitioning for multinational managers and individuals seeking a national interest waiver to select premium processing for their petition. Premium Processing is a faster adjudication path the employer may select for certain employment-based immigrant and non-immigrant petitions. If selected, USCIS will render a decision in fifteen calendar days. Regular/non-premium processing times are measured in months.

The United States government has increased a variety of immigration-related fines/penalties, effective January 13, 2023. The higher penalties are only for those cases where the penalties are assessed on January 13, 2023 or thereafter.

These increases were pursuant to the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 2015. Since

On January 4, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would increase fees for specific immigration and naturalization benefit requests. The department’s U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) cited the expansion of humanitarian programs, federally mandated pay raises, additional staffing requirements,

On January 3, 2023, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (”USCIS”) released its long-anticipated updated fee schedule that proposes dramatic increases to the fees employers pay to employ foreign nationals using nonimmigrant visas, and access the permanent residency process.

If enacted, the greatest changes employers will face are visa classification-specific fees. Under the current fee regulation, USCIS charges a fee based on the specific form the employer uses. Employers use the same form to request a variety of different visas. Since visa petitions take dramatically different amounts of time to adjudicate, under the new fee regulations, the visa classification and not the form controls the amount of the fee.

Hoping to recover some of its operating costs, reduce backlogs, and reestablish timely case processing, USCIS is proposing to adjust its fees for the first time since 2016.

The proposed rule is predicted to generate close to an additional $2 billion per year, on average, for USCIS by keeping humanitarian

As we enter the new year, it is helpful to look back on recent news in the world of immigration compliance:

In continuing its efforts to deal with processing backlogs, USCIS is allowing longer automatic extensions of green cards for lawful permanent residents who have applied for naturalization.

Although legal permanent residence (green card status) must be maintained, it does not expire once it is granted. The card that is issued

With the pandemic finally drawing closer to an end, many foreign nationals may use the first opportunity they have had in years to plan international travel this holiday season. In order to avoid any unnecessary hiccups when departing from and returning to the United States pursuant to international travel, foreign

Prior to 2021, collegiate student-athletes were not able to make sponsorship deals and profit from their names, images, and likenesses (NILs). However, in 2021, that changed when the NCAA adopted a new policy allowing student-athletes (those headed for professional teams, as well as less prominent players) to profit from, and

While many COVID-19 travel restrictions have been removed, all nonimmigrant foreign nationals continue to be required to present proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to board an international flight to the United States.

A summary of the COVID-19 vaccination requirements can be found below.

Someone is “fully