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USCIS Announces New Fee Schedule, Including Increases for Employment-Based Petitions
In a move aimed at modernizing operations and enhancing service efficiency, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a final rule adjusting various immigration and naturalization benefit request fees. Notably, these adjustments include increases for certain employment-based petitions, reflecting the following changes: Fee Adjustments for Employment-Based Petitions: The final rule implements increases […]
Premium Processing Available for I-539 Applicants seeking F, M, J status
Photo by javier trueba on Unsplash USCIS announced the expansion of Premium Processing Service (PPS) to applicants submitting a Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status for F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, or J-2 nonimmigrant status. At the time of this writing, the Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service will be accepted for a […]
60-Day Rule Removed for I-693 Civil Surgeon Signature
Photo by Online Marketing on Unsplash USCIS determined last spring that a civil surgeon’s signature of the Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record can be more than 60 days old before an applicant files for their immigrant visa. Previously, USCIS considered a completed Form I-693 valid for 2 years after the […]
Promising News for Foreign Nationals Seeking Adjustment of Status
After being an International Student Advisor at Purdue University for two years, I went to law school to become an immigration attorney to help people get where they wanted to go. An international student who wanted to go to college in the US. A foreign IT professional who wanted to contribute their talent to a […]
Stateside Visa Renewal Announced by Department of State
Photo by Artur Tumasjan on Unsplash The State Department (DOS) has recently announced a pilot program of domestic visa renewals for H and L visa holders later this year. Ever since 2004, H and L holders must travel back to their home country, renew their visa at the home country’s U.S. Consulate, and then travel […]
AILA: Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Waivers
Below is a flyer from the American Immigration Lawyers Association. The Department of State has been issuing nonimmigrant visa interview waivers to more people due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. A company’s nonimmigrant foreign national may be eligible to apply for an interview waiver. However, it all depends on how a particular U.S. Consulate operates. For […]
USCIS Information on Options when Terminating Nonimmigrant Workers
Photo by Craig Whitehead on Unsplash Recently, USCIS released a new webpage outlining the details of what happens after a nonimmigrant gets terminated from their employment, voluntarily or involuntarily. The full webpage can be found here. First and foremost, workers facing termination on an E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1, or TN classification have […]
AILA Flyer: Changes to USCIS Filing Fees
The USCIS final rule on a new fee schedule has a lot of new information to take in. In fact, the published final rule was 207 pages of the Federal Register, where the newest government agency updates are posted. View the PDF below from the American Immigration Lawyers Association that outlines some of the key […]