Increased Quarantine Period for Some Travelers
The Malaysia National Security Council (NSC) has reported over the weekend that travelers arriving from countries that have reported cases of the new SARS COV-2 strains will have to undergo a 14-day quarantine, instead of the 7 or 10-day duration currently in place....
Nonessential Travel Restrictions Extended for 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. Therefore, the countries agreed to limit travel through land ports...
USCIS Offers Online Filing for F-1 Students Seeking Optional Practical Training
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that beginning April 12, 2021, F-1 students applying for optional practical training (OPT) may do so online, rather than through a paper filing. ...
U.S. Guest Worker Visa Ban Expires
The nonimmigrant worker visa restrictions imposed by the U.S. since June 2020 have been allowed to expire. First implemented by Presidential Proclamation (PP) 10052, the restrictions were allegedly necessary...
USCIS Eliminates Controversial “Blank Space” Rejection Policy
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has confirmed that it will no longer reject any forms simply due to inapplicable fields being left blank. In October 2019, USCIS changed its criteria...
USCIS Completes Initial Lottery Selection for FY2022 H-1B Cap
On March 30, 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had completed the initial lottery selection from among the electronic H-1B cap registrations received earlier in the month for the upcoming fiscal...
Lottery Selection Begins for FY2022 H-1B Cap Cases
From March 9-25, 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) allowed prospective H-1B petitioners (employers) to register H-1B beneficiaries for the H-1B cap in fiscal year (FY) 2022. The H-1B...
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...
Nonessential Travel Restrictions Extended for 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. Therefore, the countries agreed to limit travel through land ports...
U.S. Re-designates Syria for Temporary Protected Status
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an 18-month extension of Syria’s designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This allows approximately 6,700 beneficiaries to retain TPS for 18 months, through...