In the nick of time, on December 21, 2023, the Department of State announced that it will continue its interview waiver policy for certain nonimmigrant visa applicants. The agency’s interview waiver policy was previously set to expire on December 31, 2023. However, its implementation will continue starting on January 1,…
Articles Posted in Nonimmigrant Visas
The Department of State Will Officially Launch the Domestic Visa Renewal Pilot Program for H-1B Nonimmigrants in the United States starting January 29th
The rumors are true. For the first time in nearly two decades, the Department of State (DOS) will process domestic visa renewals for certain H-1B visa applicants without requiring them to leave the United States. This is all part of a new pilot program starting January 29, 2024, through April…
DHS Announces Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs
In continuance of the information provided in our blog post concerning additional visa allocations for the H-2B cap, we share new updates recently from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). On November 9, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State (DOS), published…
H-2B Cap Will be Supplemented by 65,000 Additional Visas for FY 2024
We are happy to share some exciting news for H-2B FY 2024 visa applicants and their employers. On November 3, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship, and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the government will make available an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. This is…
U.S. Embassy Israel Suspends Immigrant and Nonimmigrant Visa Services Amid Conflict
In this blog post, we share with you an important update from the U.S. Embassy in Israel. If you have a pending nonimmigrant or immigrant visa application awaiting an interview at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem or U.S. Embassy Branch Office in Tel Aviv, you should be aware that visa…
U.S. Government Designates Israel into the Visa Waiver Program Effective November 30, 2023
The long-awaited news is finally here. The Department of State has announced the designation of Israel into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) effective November 30, 2023. Beginning on that date, citizens and nationals of Israel will be able to apply to travel to the United States for tourism or business…
USCIS Will No Longer Require Biometric Services Fee for all Form I-539 Applicants Starting October 1st
We kick off the week with a brand-new update from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for those applying to extend or change their nonimmigrant status using Form I-539. The agency has announced that it will be exempting all I-539 applicants from paying the biometrics service fee of $85…
What’s New in Immigration: USCIS Introduces New Online Appointment Request Form for In-Person Appointments at Local Field Offices
If you have been waiting for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to reopen in-person appointments, then this topic may interest you. Recently, USCIS announced the launch of a new procedure to request an in-person appointment at a local USCIS field office by completing an online form. This form may be…
New Updates for L-1 Nonimmigrant Blanket Visa Applicants
Did you recently file an L-1 petition as an Intracompany Transferee under a previously approved blanket petition? Then you may want to hear about this important new update. On Thursday August 3, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship, and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced new changes to the way that the agency will…
USCIS Announces Completion of Second H-1B Lottery for FY 2024, Petitioners Notified via myUSCIS Online Accounts
The news we have all been waiting for is finally here. Today, July 31, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship, and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that they have conducted a second lottery to select from previously submitted electronic registrations to reach the FY 2024 numerical cap. At this time, USCIS has notified…