The H-1B cap season for FY 2023 is almost here! USCIS has just announced that the H-1B initial registration period for the FY 2023 cap is scheduled to open at noon ET on March 1, 2022 and will remain open until noon ET on March 18, 2022. As our readers are aware, in 2020…
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DHS Issues Federal Notice Updating STEM Designated Degrees for Post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) Eligibility
More immigration news is coming your way. This week important updates have been released for F-1 students seeking post-completion Optional Practical Training in certain STEM-related fields of study. DHS Issues Advance Copy of STEM Designated Degree Program List for post-completion Optional Practical Training If you are an international student studying…
Certain EOIR Immigration Court Hearings Postponed due to Omicron COVID Surge
We begin the start of a new week with more unpleasant COVID-19 related delays. If you planned to attend an immigration hearing before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), you may find yourself out of luck. The EOIR recently announced that beginning January 10, 2022, the agency has postponed…
Your Guide to the February 2022 Visa Bulletin, What to Expect, and More!
It is that time of the month again! In this blog post, we will cover the release of the February Visa Bulletin 2022 and what you can expect for employment based and family preference categories during the month of February 2022. The Department of State releases the visa bulletin on a monthly…
USCIS Announces Continued Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests Through March 26, 2022
Welcome back to Visalawyerblog! In this post, we share with you an exciting new update from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that will provide relief to those who have received a Request for Evidence, Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID), or such similar request. USCIS RFE/NOID Flexibility…
Department of State Releases Information Regarding Waiver of the In-Person Interview Requirement for Certain Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants
We have very exciting news for nonimmigrant visa applicants. Today, December 23rd, the Department of State announced that the agency has granted Consular officers the discretionary power to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain temporary employment nonimmigrant visa applicants, provided such applicants have a petition approved by USCIS. This…
Your Guide to the January 2022 Visa Bulletin, What to Expect, and More!
It is that time of the month again! In this blog post, we will cover the release of the January Visa Bulletin 2022 and what you can expect for employment based and family preference categories during the month of January 2022. The Department of State releases the visa bulletin on a monthly basis,…
The Latest on the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program, AILA Urges USCIS to Hold EB-5 RC Petitions in Abeyance
The bad news continues for the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program. As our readers will know, the EB-5 Regional Center program has been in a period of lapse following Congressional failure to reauthorize the program after its expiration at midnight on June 30, 2021. Such reauthorization was expected to…
USCIS Announces Temporary Waiver of “60-Day Rule” for Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record (Form I-693)
In this blog post we share with you the latest news for medical examinations filed by green card applicants. Today, December 9, 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it is temporarily waiving the requirement that civil surgeons sign Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, no more…
ANNOUNCEMENT: Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Applicants May Now File Forms I-821 and I-765 Online!
We are happy to share some great news for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applicants! On November 29, 2021, the United States Citizenship, and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that TPS applicants may now file Form I-821 Application for Temporary Protected Status and I-765 Application for Employment Authorization entirely online for certain…