The Department of State raised eyebrows earlier this month when it released information that it will be reducing the waiting period for 221(G) “administrative processing,” in an effort to process visas more efficiently. While this is welcome news, in practice it may not mean much. Consulates and Embassies have been notoriously secretive when it comes to 221(G) administrative processing and do not reveal the reason for a visa applicant being placed in administrative processing in the first place, nor the type of security checks that are being conducted. What is 221(G) Administrative Processing ..read more

In this blog post, we alert our readers to a new broadcast message issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) provided updated guidance explaining that Consular officers have the authority to issue F or M student visas for up to 365 days in advance of an international student’s program start date. However, in its broadcast ICE has clarified that this new guidance DOES NOT change the requirement for issuing Forms I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” in the Student and Exchange Visitor Informatio ..read more

In this blog post we share with you the latest trends and projections of the June Visa Bulletin, and updates on visa availability for family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories. To help you prepare for your upcoming immigrant visa or green card filing, we share what you can expect to see in the upcoming month’s visa bulletin. Here are some of the highlights from the June 2023 Visa Bulletin: For employment-based preference adjustment of status filings, USCIS will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart, as they did in May. Similarly, for family-sponsored preference ..read more

CBP No Longer Requires Proof of COVID-19 Vaccination for Air Passengers from Any Country starting today May 12, 2023  The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) now joins the State Department and Department of Homeland Security in announcing the end of the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for international travelers starting today Friday, May 12, 2023. Noncitizen nonimmigrant air passengers will no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated with an accepted COVID-19 vaccine to board a flight to the United States ..read more

In this blog post, we share recent guidance released by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for supporters and beneficiaries of Uniting for Ukraine and nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, requesting humanitarian parole to the United States. Individuals participating in these programs must have a supporter in the United States who agrees to provide financial support for the duration of their parole in the United States. The first step in the process is for the U.S.-based supporter to file a Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of ..read more

Welcome back to Visalawyerblog! In this blog post we share with you some breaking news regarding the COVID-19 vaccination requirement for non-immigrant international travelers. On May 4, 2023, the State Department announced that the Biden administration will end the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, 2023, which marks the end of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency. After this date, beginning May 12, noncitizen nonimmigrant air passengers will no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated with an accepted COVID-19 va ..read more

In this blog post, we share with you new guidance released by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regarding instances where the last day of filing a benefit request or response to a Request for Evidence or a Notice of Intent to Deny, Revoke, Rescind, or Terminate, falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or federal holiday. USCIS recently issued a policy alert clarifying that the agency does not accept paper-based applications or petitions on Saturdays, Sundays, or federal holidays. In light of this, USCIS has clarified that, in instances where the last day of a period for filing a pape ..read more

This Friday afternoon, we share with you some interesting new insights revealed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regarding the recent H-1B electronic registration period for fiscal year 2024. USCIS has disclosed that this H-1B season, it received 758,994 eligible registrations for FY 2024, breaking its previous record of 474,421 eligible registrations just the previous year. This represents a 60% increase in eligible registrations, with 284,573 more registrants in comparison to last year’s H-1B season. In terms of actual selections, USCIS selected a total of 110,791 registrati ..read more

In this blog post, we share with you some recent updates in the world of immigration. Suspension of Visa Services in Sudan Today, April 24, 2023, the Department of State announced suspension of non-immigrant and immigrant visa services in Sudan, due to armed conflict in the country. The U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended all operations on April 22, 2023, and all personnel have been evacuated under orders of the Department of State. All Immigrant and Diversity Visa interviews have been cancelled until further notice.  Those with an inquiry about a pending post-interview Immigrant Visa cas ..read more

We have good news for applicants filing Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, requesting an extension of stay in or change of status to H-4, L-2, or E nonimmigrant status. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that it has extended the temporary suspension of the biometrics submission requirement for this group of applicants. Previously, USCIS had suspended the biometrics requirement until May 17, 2023. With today’s announcement, the suspension of biometrics will continue through September 30, 2023, for H-4, L-2, and E nonimmi ..read more