U.S. Designates Haiti for Temporary Protected Status and Offers Work Authorization to Haitians in F-1 Status
On May 22, 2021, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security first announced a new designation of the country of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The TPS program provides temporary protections in the U.S. to eligible nationals of countries...
USCIS Closes Biometrics Processing Unit
On July 28, 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would be closing its Biometrics Processing Unit in Alexandria, Virginia. As a result, USCIS will no longer accept written requests to reschedule biometric services...
Covid-19 Update: Taiwan Continues to Suspend Entry of Non-Resident Foreign Nationals
The Taiwan CDC announced today that entry restrictions and measures will continue indefinitely for Taiwan. This means that non-ROC nationals without a valid Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) will continue to be temporarily barred from entry. Further,...
Canada Easing of Border Restrictions
On July 19, 2021, Canada announced a series of changes to the border closure between the United States and Canada which has been ongoing since March 2020. These changes will go into effect on August 9, 2021, at 12:01 am EST and those planning to enter Canada on...
U.S. Extends and Re-designates Yemen for Temporary Protected Status
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an 18-month extension of Yemen’s designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This allows approximately 1,700 beneficiaries to retain TPS for 18 months, through March 3, 2023, if...
USCIS Extends Due Date Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests
Shortly after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and a national emergency, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would offer “flexibility” to assist customers responding to certain requests and notices. This accommodation has been...
Nonessential Travel Restrictions Extended at Canada–United States–Mexico Borders
In March 2020, U.S. officials reached mutual agreements with the governments of Mexico and Canada that nonessential travel across the land borders would lead to increased risk of COVID-19 transmission. The three countries agreed to limit travel through land ports of...
July 2021 Visa Bulletin Released
On June 16, 2021, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) posted the July 2021 visa bulletin, which announces the availability of immigrant visas for various categories of applicants. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is currently using the Final Action...
U.S. Department of Justice Reverses Asylum Restrictions for Domestic Abuse and Gang Violence
On June 16, 2021, U.S. Attorney General (AG) Merrick Garland vacated several controversial rulings issued by his predecessors that made asylum nearly impossible for victims of domestic abuse or gang violence. In doing so, he restored the possibility of asylum...
USCIS Releases Preliminary Numbers for FY2022 H-1B Cap Lottery
In March 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducted the annual lottery for H-1B visas during fiscal year (FY) 2022, which begins on October 1, 2021. On June 15, 2021, USCIS announced that it received 308,613 H-1B registrations for FY2022 and...