The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process, or if already pending, when the final step can be adjudicated.
Continue Reading October 2023 Visa Bulletin – On Your Mark, Green Card Applicants! Priority Dates Advance in Most Employment-Based Categories
The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process, or if already pending, when the final step can be adjudicated.
Below is a summary of the September Visa Bulletin, including Final Action Dates and changes from the previous month.
Continue Reading September 2023 Visa Bulletin – Small Advances in EB-3 China and EB-2 All Other Countries; Other EB Categories in Holding Pattern Through Fiscal Year End
Starting in 2024, US citizens traveling to 30 European countries (most of western Europe except for the UK, see list below), will need to get pre-approval from the EU authorities before traveling.
What is it: This pre-approval, which will be obtained through ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) is not technically a visa. It will not require travelers to submit applications to an embassy or consulate or get a sticker or stamp in their passports. Rather, it will be a pre-travel clearance that is very similar to existing programs used by other countries to screen visa-free travelers, such as:
How is it transmitted: Once approved, ETIAS authorization will be electronically linked to a traveler’s passport, with no need for the traveler to print the confirmation or carry any additional documents. Airline staff and immigration inspectors will be able to confirm your ETIAS authorization electronically through the ETIAS system.
When does it take effect: As of the date of this writing, ETIAS is not yet live. It is expected to go live sometime in 2024, but that could be delayed. Rollout was originally scheduled for early 2022 and has already been delayed 4 times. As of this writing, EU authorities have not yet announced an official launch date.
What are other key features: The new system will feature the following elements:
Once the new ETIAS system is in force, it will be one more thing to add to your European travel to-do list – make sure your passport is valid, get your ETIAS approval, book your tickets, rent your car, and pack your bag. Additional information about the program is available through the official ETIAS website at https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en.
The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process, or if already pending, when the final step can be adjudicated.
Continue Reading August 2023 Visa Bulletin – EB-1 India Retrogresses More Than 10 Years; EB-1 All Other Countries Stuck Until October; EB-3 All Other Countries Retrogresses Almost 2 Years
According to the CDC, May 11, 2023 marked the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration. As of July 31, 2023, the COVID-related flexibilities around the I-9 processes will also officially come to an end.
Continue Reading COVID-19-related I-9 flexibilities coming to an endWe are pleased to announce that the Labor and Employment team at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP has been recognized as practice leaders in Immigration and Labor and Employment by the 2023 Legal 500 US Guide. Thirteen individual lawyers on HuntonAK’s Labor and Employment and Immigration Team also were acknowledged.
Continue Reading HuntonAK Immigration, Labor and Employment Groups Recognized By The Legal 500 USA
The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process, or if already pending, when the final step can be adjudicated.
Continue Reading July 2023 Visa Bulletin – EB-3 and EB-3 Other Workers India Retrogress More Than 3 Years; EB-3 All Other Countries Retreats 4 MonthsCongratulations to HuntonAK’s Labor and Employment, Immigration, and OSHA practices, along with thirteen attorneys for their Chambers USA 2023 rankings!
The team was recognized in the following areas:
Individual recognitions were received by:
Congratulations!
Please read the firm press release for more information.
The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process, or if already pending, when the final step can be adjudicated.
Below is a summary of the June Visa Bulletin, including Final Action Dates and changes (or not) from the previous month.
Continue Reading June 2023 Visa Bulletin – Priority Dates in the Doldrums, Except China EB-3 Other WorkersU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released additional details about the FY 2024 H-1B electronic registration that ran in March 2023. One item of interest is that the number of registrants (individuals) with only one submission saw a relatively modest increase from 309k to 350k, while the number of registrants with multiple submissions more than doubled from 165k to 409k. In contrast, the first year of the H-1B Cap Registration program (FY2021) saw only 28k individuals with multiple submissions – an increase of 1,454% in just three years.
Continue Reading USCIS Releases FY2024 Cap Registration Statistics and Announces Measures to Combat Fraud