Employment Based Green Card
Government Shutdown: What it means for your visa application
In the early morning of January 20th, officials in Congress and the White House announced that the federal government would shut down. The shutdown came after the Senate failed to pass legislation approving federal spending for the next year. To enable the operations of the federal government, including major bureaucratic agencies like the Department of…
Read MoreBuilding Walls: Canadian Immigration in Trump Era (BAHA)
Over the last couple of days, news of President Trump’s disparaging comments about immigration from Caribbean and African nations has swept through the country. The justified outrage over the racist comments follows a year of anti-immigration sentiments from the executive and members of the Republican Party. Although the Trump Administration failed largely over the last…
Read MoreLooking Towards the New Year: Possible Impacts of HR 170
In the US House of Representatives, a bill, “Protect and Grow American Jobs Act” (HR 170), proposes new minimum salary standards for H-1B visas. The bill made its way out of the House Judiciary committee and proposed a 50% increase in the minimum annual salary from $60,000 to $90,000 for H-1B dependent employers. According to…
Read MoreEmployee Considered “Affected Party” in I-140 Revocation Proceedings
Early this November, the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) in Matter of V-S-G- Inc, recognized that an employee waiting for the approval of an adjustment-of-status application (Form I-485) has a constitutionally protected interest in their underlying immigrant petition (Form I-140). Therefore, the Matter of V-S-G- Inc. allows beneficiaries of employment based visa petitions, who are eligible…
Read MoreDistrict Court Reinstates “Start-up Visa”
On December 1st, United States district judge James Boasberg ruled the Trump Administration’s delay of the Obama-Era International Entrepreneur Rule an unlawful use of administrative power. The ruling effectively reinstates the “start-up visa” program until further response from the administration. Ruling In NVCA v. Duke, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), a group of entrepreneurs…
Read MoreUSCIS Defines Function Manager for EB-1 Category
In a Policy Memorandum released November 8th, USCIS defined “function manager” in terms consistent with the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) decision in Matters of G- Inc. In the case, the Director of the Nebraska Service Center denied the petitioner’s Form I-140 on grounds that the beneficiary, a function manager for the company, was not eligible…
Read MoreTSA to Enforce Real-ID Standards
If you have traveled domestically in recent months, you probably noticed signs posted by the Transportation and Security Agency (TSA). The posting notifies passengers of new regulations for acceptable state identification requirements for travel within the US. Due to the REAL-ID Act (2005), TSA security agents will no longer accept IDs, or driver’s licenses from…
Read MoreAvoiding USCIS Scams
Around the world, foreign nationals are being targeted by immigration scams. The threat is so prevalent and expansive that the www.uscis.gov reserves an entire section of the website for immigration scam protection and prevention. USCIS requires monetary payments from visa applicants for a variety of filing fees and other expenses. Those who are awaiting decisions…
Read MoreApply for EAD and SSN Simultaneously
To work lawfully in the United States, you may need to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSNs report wages to the government and determine eligibility for certain government programs. Earlier last month, USCIS released a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD) that now includes the option to apply for…
Read MoreI-693 Form: Medical Examination and Vaccination Record
An application for Adjustment of Status (AOS) for permanent residency requires many forms and documentation. One such document is a completed I-693 medical examination form. According to USCIS, applications for permanent residents require a medical examination and must provide a I-693 form completed by a designated civil surgeon (or doctor). The results of the medical…
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