Recent Posts in Immigration Category
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USCIS Completes the H-1B Cap Random Selection Process for Fiscal Year 2019
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.On April 11th, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) utilized a computer generated random selection method to determine which H-1B petitions would be used to meet the mandated cap, and the U.S. advanced degree exemption for fiscal year 2019. USCIS recieved a total of 190,098 H-1B petitions during the filing period which began April 2nd. On April 6th, the USCIS announced that it had ...Continue Reading -
What Is An Adjustment of Status?
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.Applying for lawful permanent residency outside the United States through “consular processing” can be a daunting process. This process bounces back and forth between U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of State (DOS) and may take a year or more to navigate successful entry into the U.S. after waiting patiently for years to have a visa available. However, consular ...Continue Reading -
What Is Executive Order 13788?
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.Executive order (EO) 13788 is also called the “Buy American, Hire American” EO. It was issued on April 18, 2017, in order to give direction to government agency to tighten enforcement of existing rules so that American workers and products would be favored over all others. This EO has impacted how many visas for skilled foreign workers are reviewed and also directs the federal government to ...Continue Reading -
3 Tips to Prepare for an ICE Visit at your residence - Know Your Rights!
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.The current administration has proven it plans to deport millions of people with the assistance of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE). Even this week we saw a massive enforcement raid of 7-Eleven stores aimed at not only illegal workers, but also management who ICE believes has turned a blind eye to improper hiring practices. Here are 3 tips to prepare you for a knock at the ...Continue Reading -
What You Need to Know About Temporary Visas
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.Plan on coming to the United States? If so, you’ll need a visa unless you are from Canada or are entering under the Visa Waiver Program for less than 90 days. Whatever your temporary purpose in the U.S. might be, there are many visas available and one that probably suits your purpose. If you plan on coming temporarily for short-term business, vacation, or any other purpose, the good news is you ...Continue Reading -
H-1B Cap Update
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will accept new H-1B petitions for the fiscal year 2019 (FY 2019) starting on April 2, 2018 and ending on April 6, 2018. These petitions are subject to an annual cap and once the cap is reached, no additional applications will be accepted. Individuals who are in F-1 international student status and are seeking to change status to H-1B or others ...Continue Reading -
DACA Update
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was a U.S. immigration policy allowing some people to receive a renewable 2-year period of deferred action from deportation if they entered the country as minors. As of this year, around 800,000 individuals were enrolled in the program created by DACA. In September of 2017, the current administration created turmoil for 800,000 DACA recipients when ...Continue Reading -
3 Mistakes to Avoid When Getting a Green Card
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.Immigration law tends to be extremely complicated. If you’re hoping to apply for a green card in the United States, you and more than 1 million other people are vying for the same number of permanent residency cards. If you make a mistake during the process, you could lose out on your chance. Here are 3 possible errors many people tend to make when applying. Failing to Properly Sign all Forms Part ...Continue Reading -
Changes to Notice for I-140 Beneficiaries Being Revoked
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.he 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 ...Continue Reading -
University Application Numbers Drop as Foreign Students Look Elsewhere for Opportunities
Posted By 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 ...Continue Reading -
Selecting the Right Immigration Attorney
Posted By 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 ...Continue Reading -
Trump's Revised Travel Ban Faces Continued Opposition
Posted By 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, ...Continue Reading -
USCIS Reinstates Premium Processing for H-1B Petitions
Posted By 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 ...Continue Reading -
USCIS Expands Interview Requirements for Some Permanent Residency Applicants
Posted By 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 ...Continue Reading -
USCIS to Resume H-1B Premium Processing for Certain Cap-Exempt Petitions
Posted By 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 ...Continue Reading -
USCIS And Regulations
Posted By 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! ...Continue Reading -
What You Need to Know About DAPA
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.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 fruition, having ...Continue Reading -
Delay in NSC Processing of H-4/EAD Applications Filed with Premium Processing H-1Bs
Posted By 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, ...Continue Reading -
Selecting an Immigration Attorney With Confidence
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.The result of an immigration law case will often determine if an individual or multiple family members can enter or stay within the United States legally. If you plan on filing an immigration case, you need to not only find an immigration attorney to help you with all of the fine details, but also one that you know you can trust. Selecting an Immigration Attorney with Confidence Experience is ...Continue Reading -
Improvements to International Entrepreneur Rule Made by DHS
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.As of January 17, 2017, the DHS published their final international entrepreneur rule with the hope of improving our nation’s economy by allowing certain foreign start-up founders to continue to grow their companies within the U.S. This rule allows the DHS to grant certain periods of authorized stay to foreign entrepreneurs. It is decided on a case by case basis. These entrepreneurs must first ...Continue Reading -
Can U.S. Citizens Help Their Parents Receive Green Cards?
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.Did you know that U.S. citizens can petition for permanent residence visas , or more commonly known as green cards, for their foreign-born parents through family sponsorship? In order to sponsor a parent to receive a green card, you must be at least 21 years of age and be a U.S. citizen. Since parents are classified as “immediate relatives” under immigration laws, there is no limit on the number ...Continue Reading -
USCIS Announces Fees Related to Immigration Applications Will Rise
Posted By Akula & Associates P.C.In only a couple short weeks, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will raise the price of most of its application and benefits fees. The price change will be officially implemented on December 23, 2016, following an official confirmation in late October. For people seeking to gain or maintain visas, the price increases can feel more like a gouge to their pocketbooks, as ...Continue Reading
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