USCIS Will No Longer Require a Biometric Services Fee for Any I-539 Application After October 1, 2023
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed that the $85 biometric services fee will not be required for Form I-539 applications to change or extend nonimmigrant status filed on or after October 1, 2023. In April of this year, USCIS announced that...
Poland: Consular Update
Due to ongoing findings on irregularities in the visa issuance process, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to terminate contracts with outsourcing companies handling the submission of Polish visas in many countries. In the near future, this will...
United Kingdom: Anticipated Visa Fee Increases Starting October 4, 2023
On September 15, 2023, the UK Parliament approved legislation to increase immigration and nationality fees. Most fees will rise between 15-20% on October 4, 2023, excluding the NHS surcharge fee which will remain the same. As a result, this will dramatically...
October 2023 Visa Bulletin Issued: Rest of the World EB-1 Category Current; Retrogression for EB-1 India Improves; Forward Movement in Most Cut-Off Dates
The U.S. Department of State has released its October 2023 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...
State Department Announces Trial of Digital Visa Authorization to Replace Traditional Visa Stamp
The United States Department of State (DOS) has announced that its Bureau of Consular Affairs is developing a process to issue a Digital Visa Authorization (DVA) to visa applicants. The DVA would replace the physical and machine-readable visa stamp that has been...
Terminating a Foreign National Employee Holding H-1B Status—The Employee Perspective
In this month’s blog, we will address some of the steps that should be taken by Foreign National (FN) employees who hold H-1B status when their employment is terminated. We will also address some of the questions that are most frequently asked by FNs in this...
Canada: Short Term Labor Pilot Program to Address Labor Shortages
The Recognized Employer Pilot (REP) is Canada’s upcoming plan to address labor shortages in Canada. Set to launch in September 2023, the pilot program is meant to alleviate administrative burdens for employers that currently meet the requirements for the Temporary...
USCIS Introduces Online Form to Request In-Person Appointments at Local USCIS Field Offices
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has introduced a new form that can be filed online to request an in-person appointment at a local USCIS office. The form can be filed by individuals, attorneys, and accredited...
September 2023 Visa Bulletin Issued: Significant Backlog for EB-1 India Continues; No Further Retrogression in Any Category
The U.S. Department of State has released its September 2023 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...
USCIS Completes the Second Round of Selections for FY 2024 H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions; Also Provides Updated Information on Number of Registration Applications Selected
Following its announcement late last week that it would require additional FY 2024 H-1B cap registrations to reach the H-1B numerical allocations for this year, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on July 31 that it had completed the...