Non-Immigrant Visas (other than Es, Ls and H-1B)

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On March 2nd, the State Department rescinded the previous policy for national interest exceptions (NIE) thereby making it more difficult for nonimmigrant workers and business travelers to obtain national interest exceptions under Presidential Proclamation 10143 in connection with regional travel from the Schengen Area, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

The new policy became…

This evening, February 24, 2021, President Biden posted his Proclamation on Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to The United States.  This new proclamation revokes the ones issued under the previous administration which suspended the travel and issuance of immigrant visas.  See the full text below.

“BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A

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Yesterday, January 20, 2021, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain issued a memorandum regarding review of pending regulatory actions which directs, in part, that (1) all rules pending at the Federal Register that have not been published must be immediately withdrawn, and (2) agencies must “consider” postponing the effective dates for regulations that have…

On December 31, 2020, the President signed a Presidential Proclamation on Suspension of Entry of Immigrants and Nonimmigrants Who Continue to Present a Risk to the United States Labor Market. This proclamation extends Presidential Proclamations (P.P.) 10014 and 10052 through March 31, 2021. P.P.  10014 suspends the entry to the United States of certain immigrant…

Just released by USCIS:  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced an interim final rule (IFR) that strengthens the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program to protect U.S. workers, restores integrity to the H-1B program, and better guarantees that H-1B petitions are approved only for qualified beneficiaries and petitioners.

While the H-1B program was intended to…

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement known as the USMCA is effective July 1, 2020. The USMCA replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) which expired June 30, 2020. As it relates to US immigration, the USMCA includes comparable provisions as found in the NAFTA for Business Visitors, Traders and Investors, Intracompany Transferees, and Professionals. No…

Yesterday, June 22, 2020, President Trump issued the anticipated Proclamation suspending the entry into the US of certain nonimmigrant visa holders.  Specifically, the following new restrictions are in effect 6/24/2020:

  • The executive order applies to foreign nationals who seek to enter the United States in H1B, H-4, H2B, L-1, or L-2 status (as well as

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On Friday, May 29, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced plans for the phased-in resumption of premium processing for eligible I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker petitions and eligible I-129 Nonimmigrant Worker petitions. (See USCIS website at https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-resumes-premium-processing-certain-petitions.)

USCIS temporarily suspended premium processing availability for all eligible Form I-129 and I-140 petitions…

USCIS extends immigration related deadlines:

On March 30, 2020, in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced an extension of the flexibility it announced to assist applicants and petitioners who are responding to the following types of requests, with deadlines:

  • Requests for Evidence;
  • Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14);
  • Notices of

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On April 22, 2020, President Trump issued a proclamation suspending the entry of any individual seeking to enter the United States as an immigrant who:

  • Is outside the United States on the effective date of the proclamation;
  • Does not have a valid immigrant visa as of April 23, 2020; and
  • Does not have a valid

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