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 June 2020 Visa Bulletin –China Continues to March Forward One Month at a Time – India Advances (Very) Slowly
COVID-19 UPDATE: USCIS Relaxes Requirements To Verify Identity on Form I-9
On March 12, we recommended that employers designate authorized representatives to complete and reverify Forms I-9 in person during COVID-19 closures and furloughs. On March 24, we updated our guidance in detail because, in response to COVID-19, USCIS began allowing employers and employees to complete Forms I-9 remotely. The agency has now further relaxed I-9 verification requirements.
Continue Reading COVID-19 UPDATE: USCIS Relaxes Requirements To Verify Identity on Form I-9
COVID-19: Impact of Closures, Delays, and Executive Order on Diversity Visa Program
Since 1990, the United States has granted up to 50,000 green cards each year to immigrants selected through the “Diversity Visa Lottery.” Recently, the US Department of State announced delays in processing these cases due to COVID-19. This development further exacerbates challenges caused by COVID-19, including the temporary suspension of visa appointments and USCIS in-person services, which we reported on last month, and the April 22 Executive Order halting immigrant visa admissions for 60 days. See our analysis of the Order here.
Continue Reading COVID-19: Impact of Closures, Delays, and Executive Order on Diversity Visa Program
May 2020 Visa Bulletin – EB-1 Returns to Current for First Time since July 2018 (Except for China and India)
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 May Visa Bulletin, including Final Action
COVID-19: President Halts Immigrant Visa Admissions for Sixty Days
On the night of Monday, April 20, 2020, the President tweeted that he would “protect” American jobs during the COVID-19 crisis by issuing an Executive Order that would “temporarily suspend immigration.” After several uncertain days of conflicting information, reported in the media, about how sweeping the scope of the order would be, it turns out
COVID-19 UPDATE: Travel Still Stymied Between US and Its Neighbors
On March 23, 2020, we wrote about the impact of the global pandemic on travel between the United States and neighboring countries, in COVID-19: How Does the Outbreak Affect Travel Between the United States and Mexico or Canada? We explained that the US, Mexican and Canadian governments had agreed to close their contiguous borders between March 20 and April 20, 2020, and then reassess whether borders should be reopened depending on the progress of the pandemic.
Continue Reading COVID-19 UPDATE: Travel Still Stymied Between US and Its Neighbors
COVID-19 UPDATE: Visa Waiver Travelers Now Have Another Option if They Cannot Leave on Time
On March 30, 2020, we wrote about “satisfactory departure” in COVID-19: How Does the Outbreak Affect Visa Waiver (ESTA) Travelers? As we explained, visitors to the US who arrive under the Visa Waiver program who cannot depart within 90 days due to the pandemic may request a 30-day “satisfactory departure” period from US Customs &
COVID-19: Are Nonimmigrants Eligible for Unemployment Benefits?
Unemployment insurance, as described in a recent blog post by our Labor and Employment colleagues, is a “joint federal-state program, administered separately by each state following guidelines established by federal law.” While the requirements of these programs vary from state to state, eligibility criteria generally exclude nonimmigrants whose work authorization is tied to a specific position with a specific employer (e.g., TN, H-1B, and L-1 workers).
Continue Reading COVID-19: Are Nonimmigrants Eligible for Unemployment Benefits?
COVID-19: How Does the Outbreak Affect Visa Waiver (ESTA) Travelers?
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted travel across the globe. Many US travelers who entered under the Visa Waiver Program (commonly called “ESTA,” the acronym for the online pre‑authorization system) now find themselves on the horns of a dilemma: leave at the end of their 90-day authorized stay and thus endanger their own health and potentially that of others, or overstay due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Continue Reading COVID-19: How Does the Outbreak Affect Visa Waiver (ESTA) Travelers?
COVID-19: US Immigration Agencies Announce Operational Changes
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, US authorities are announcing a number of significant changes that impact everyone who relies on immigration programs to operate businesses or to live and work in the United States. Companies and their sponsored employees should be aware of the following changes announced within the past week:
Continue Reading COVID-19: US Immigration Agencies Announce Operational Changes