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Akula & Associates P.C.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) just adopted as a matter of policy the Administrative Appeal Office’s (AAO) decision in Matter of V-S-G- Inc., which held that beneficiaries who have been properly ported under AC21 are affected parties. These parties are entitled to receive notice about the potential revocation of the approval of an immigrant visa petition because of ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
With the new administration came a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment, and America’s education institutions are feeling the changes. Fewer and fewer foreign students are applying for student visas, and universities are receiving fewer international applicants. This trend is particularly worrying for institutions that rely on international students to fill their programs. Students who are applying to ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
The immigration process can be complex and requires quite a bit of paperwork, which can be challenging if you are not well-versed in immigration law. An immigration attorney can help you through the process, and provide valuable insight into the process, but you may not know how to choose a lawyer to work with. It can take a little work to find the right attorney, but choosing the best lawyer for ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regulates the granting of work authorization documents to foreign nationals seeking employment in the United States. As of October 2, 2017, the USCIS has enacted a joint effort with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to help foreign workers obtain Social Security numbers in a faster and easier process. Our firm helps clients understand ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
The Department of State has made revisions to the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) in regard to immigrants who intentionally misrepresent facts in order to obtain a visa or other permission to enter the United States. In particular, the 30/60 day rule has been entirely eliminated and replaced with language that describes a new “90-day rule.” Many people who seek a status adjustment after coming to the ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
The Trump Administration has updated and modified its travel ban order to include North Korea, Venezuela, and Chad and remove Sudan. It cited security protocols and information transparency as its decision to add the three countries and take the African country off the list. The White House forwarded a press release to announce the changes, stating that it was meant to be part of the ongoing ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
After a greatly resisted start, Trump’s executive order which issued a travel ban to many Muslim-majority countries has begun to be implemented. This month saw several rulings contesting the terms of the ban, and other rulings fighting back. This month, the Supreme Court issued a decision to leave parts of the ban in place, providing the Trump administration a short-term win. On September 7, 2017, ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
Traveling Abroad During the Naturalization Process The naturalization process has many factors that are considered, including your continuous residency in the U.S. and your physical presence in the country. If you are applying for citizenship, you must meet these requirements, but it is possible that extended travel abroad may harm your eligibility for citizenship. Find out how your travel plans ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
USCIS has reinstated Premium Processing for H-1B Petitions for petitions subject to the Fiscal Year 2018 cap. This brings back Premium Processing for three classifications of H-1B: Conrad 30 physicians, non-profit entities and the current fiscal year’s cap. Specifically, H-1B extensions and amendments for cap exempt petitions are not yet eligible for the process, but may still attempt to request ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
Certain applicants seeking to become legal permanent residents within the United States should anticipate a more in-depth process for in-person interviews conducted by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). As part of Executive Order 13780 – Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States – the change is a clear reflection of the Trump ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will resume premium processing for certain cap-exempt H-1B petitions effective immediately. The H-1B visa has an annual cap of 65,000 visas each fiscal year. Additionally, there is an annual “master’s cap” of 20,000 petitions filed for beneficiaries with a U.S. master’s degree or higher. Premium processing will resume for petitions ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
During the H-1B visa application process at the U.S. consulates, consular officers may choose to request client verification for the H-1B beneficiary. It is understandable that an unsolicited e-mail from an unknown sender claiming to be from the U.S. government may seem suspicious in this age of fraud and scams. The verification emails are being sent from a contractor at the Department of State ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
Immigration is a sizzling hot topic right now and has drawn the ire of many in the current administration, including those at the national level in charge of enforcing the rules and regulations. USCIS, at it's core, is an agency who feels it is looking out for U.S. workers.Often we have clients ask us "Is USCIS singling out my company?" or "It feels like USCIS is picking on me for no good reason! ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
What Is DAPA? Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents – or DAPA for short – was an Obama Administration plan to help qualifying illegal immigrants avoid immediate removal and find a chance to apply for residency. From the moment it was conceived, it has been in the midst of heavy controversy, with opposition coming from multiple sides. DAPA never actually came to ...
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Akula & Associates P.C.
The Nebraska Service Center (NSC) has advised that, due to the high volume of incoming premium processing requests, H-4 I-539 and H-4 I-765 EAD applications that are concurrently filed with premium H-1B petitions before the April 3, 2017, premium processing suspension may not be adjudicated concurrently with the I-129 and within the prescribed 15 days. Due to the rapid influx of premium requests, ...
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