Applicants for the FY 2021 Diversity Lottery can now check their results on the U.S. Department of State (DOS) website. You will need your confirmation number from your application. DOS recommends keeping the confirmation number until at least September 30,…
Blog Archives
Immigration updates from the government.
USCIS to Resume Certain Services on June 4, 2020
Beginning June 4, 2020, certain USCIS field offices and asylum offices will resume non-emergency face-to-face services to the public. This includes oath ceremonies, naturalization, and some green card interviews. Application support centers (ASC), which handle biometric appointments, will resume services…
Posted in Updates
Trump’s Presidential Proclamation “Banning Immigration” Released
On Monday night at 10:06 pm (PST) on April 20, 2020, President Trump tweeted the following: In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I…
Did Trump Really Just Ban All Immigration Via a Tweet?
On Monday night, President Trump tweeted the following: In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily…
Updated I-9 Compliance Requirements for Employers Impacted by COVID-19
On March 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will defer the physical presence requirements associated with the processing of Form I-9 employment eligibility verification for employees. Here are the highlights: Employers with employees taking…
USCIS Updates Form I-9
On January 31, 2020, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) introduced a new version of the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. The new version of the form has a revision date of 10/21/2019 on the lower left-hand corner and…
Supreme Court Clears Way for Public Charge Rule to Take Effect
On Monday, January 27, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Trump Administration’s request for a stay of the nationwide injunction against the Department of Homeland Security’s public charge rule, clearing a path for the implementation of the public charge…
Termination of US-Iranian Treaty Impacts Iranian E-1/E-2 Visa Holders
On January 22, 2020, USCIS announced that due to the Oct. 3, 2018 termination of the 1955 Treaty of Amity, Economic Relations, and Consular Rights with Iran, Iranian nationals are no longer eligible for E-1 treaty trader and E-2 treaty…
Posted in Updates
Important Changes Regarding the H-1B Lottery Process In 2020
The H-1B silly season is upon us! For this year’s H-1B cap season (known as fiscal year (FY) 2021), USCIS will implement a new registration process, such that employers will not have to file the complete H-1B petition on April…
Significant Visa Fee Increases for Australian Nationals
On December 23, 2019, and without any prior notice, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) revised the reciprocity schedule for Australia for certain nonimmigrant visa categories. The changes include dramatically higher fees for E, F, H, L and R visa…
Posted in Updates
