On April 1, 2017 the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will begin accepting cap-subject H-1B petitions. H-1B petitions should be filed by April 1, 2017 for an October 1, 2017 start date. Approximately 65,000 cap-subject H-1B visas are available for employees with a bachelor’s degree and an additional 20,000 are available to those who hold
On November 14, 2016 USCIS published a new version if Form I-9. The version of Form I-9 dated March 8, 2013 can still be used until January 22, 2017, at which time only the new Form I-9 can be used. USCIS claims that the new form is easier to complete on a computer because of
On November 2, Christina H. Lee will present a legal education course called “Overview of Asylum Procedures from Asylum Office to Immigration Court” for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights. The program is aimed at training lawyers who will represent indigent asylum seekers pro bono. Becker & Lee LLP partners Camiel Becker and Christina H.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offers premium processing service for certain employment-based petitions and applications which guarantees processing within 15 calendar days of receiving Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing. However, this year USCIS has announced that it will begin premium processing all H-1B cap-subject petitions on May 12, 2016, regardless of the date
On April 12, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had received over 236,000 H-1B petitions for this year’s filing period, which began on April 1, 2016. This record-breaking number of H-1B petitions were received in the first 7 days of April. Approximately 85,000 cap-subject H-1B petitions will be adjudicated, while approximately
In a 2-1 decision from the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on March 24, 2016, the court struck down part of an immigration law that made it very difficult for a person who habitually and excessively drinks alcohol to fight deportation. The court’s majority stated that alcoholism has long been recognized as a medical
Attorneys and immigration advocates have reported a high number of deportation orders since October 2013 against children who did not appear in court. Many of these children were never properly notified of their hearing date under the current immigration court process. Hearing notices in cases like these have been reported to arrive late, at the
On March 11, 2016 DHS will publish the new 24-month “STEM-OPT rule,” to allow foreign graduates of U.S. institutions to obtain a 24-month extension of work authorization following the completion of their program beyond the 12-months given to all foreign graduates. The rule will take effect on May 10, 2016. This new rule is expected
The U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) predicts there will be a surge in passport applications this year which may result in some U.S. citizens being unable to secure new or revalidated passports in advance of planned travel abroad. The following are likely causes for this anticipated spike in demand: Many U.S. citizens returning from Mexico,