The State Department will apply a new standard to determine whether visa applicants are likely to become a public charge under a regulation set for publication tomorrow and scheduled to take effect October 15, 2019. The new rule largely mirrors…
Starting October 15, 2019, a regulation that broadens USCIS’s authority to determine whether certain foreign nationals will become a public charge of the United States and expands the inquiry to nonimmigrants seeking an extension or change of status is set to take…
The State Department will suspend the issuance of immigrant visas to foreign nationals who cannot demonstrate that they will obtain health insurance or otherwise pay for their healthcare expenses in the United States, according to a presidential proclamation issued Friday. Starting November…
Congress has voted to temporarily extend federal government funding through November 21, 2019. The spending measure means that federal functions – including immigration operations – will continue uninterrupted through November 21, 2019, while FY 2020 budget negotiations continue. The bill…
The State Department will begin accepting online registrations for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery starting Wednesday, October 2, 2019 at noon EDT. Foreign nationals who wish to enter the lottery have until Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at…
The Department of State posted the visa bulletin for October today. USCIS advised that it will accept family and employment-based adjustment of status petitions for October based upon the filing date. See https://www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for the updated information. In recent Visa Bulletins,…
The Department of Homeland Security has informed a federal appeals court that a proposed regulation to rescind the H-4 employment authorization program is not likely to be published before Spring 2020 and indicates that even this estimate is “aspirational.” The…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking to collect five years of social media history from applicants for certain immigration benefits, including Visa Waiver Program travelers and, adjustment of status and naturalization applicants, according to a Federal Register notice published today. If…
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is proposing to impose a fee on employers who file H-1B cap registrations under the forthcoming online registration system. Employers would be required to pay a $10 fee per registration. The proposed rule will be…
The current version of the I-9 employment eligibility form will remain in use beyond its August 31, 2019 expiration date. USCIS announced that employers should continue to use the current version of the form – which bears an edition date of July 17, 2017…