H-1B Work Visa
ACICS Regains Accreditation
Following a December of 2016 decision by the U.S. Secretary of Education, the Department derecognized the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, or ACICS, as an agency that can “provide schools with a seal of approval for educational quality.” However, on March 23rd, the U.S. District court for D.C. remanded the decision by Education Secretary…
Read MoreUSCIS Launches New User-Friendly Employment Eligibility Website
Early this month, USCIS launched a new website E-Verify.gov. The website provides employers, employees, and the public an online platform for electronic employment eligibility verification. The new website will help employers and employees to access E-Verify information through a more user-friendly site. Features For years, E-Verify provided employers with the ability to confirm the eligibility…
Read MoreSocial Media Screening Included in State Department Efforts towards ‘Extreme Vetting’
On March 30th, the State Department released a proposal that would greatly slow processing for all visa classifications and provide sensitive data to the State Department officials. In response to the Trump Administration policies towards ‘extreme vetting’ of foreign nationals entering the United States, the State Department announced that it would begin to screen the social…
Read MoreUSCIS to Destroy Returned Green Cards, EADs, & Travel Documents after 60 Days
USCIS announced recently that, beginning April 2nd, all Permanent Resident Cards, Employment Authorization Cards (EADs), and Travel Documents returned as undeliverable by the United States Postal Service (USPS) will be destroyed after 60 business days unless USCIS is contacted by the recipient. A change of address, without proper reporting to USCIS, could result in a…
Read MoreUSCIS Processing Times Gain Transparency
USCIS recently announced exciting news for those with pending USCIS cases. A new pilot website now offers a user-friendly platform that estimates the processing time for your application. The website is still in the testing stages and will first offer the service to four types of forms. Clearer Processing Times Several factors impact the processing…
Read MoreUSCIS Suspends Premium Processing (H-1B/ FY19)
USCIS announced on March 20th that the service would temporarily end premium processing for all applications subject to the FY19, including cap exemptions for master’s and upper level degree holders. As the April 2nd deadline draws near, USCIS prepares to accept fiscal year 2019, or FY19 H-1B petitions. Due to the extreme traffic of new…
Read MoreH-4 EAD Remains in Effect, For Now
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week that it would withhold an announcement to end the H-4 EAD program until June of 2018. The update from DHS came in response to a court of appeals decision made February 21st. The program will remain in effect until the planned changes are initiated after June…
Read MoreScheduling an InfoPass Appointment: Online Services Could Soon End
InfoPass is a free online service that allows individuals to schedule an appointment with a USCIS immigration officer. The online platform offers 12 different languages to make scheduling an in-person appointment easier. InfoPass is accessible from both computers and mobile devices to make scheduling available anywhere. The appointments scheduled through InfoPass are intended for specific…
Read MoreUSCIS Travel Documents: Advance Parole
Recently, unpredictable changes to Immigration Law has made travel outside of the US extremely risky for foreign nationals. Lawful non-immigrants with pending Adjustment of Status (AOS) or refugees/asylees with pending immigration applications may face circumstances that demand travel outside the United States. Upon return to the US, foreign nationals with pending immigration applications, who previously…
Read MoreNew USCIS Requirements: Valid Signature
Last week, USCIS released a memo outlining stricter requirements for petitioners and applicants seeking immigration benefits. The memo outlines that a petitioner or applicant must provide a “valid signature” to receive approval from a USCIS. A valid signature is defined by USCIS as any handwritten mark or sign by an individual to signify his or…
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