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...
USCIS Reverts to 2008 Civics Test for Naturalization
Today’s Policy Alert from USCIS explains that the agency is stepping back from a 2020 revision to the civics test administered to applicants for naturalization. Becoming a naturalized U.S....
MPP Program Slowly Coming to an End
The 2018 Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy, forced many asylum seekers at the southern border to wait in Mexico while their cases moved through U.S. immigration courts. Before MPP, individuals who presented themselves at...
Entry Exemptions for Foreign Experts
Under the current travel restrictions in Israel, exemptions from the entry ban are granted only in exceptional humanitarian cases. It is expected that, starting this week, the Exemption Committee will accept and consider entry permission applications filed on behalf...
Entry Visa Categories Streamlined
After a general review of current entry visa categories, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that it will reduce the number of available entry purposes and entry visa categories. Among the most significant changes are the following: The "commercial visa"...
New Border Restrictions Introduced
Starting February 22, 2021, Canada will implement new border restrictions. Please note, that as part of these new requirements, travelers who arrive by air will still need to log their travel and quarantine information in the ArriveCAN app prior to boarding a flight...
USCIS Closes Last Year’s H-1B Cap Season
In March 2020, USCIS opened the annual H-1B cap lottery for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 by conducting its first electronic registration. In prior years, prospective petitioners had to prepare a full H-1B petition and submit it,...
U.S. State Department Announces National Interest Exceptions to COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
President Biden signed a Proclamation on January 25, 2021 that restricts the entry of noncitizen travelers to the U.S. from the Schengen Area (European Union), the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, Brazil, China, Iran, and...
FY2022 H-1B Cap Registration Window Announced
USCIS has announced the date for the FY2022 H-1B Cap registration period. Prospective petitioners (employers) and attorneys can set up their online accounts now or use their existing myUSCIS accounts. Registrations for specific beneficiaries seeking H-1B status...
USCIS Memo Signals Policy Shift in Treatment of H-1B Computer Occupations
USCIS recently announced it would stop following a 2017 policy memo that was critical of H-1B computer occupations and that led to a sharp increase in the issuance of RFEs and Denials of H-1B petitions. Background In 2000, a guidance document (the “Way...