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

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On March 18, USCIS extended the suspension of all routine face-to-face services with applicants at all of its offices through May 3, to protect its workforce and to help mitigate the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our communities.  USCIS offices plan to re-open on May 4, unless the public closures are extended further.

This includes…

Today USCIS announced it has received enough electronic registrations during the initial period to reach the FY2021 H-1B cap.  USCIS conducted a lottery by randomly selecting from the registrations properly submitted.  USCIS will notify petitioners with registrations selected no later than March 31, 2020.  Petitioners will be able to file an H-1B cap subject petition…

March 20, 2020: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced the immediate and temporary suspension of premium processing service for all Form I-129 and I-140 petitions until further notice due to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Effective today, March 20, 2020, USCIS will not accept any new requests for premium processing.  USCIS will process …

In an effort to allay concerns and to enable our clients to adjust plans relevant to nonimmigrant or immigrant visa status in light of the current unprecedented situation, we are providing you with this update regarding current operations of relevant government agencies and any special notifications, dispensations or waivers granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. …

** As of March 25, 2020, USCIS has updated its temporary closures described below and has extended the suspension of in-person services to April 7, 2020. **

In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, USCIS announced temporary office closures effective March 18, 2020.  USCIS is suspending all in-person services at its field offices,…

By Catherine V. Wadhwani and Robert S. Whitehill

Without fanfare, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently updated its website with an Alert https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/public-charge relating to its Public Charge requirements in the context of the Novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.  As concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. increase, USCIS recognized that …

The recent wave of public and private university and college closings due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is only going to increase throughout the United States.    Many colleges and universities have already moved to remote instruction with all classes online.   The cancellation of all remaining spring and winter sports championships by the NCAA is further evidence…

A recent federal district court decision from the Middle District of North Carolina has blocked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from enforcing its 2018 Memorandum on F, J, and M Nonimmigrant Unlawful Presence nationwide. In Guilford College et al. v. Chad Wolf, U.S. Department of Homeland Security et al., Federal District Judge, Loretta…

From the Public Engagement Division of USCIS:  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on 12/6/19 the requirement for employers seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption, to first electronically register and pay the associated $10 H-1B registration fee before filing a petition for the fiscal year 2021 H-1B…

On November 14, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security published a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register to adjust the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Immigration Examinations Fee Account (IEFA) fee schedule.  The public comment period is open until December 16, 2019.

Unlike most government agencies, USCIS is fee-funded.  According to the…