All posts by Jon Velie
Three Reasons Why H-1B Visa Petitions Now Take Longer to Process
There are three clear reasons why there is a longer processing time for H-1B visa petitions this year. The Trump administration has created an air of uncertainty for highly skilled legal immigrants. Many
Continue readingRegional Center Program Authorization Extended Through Dec. 21, 2018
As Congress continues working on updating the legislation, authorization for the Regional Center program that focuses on the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program has been extended through December 21, 2018. The
Continue readingUSCIS Clarifies Policy for L-1 Visa Holders
The USCIS has recently clarified that L-1 employees must meet the one-year foreign work requirement to be eligible for consideration. To qualify for an L-1A or L-1B visa, an employee must have a sponsoring
Continue readingDHS Revised Definition of Employee-Employer Relationship Could be a Disaster for U.S. Healthcare and IT Industries
As attacks on the H-1B visa continue, the current administration is now looking to tighten its stronghold on tech companies by redefining the employer-employee relationship. However, the change may also
Continue readingUnlawful Presence Policy to Affect Students on CPT and OPT Longer Than 12 Months
Transitioning from F-1 to H-1B is becoming increasingly complicated. International students seeking employment after graduation from a U.S. university increasingly experience difficulties as USCIS continues
Continue readingTrump Administration’s Plans to Revise the Definition of “specialty occupation” for H-1B visas
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is committed to enacting more regulation that limits H-1B visa qualifiers. As part of the proposed regulation titled “Strengthening the H-1B Nonimmigrant
Continue readingTrump’s Latest Immigration Target: Asylum Seekers
On November 9, 2018, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued new procedural guidance essentially suspending entry for asylum seekers at the southern land border. Under the presidential directive,
Continue readingUnder construction: The invisible wall against high-skill immigration
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) fall agenda proposes major changes to the H-1B visa program and seeks to redefine both ‘specialty occupation‘ and the ‘employee-employer
Continue readingHow to Master the EB1 Visa Process
An EB1 visa category is a group of highly sought-after permanent residency green cards within the employment-based or “EB” visa category. The number “1” denotes preference and is seen
Continue readingThe Consequences of Denying U.S. Visas Without Issuing an RFE or NOID
The new USCIS policy, effective Sept. 11, 2018, grants immigration officials the ability to deny a visa, a green card application, petition or request without issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE) and gives
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