Thailand Introduces New ETA System
Thailand is introducing a new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) with an anticipated start date of December 1, 2024. This system aims to enhance border security and improve entry procedures. The ETA applies to all foreign nationals travelling on Free Visa (15...
November 2024 Visa Bulletin Issued: Dates for Filing EB Cut-Off Dates Will Apply; No Movement in Any Categories
The U.S. Department of State has released its November 2024 Visa Bulletin imposing per-country cut-off dates that regulate immigrant visa availability and the flow of Adjustment of Status (AOS) applications and consular Immigrant Visa application interviews and...
Canada Announces Changes to Intra-Company Transfer Work Permits
IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) has released notable changes impacting intra-company transfer (ICT) applications to Canada. The new guidance is only applicable to countries which are not subject to Free Trade Agreements with Canada. Notable changes...
State Department Starts Accepting Applications for the FY2026 Diversity Visa Program
On October 2nd, the United States Department of State opened the registration application for the Fiscal Year 2026 Diversity Visa (DV-2026) Program through its Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) website. The DV program is an annual U.S. government-sponsored program that...
Qatar Added to United States Visa Waiver Program
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the United States Department of States (DOS) announced today that Qatar has been designated as a participant in the United States Visa Waiver Program (VWP), which allows visa-free travel to the United States...
The Potential Federal Shutdown and its Effect on the U.S. Immigration Process
What is Happening? The deadline for Congress to pass a new budget to keep funding the federal government agencies is midnight on Monday, September 30th. The federal agencies responsible for administering the United States immigration process are United States...
USCIS Automatically Extends Green Card Validity to 36 Months for Permanent Residents With Pending Renewal Applications
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that, effective September 10, 2024, the agency has automatically extended the validity of I-551 Permanent Resident or “Green” Cards to 36 months for lawful permanent residents (LPRs) who have...
October 2024 Visa Bulletin Issued: Dates for Filing EB Cut-Off Dates Will Apply; Retrogression in China EB-3; Moderate Forward Movement in All Other EB-3 Categories and All EB-2 Categories; and EB-2 Exhaustion for FY 2024
The U.S. Department of State has released its October 2024 Visa Bulletin imposing per-country cut-off dates that regulate immigrant visa availability and the flow of Adjustment of Status (AOS) applications and consular Immigrant Visa application filings and approvals....
Canada Announces Restrictions on Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Hiring
On August 26, 2024, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced further restrictions to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). These restrictions will be on the segment of the TFWP that is used for hiring "low-wage" workers. These changes aim to reduce...
Department of State Announces That the FY 2024 EB-1 Immigrant Visa Limit Has Been Reached
The United States Department of State (DOS) has announced the exhaustion of all available immigrant visas in the Employment-Based First Preference (EB-1) category for the 2024 fiscal year, which runs from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. DOS and United States...