The Immigration Channel

With the annual opening of the electronic registration process for H-1B cap-subject petitions expected in March 2022, now is the time for employers to begin finalizing their plans for the FY2023 H-1B cap season. Below is additional information and guidance ... More

The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, has authorized consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for H-1, H-3, H-4, L, O, P, and Q nonimmigrant visa applicants who have a petition approved by ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 H-1B cap will open at noon ET on March 1, 2023, and run through noon ET on March 17, 2023. Prospective H-1B ... More

USCIS announced that it would further extend a number of COVID-19-related flexibilities through March 23, 2023. Under these flexibilities, USCIS is effectively granting a 60 day extension for responses to Requests for Evidence (RFE), Notices of Intent to Deny (NOID), ... More

Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a final rule that aligns premium processing regulations with the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act, codifying premium processing fees and adjudication timeframes provided by Congress. This final rule expands the ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2024 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 1 and run through noon Eastern on March 17, 2023. During this period, prospective ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that individuals who previously received deferred action under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) may now file renewal requests on Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, online. Such individuals must ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has completed its selection of registrations submitted during the initial registration period to reach the FY 2023 H-1B annual numerical limitation (Cap). USCIS has notified all prospective petitioners with selected registrations that they are ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced it has received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2024 H-1B numerical allocation (H-1B Cap), including the advanced degree exemption (U.S. Master’s Cap). Although ... More

USCIS has posted an alert confirming “exceptionally high” availability of EB-2 immigrant visa numbers this fiscal year. To avoid wasting unused visa numbers, USCIS “strongly encourage[s]” Adjustment of Status (AOS or green card) applicants who applied based on EB-3 I-140 ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it is again extending the flexibilities it originally announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors who are responding to certain requests. The flexibilities cover responses to: Requests for Evidence; Continuations to Request ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will automatically extend parole and employment authorization, if applicable, to current parolees who timely applied for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) long-term resident status and whose applications remain pending ... More

Today, USCIS selected previously submitted H-1B Cap fiscal year (FY) 2022 electronic registrations using a random selection process after reaching the determination that additional registrations would be necessary to reach the H-1B Cap FY 2022 quota. The H-1B Cap petition ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is temporarily waiving, until September 30, 2022, the requirement that the civil surgeon sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, no more than 60 days before an applicant files an application ... More

USCIS has announced plans to conduct a second random selection lottery from the previously submitted FY 2024 H-1B cap registrations. The second lottery is being conducted due to the need for additional selections to meet the H-1B cap for the ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that qualified healthcare workers who have pending employment authorization document (EAD) renewal applications and EADs that will expire in 30 days or less, or that have already expired, can request expedited processing of ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has begun issuing newly designed permanent resident cards (green cards) and employment authorization documents (EADs). Current cards remain valid until their expiration dates (unless otherwise noted, such as through an automatic ... More

USCIS has agreed to resume concurrent adjudication of H-4, L-2, and I-765 applications for spouses and minor children of H-1B and L-1 nonimmigrants when those applications are filed concurrently with the Form I-129. This policy change stems from a settlement ... More

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued clarifiying guidance on how the agency determines whether an O-1B beneficiary will be evaluated as a person of extraordinary ability in the arts or as a person of extraordinary achievement in the motion ... More