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 […]
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 […]
FY 2025 H-1B Cap Lottery Integrity Measures made by USCIS
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a final rule aimed at enhancing the integrity of the H-1B registration process to mitigate potential fraud. The new rule also aims to ensure fairness in the selection process for beneficiaries, regardless of the number of registrations submitted on their behalf by employers. Here are the […]
USCIS Announces Premium Processing Fee Adjustments Effective February 26, 2024
Photo by rupixen.com on Unsplash On December 27, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a final rule to adjust the premium processing fees for certain immigration forms due to inflation. This adjustment will take effect on Monday, February 26, 2024. The premium processing fees for eligible forms and categories will increase to […]
H-1B Travelers to Save Time, Money, and Heartache with Stateside Visa Renewal Pilot Program
For H-1B visa holders, the logistics of traveling home for a wedding can be almost as challenging to plan as the wedding. An Indian client who traveled to India for a wedding had to remain there for weeks to get a visa to return to the US. He had to apply for the visa in […]
Department of State Unveils Stateside Renewal Visa Pilot Program for H-1B Applicants from India and Canada
The Department of State has officially announced the Stateside Renewal Visa Program through a Federal Register Notice, inviting eligible individuals to participate in the pilot program from January 29th to April 1st. This initiative, advocated by AILA since 2021, is a significant development in visa processing. The program is exclusively available to H-1B principal beneficiaries […]
USCIS Policy Update: Sole Proprietorships and L-1 Petitions
Photo by Christina @ wocintechchat.com on Unsplash The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy update through its Policy Manual, reinforcing the legal distinctions between business entities in the context of immigration petitions. Specifically, the guidance makes it clear that a sole proprietorship, by virtue of not being a distinct legal entity separate […]
9 Things You Need to Know About Getting a US Visa
With the summer travel season just a few weeks away, our office is fielding many travel and visa application questions. Here are answers to your most frequently asked questions. What happens when you apply for a US visa? When you apply, you fill out an application online, pay the fee, and schedule an interview at […]