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ACICS No Longer Recognized as Accrediting Agency by U.S. Department of Education
Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay On August 19, 2022 the Department of Education (ED) announced that it will no longer recognize the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) as an accrediting agency. This decision has a domino effect regarding students attending these schools and the degrees of alumni from these schools obtained on or after August […]
Biden Administration Expands Foreign National STEM Student and Worker Opportunities
I enjoy helping my clients get visas not only on a personal level, but also for the systemic benefit they bring to the US economy. As I’ve mentioned in the past, 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were started by immigrants or their children, including Kraft, Heinz, Mattel, Apple, and Google. In 2020, foreign nationals […]
With US Easing Travel Restrictions, Foreign National Visa Holders Ask: Can I Go Home?
As soon as the Biden administration announced it would ease travel restrictions in early November, my phone began ringing non-stop. My email notifications started pinging like popcorn. If you work in Human Resources, you may know what I mean because it is likely your phone and email were ringing first. My HR clients were sending […]
F-1Student Checklist
Checklist for F-1 Students Transitioning to CAP-SUBJECT H-1B Status Many of the foreign nationals who submit H-1B cap lottery registration each year hold F-1 status. It is critical that those who are selected tie up all loose ends and maintain proper F-1 status to ensure a smooth transition to H-1B status. Review these items: (click […]
F-1 Student Status Change
Applicants for F-1 Student Status Change No Longer Need to Submit Subsequent Applications to “Bridge the Gap” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced new policy guidance that eliminates the need for individuals who have applied for a student status change of (COS) to F-1 student to apply to change or extend their nonimmigrant status […]
International Student Enrollment Is Tapering, But Not for the Reasons You May Think
Unlike many lawyers I know, I did not go directly from my undergraduate studies to law school. In fact, when I graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and law was only on the back of my mind. After a stint as a […]
New Unlawful Presence Guidelines Increase Vigilance on International Students and Exchange Visitors
Recently a student called my office asking to talk to the “F-1 attorney.” The student was employed using his STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) and his employer was seeking to change his status to H-1B for continued employment. Last year their H-1B petition was accepted in the H-1B lottery only to be denied for various […]
Premium Processing Available to Certain F-1 Students
Photo by Philippe Bout on Unsplash Earlier this month, USCIS announced Premium Processing Services (PPS) available for F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) OPT extensions with a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. The Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service can be filed online or […]