USCIS Expands Premium Processing to F-1, M-1, or J-1 Change of Status Applications Filed on Form I-539
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the Premium Processing service, which provides an expedited time frame for the adjudication of certain petitions and applications upon the payment of an additional fee and the filing of Form...
July 2023 Visa Bulletin Issued: No Movement in EB-1 or EB-2 Cut-Off Dates Under Final Action Dates Chart; Significant Retrogression in the EB-3 Category for India; Lesser EB-3 Retrogression for Rest of the World, Mexico, and the Philippines
The U.S. Department of State has released its July 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 approvals. ...
PERM Labor Certification Applications Must be Filed Online on New Form ETA-9089 Starting June 1, 2023; Delays in Processing New PERM Applications May Result; OFLC Allows Linkage to Form ETA-9089 of a Prevailing Wage Determination Filed by a Different Entity
Starting June 1, 2023, Applications for Permanent Labor Certification must be filed online with the Department of Labor (DOL) through the Foreign Labor Application Gateway (FLAG) using the new version of Form ETA-9089, Application for Permanent Employment...
State Department Announces New Initiative to Reduce Administrative Processing of Visa Applications at United States Consulates
The State Department has announced that it has adopted “new technology” and “enhanced coordination” in an effort to reduce the need for administrative processing of visa applications filed at its consulates. Administrative processing is the generic term used to refer...
T&S Leadership Honored in Nationally Ranked List of Top 100 Leading Immigration Lawyers
We are pleased to report that Tafapolsky & Smith LLP partners J. Anthony Smith and James Vazquez-Azpiri as well as senior counsel Ron Wada have been selected for inclusion in the 2023 Lawdragon 100 Leading Immigration Lawyers national rankings list. Legal media...
Epidemic and Ukraine Updates
Extension of Immigration Documents Based on COVID Regulations to End on July 31, 2023 The Polish Ministry of Health plans to end the epidemic state in Poland (connected to COVID) on July 31, 2023. This means that the automatic extension of immigration documents that...
Further Updates to Immigration Changes Taking Effect July 1, 2023
The Australian Government has announced further details regarding important changes to the Australian Migration Program taking effect on July 1, 2023. Increased Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) From July 1, 2023, the TSMIT will increase from...
COVID-19 Accommodations for F-1 and M-1 Students to End in 2023-24 Academic Year; Students No Longer Allowed to Attend Fully Online Programs of Study
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has announced that it will be rescinding its COVID-19 guidance and classroom attendance accommodations in view of the formal end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which was announced on April 10, 2023. These...
DHS Announces End of Temporary COVID-19 I-9 Completion Flexibilities on July 31, 2023; Employers Have Until August 30, 2023, to Complete Physical Inspection of Documents Previously Inspected Remotely
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that the temporary “flexibilities” that had been in place since March 2020 and have been extended a number of times for the completion of I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification forms will end on July 31, 2023. ...
Reinstating Visa Requirement for Nationals of the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia
Effective October 1, 2023, Brazil will require nationals of the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia to obtain a visa prior to entering the country for tourism, business, and other purposes. The announcement reverses a visa waiver policy aimed at promoting...