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USCIS Expands Premium Processing Eligibility to All EB-1 Multinational Manager and EB-2 National Interest Waiver I-140 Filings, Including New Petitions

Beginning January 30, 2023, USCIS will accept Form I-907 Premium Processing requests for all new and pending EB-1 Multinational Executive and Manager Form I-140 petitions and EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) I-140 petitions. This is the final phase of premium…

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DHS Increases Numerical Limit on Venezuela Parole Program and Expands Parole Process to Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua

The Biden Administration has authorized a combined total of up to 30,000 parole travel authorizations per month from the countries of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Starting today, citizens of Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua and their immediate family members can…

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December 2022 DOL PERM and PWD Processing Times

As of December 31, 2022, the Department of Labor (DOL) was conducting analyst review for PERM applications filed in April 2022 or earlier, and processing audited cases with priority dates of January 2022 or earlier. DOL is working on standard…

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Immigration Agencies Announce Their Fall 2022 Regulatory Plans

The Department of Labor has reconfirmed its plan to propose increases in prevailing wages for the H-1B and PERM programs, among others. The Department of Homeland Security continues to pursue proposed modernization of the H-1B program and changes to the…

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CDC Issues Guidance on New COVID Test Requirement for Travel from China

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued detailed guidance on implementation of the new COVID test requirement for travel from China, set to take effect on January 5. Under the guidance, airline passengers two years of…

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DHS Proposes Fee Rule with Significant Increases for Employment-Based Petitioners

Under the new fee proposal, USCIS would increase and create separate fees for H-1B, L-1 and other nonimmigrant case types. The proposed H-1B fee increase is $780, from $460, a 70% increase. The proposed L-1 petition fee is $1,385, from…

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DHS Extends and Redesignates Yemen for Temporary Protected Status, Extends Relaxed Employment Options for Yemeni F-1 Students

The Department of Homeland Security has extended and redesignated Yemen for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), from March 4, 2023 through September 3, 2024.  The initial registration period for new TPS applicants will run from January 3, 2023 through September 3,…

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COVID Test Required for Travel from China, Starting January 5

Effective January 5, 2023, airline passengers traveling from mainland China, Hong Kong, or Macau must provide either a negative COVID test or documentation of COVID recovery in order to travel to the United States. The new requirement will apply to…

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State Department Extends Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Waiver Program Through 2023

The U.S. State Department’s visa interview waiver program for certain temporary workers, students, and exchange visitors has been extended to December 31, 2023. The separate interview waiver program for certain applicants renewing a visa in the same category within 48…

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Congress Passes FY 2023 Omnibus Spending Bill, Funding Immigration Operations

The spending bill funds the Departments of State, Homeland Security, Labor, and other federal agencies through FY 2023. The package reauthorizes E-Verify and other expiring immigration programs through September 30, 2023. The President is expected to sign the spending bill.…

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January 2023 Visa Bulletin Update – USCIS to Honor Dates for Filing for Employment-Based Categories

Next month, USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications from foreign nationals with a priority date that is earlier than the Dates for Filing listed in the State Department’s January 2023 Visa Bulletin. Employment-Based Priority Date Cutoffs for January…

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January 2023 Visa Bulletin – EB-1 India and China Retrogress, Other Employment-Based Categories Hold Steady

Next month, EB-1 India and EB-1 China will have a Final Action cutoff date of February 1, 2022, and a Date for Filing cutoff date of June 1, 2022. The EB-2 India Final Action date will remain at October 8,…

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Congress Passes Stopgap Spending Measure, Funding Government Through December 23, While FY 2023 Budget Is Finalized

A stopgap spending measure passed by Congress will fund the U.S. government – including E-Verify and the Conrad 30 program – through December 23, 2022, as Congress considers federal budget legislation to fund the government for the full FY 2023.…

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USCIS Announces Trial to Redesign Naturalization Test

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will conduct a nationwide trial of proposed changes to the naturalization test. The agency has also published a notice in the Federal Register. According to USCIS, the trial will include changes to the English-speaking…

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November 2022 DOL PERM and PWD Processing Times

As of November 30, 2022, the Department of Labor (DOL) was conducting analyst review for PERM applications filed in March 2022 or earlier, and processing audited cases with priority dates of January 2022 or earlier. DOL is working on standard…

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DHS Designates Ethiopia for TPS, Expands Employment Options for Ethiopian Students

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas has designated Ethiopia for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months, from December 12, 2022 through June 12, 2024.  The registration period for eligible individuals to submit TPS applications will run for that…

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USCIS Extends Green Card Validity for Naturalization Applicants

Lawful permanent residents who file Form N-400 naturalization applications with USCIS on or after December 12, 2022 will receive a 24-month automatic extension of their green card validity. USCIS will update the language on Form N-400 receipt notices to note…

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DHS to Extend and Redesignate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced an 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, through August 3, 2024. DHS is also redesignating Haiti for TPS, allowing Haitian nationals residing in the United States as of November…

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DHS Postpones Real ID Deadline to May 2025

Individuals will have an additional 24 months – until May 7, 2025 – to obtain U.S. state driver’s licenses or identification cards that comply with the REAL ID Act security standards. The Department of Homeland Security has extended the full…

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December 2022 Visa Bulletin Update – USCIS to Honor Dates for Filing for Employment-Based Categories

Next month, USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications from foreign nationals with a priority date that is earlier than the Dates for Filing listed in the State Department’s December 2022 Visa Bulletin. Employment-Based Priority Date Cutoffs for December…

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December 2022 Visa Bulletin – EB-2 Retrogression for Most Countries and EB-3 Advancement for India and China; EB-1 India and China Likely to Retrogress in Coming Months

An EB-2 Final Action cutoff date of November 1, 2022, and Dates for Filing cutoff date of December 1, 2022, will take effect next month for all countries except for China and India. The EB-2 India Final Action category will…

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DHS Extends TPS for Several Countries

The Department of Homeland Security will extend through June 30, 2024 the status and employment authorization documentation for TPS beneficiaries of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan. The current expiration date for these groups is December 31, 2022.…

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Travel Guidance for the Holiday Season

Foreign nationals planning to travel internationally and return to the United States this holiday season should consider several additional factors, including evolving COVID-19 policies worldwide, updated U.S. vaccination requirements, and continued reduced operations at many U.S. consulates. If you will…

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October 2022 DOL PERM and PWD Processing Times

As of October 31, 2022, the Department of Labor (DOL) was conducting analyst review for PERM applications filed in February 2022 or earlier, and processing audited cases with priority dates of December 2021 or earlier. DOL is working on standard…

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Reminder – FY 2024 Diversity Visa Lottery Registration Ends November 8

Entrants have until Tuesday, November 8, 2022 at noon EST to register online at the State Department’s official lottery website. Lottery applications must conform to the State Department’s strict requirements. A closer look Registration for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Diversity Visa (DV)…

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