EB-5 Regional Center Annual Reports are Due by December 29, 2015

Maria del Carmen Ramos
Maria del Carmen Ramos

During its most recent stakeholders teleconference, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) reminded participants that regional center reports for 2015 Fiscal Year were due on October 1, 2015, and must be filed by no later than December 29, 2015. USCIS recommended that regional centers complete all fields on Form I-924A, and timely file the required reports. Continue reading “EB-5 Regional Center Annual Reports are Due by December 29, 2015”

USCIS Suspends Final Adjudication of Employment-Based Adjustment Applications Until October 1, 2015

Maria del Carmen Ramos
Maria del Carmen Ramos

Effective September 24, 2015, USCIS will suspend final adjudication of employment-based Adjustment of Status Applications. Continue reading “USCIS Suspends Final Adjudication of Employment-Based Adjustment Applications Until October 1, 2015”

USCIS Suspends Premium Processing of Petitions for H-1B Extension

Mechelle Zarou
Mechelle Zarou

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced yesterday that it will temporarily suspend premium processing of Petitions for H-1B extensions beginning on Tuesday, May 26, 2015. USCIS will continue to process H-1B extensions that were received prior to May 26.  USCIS will refund the premium processing fee for H-1B extensions filed prior to May 26, 2015, but not processed within the 15-calendar-day period. Continue reading “USCIS Suspends Premium Processing of Petitions for H-1B Extension”

DHS Asks Court to Dismiss Lawsuit Challenging H-4 Work Authorization

Maria del Carmen Ramos
Maria del Carmen Ramos

While the lawsuit challenging President Obama’s executive action continues to garner headlines, an additional lawsuit has been filed contesting another part of the executive actions that DHS is attempting to implement.  This time the lawsuit is challenging the administration’s authority to give work authorization to the H-4 dependent spouses of certain H-1B nonimmigrants. Currently, H-4 spouses are not authorized to engage in employment unless the spouse has his/her own work visa. Continue reading “DHS Asks Court to Dismiss Lawsuit Challenging H-4 Work Authorization”

Premium Processing Update for Selected H-1B Petitions

Maria del Carmen Ramos
Maria del Carmen Ramos

United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will begin premium processing H-1B petitions selected during its April 13, 2015 lottery by no later than April 27, 2015.

Continue reading “Premium Processing Update for Selected H-1B Petitions”

Alert: USCIS Conducts Random H-1B Lottery for FY 2016

Maria del Carmen Ramos
Maria del Carmen Ramos

Today, after receiving nearly 233,000 petitions, United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it conducted its lottery (a computer-generated random selection process) to select the H-1B petitions that it will adjudicate for the 65,000 general-cap and 20,000 master’s cap visas available for FY 2016. Continue reading “Alert: USCIS Conducts Random H-1B Lottery for FY 2016”