Pasricha & Patel
On April 22, 2020, President Trump signed an Executive Order to suspend the entry of foreign nationals for a period of 60 days, citing the need to protect the U.S. domestic workforce during COVID 19 crisis.
BlogPasricha & Patel
-
AILA Challenges the Trump Administration’s Visa Ban Proclamation in Court
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
U.S. Embassy and Consulates in India Begin Accepting Limited Visa Appointments for Certain F-1 and J-1 Visa Applicants
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Pasricha & Patel
Starting on August 17, 2020 the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, along with the U.S. Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata will begin processing student (F-1) and academic exchange visitor (J-1) visa applications only and on a limited basis.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
The Impact of Furloughs and Layoffs on H-1B Visa Holders and Employers
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Pasricha & Patel
During this COVID-19 pandemic, many employers have unfortunately been forced to reduce their staff. There are many employees throughout the country who have been laid off or placed in furlough by their employers. The result has been devastating for individuals throughout the country. However, what happens when the employee is an individual in H-1B status? What kind of options available for the H-1B holder to continue to maintain non-immigrant status? What obligations does the employer hold when facing this situation for an H-1B employee? There are many new scenarios and situations that are arising in this difficult time and it is important for H-1B employers and employees to be aware of the current rules as well as their responsibilities and rights.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
U.S. Department of State Expands on the National Interest Exceptions to the Presidential Proclamation on H1 & L1 Nonimmigrant Visa Bans
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Link: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/exceptions-to-p-p-10014-10052-suspending-entry-of-immigrants-non-immigrants-presenting-risk-to-us-labor-market-during-economic-recovery.html
Pasricha & Patel
The U.S. Department of State has just added new categories to the National Interest Exceptions to the Presidential Proclamations (10014 & 10052) banning certain nonimmigrant visa applicants (H1B and L-1 workers) from entering the U.S.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
New Executive Order Directs Federal Agencies to Review Hiring of Foreign Workers by Federal Contractors, and also Directs DHS and DOL to Heighten Review of H-1B Workers Program
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-aligning-federal-contracting-hiring-practices-interests-american-workers/
Pasricha & Patel
On August 3, 2020, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing various federal agencies and departments to review their federal contractors and subcontractors’ hiring practices of foreign workers who work on federal contracts, with the goal of making sure that they do not negatively impact the U.S. workforce in general.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
USCIS Announces Fee Adjustments to Various Petitions & Also Adjusts Premium Processing Service Timeline
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Link: https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-adjusts-fees-to-help-meet-operational-needs
Pasricha & Patel
The Department of Homeland Security and the USCIS have announced that it is implementing changes to the USCIS fee schedule. More specifically, DHS is adjusting USCIS fees by a weighted increase of 20 percent; and adding new fees; and also making other changes, such as revising some forms, and also changing the premium processing time from 15 calendar days to 15 business days.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
USCIS Sets the August 2020 Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Pasricha & Patel
For the August 2020 Visa Bulletin published by the U.S. Department of State, the USCIS has decided to continue to follow the previous months’ filing procedure and set that for family-sponsored filings, filers should once again follow the Dates for Filing Chart for the August 2020 Visa Bulletin.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
UPDATE: ICE reverses course and will continue to allow F/M students to take online courses while maintaining legal status in the U.S.
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Link: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/judge-to-hear-arguments-in-challenge-to-foreign-student-rule
Pasricha & Patel
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today (July 14, 2020), that it has decided to rescind its July 6, 2020 policy that would have prohibited F-1 and M-1 students from entering, or remaining in the U.S. if their U.S. universities or colleges did not provide in-person instruction during the upcoming Fall 2020 semester. Instead, ICE will continue to apply the initial March 13, 2020 policy guidance, which did allow for the F-1/M-1 students to take online courses.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
SEVP modifies temporary exemptions for nonimmigrant F-1/M-1 students taking online courses during the fall 2020 semester
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Pasricha & Patel
The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) that is administered by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has announced modifications to the temporary exemption measures that were originally put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic for the upcoming fall 2020 semester.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
White House Proclamation Extends, as well as Expands on Previous Visa Suspensions by Including Certain Nonimmigrants
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-suspending-entry-aliens-present-risk-u-s-labor-market-following-coronavirus-outbreak/
Pasricha & Patel
The Trump administration has signed a new presidential proclamation that not only extends the temporary suspension of entry of certain types of immigrants to the U.S. until December 31, 2020, but this latest executive order expands on the previous immigrant visa issuance restrictions that were announced on April 22, 2020.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
USCIS formally rescinds key policy memos connected to H-1B filings
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Link: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/2020/PM-602-0114_ITServeMemo.pdf
Pasricha & Patel
In the aftermath of the May 2020 legal settlement that was reached between the USCIS and IT Serve Alliance, which represents a collection of IT consulting firms who had filed lawsuit against the USCIS to contest the enforcement of certain USCIS policy practices governing the H-1B nonimmigrant temporary worker petition filings, the USCIS has formally rescinded both its previously published year 2010 Determining Employer-Employee Relationship (including Third-Party Site Placements) for H-1B petitions Memorandum, as well as the subsequently issued year 2018 Contracts and Itineraries Requirement for H-1B Petitions Involving Third-Party Worksite.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
USCIS Sets the July 2020 Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Pasricha & Patel
For the July 2020 Visa Bulletin just published by the U.S. Department of State, the USCIS has decided to continue to follow the previous months’ filing procedure and set that for family-sponsored filings, filers should once again follow the Dates for Filing Chart for the July 2020 Visa Bulletin.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
Suspension of Entry as Nonimmigrants of Certain Students and Researchers from China
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Link: https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/proclamation-suspension-entry-nonimmigrants-certain-students-researchers-peoples-republic-china/
Pasricha & Patel
President Trump has announced the U.S. will block certain Chinese nationals associated with entities in China that are part of China’s military-civil fusion strategy from coming to the U.S. by using
F-1 student or J-1 exchange visitor visas.Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
USCIS resumes premium processing for various petitions in phases
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Link: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-resumes-premium-processing-certain-petitions
Pasricha & Patel
USCIS will begin to resume premium processing requests for certain immigrant and non-immigrant petitions based on a multi-phase time table. The dates in the latter part of June 2020 are still tentative though.
Previously, in late March 2020, USCIS had suspended all premium processing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
USCIS Preparing to Resume Public Services on June 4, 2020
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is preparing some domestic offices to reopen and resume non-emergency public services on or after June 4. On March 18, USCIS temporarily suspended routine in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices and application support centers (ASCs) to help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). USCIS is following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines to protect our workforce and the public. For the latest information on the status of individual offices, check our office closures page.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
USCIS Sets the June 2020 Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Pasricha & Patel
For the June 2020 Visa Bulletin just published by the U.S. Department of State, the USCIS has decided to continue to follow the previous months’ filing procedure and set that for family-sponsored filings, filers should once again follow the Dates for Filing Chart for the June 2020 Visa Bulletin.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
USCIS Extends Temporary Closure of Its Local Offices Through June 3, 2020
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Link: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-offices-preparing-reopen-june-4
Pasricha & Patel
USCIS has announced that it is further extending the temporary suspension of all in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and application support centers (ASCs), and it preparing to re-open its offices on or after June 4 2020, unless the public closures are further extended. Previously, the suspension of services was through May 3, 2020.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
USCIS Sets the May 2020 Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Link: https://www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo
Pasricha & Patel
Following the much-delayed release of the May 2020 Visa Bulletin by the U.S. Department of State, the USCIS has decided to continue following the previous months’ filing procedure and set that for family-sponsored filings, filers should once again follow the Dates for Filing Chart for the May 2020 Visa Bulletin.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
White House Proclamation Suspending Entry of Certain Immigrants
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
Pasricha & Patel
The Trump administration has signed a presidential proclamation that temporarily suspends the entry of certain types of immigrants to the U.S. for 60 days if:
- They do not have a valid immigrant visa as of the effective date of the proclamation on 11:59 pm EDT on April 23, 2020
- They do not have an official travel document other than an immigrant visa that is valid as of the effective date of the proclamation or is issued thereafter and allows the person to travel to the U.S. and see entry or admission (such as a transportation letter, boarding foil or advanceparole document)
It should be noted that this temporary ban does NOT impact the filing or processing of applications for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident status (i.e. I-485 filings). So, applicants who are eligible for, and wish to file for immigrant petitions here in the U.S. can continue to submit their petitions to the USCIS.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
-
The Impact of Furloughs and Layoffs on H-1B Visa Holders and Employers
Categories: Attorneys , Business Immigration , Business Law , Citizenship , Citizenship Green Cards , Commercial Litigation , Commercial Transactions , Corporate Law , Green Cards , Immigration Law , International Law , Investment Visas , Law Firm , Lawyers , Legal Services , Real Estate , Software Agreements , Technology Law , Trusts And Estates
The Impact of Furloughs and Layoffs on H-1B Visa Holders and Employers
During this COVID-19 pandemic, many employers have unfortunately been forced to reduce their staff. There are many employees throughout the country who have been laid off or placed in furlough by their employers. The result has been devastating for individuals throughout the country. However, what happens when the employee is an individual in H-1B status? What kind of options available for the H-1B holder to continue to maintain non-immigrant status? What obligations does the employer hold when facing this situation for an H-1B employee? There are many new scenarios and situations that are arising in this difficult time and it is important for H-1B employers and employees to be aware of the current rules as well as their responsibilities and rights.
Click Here To Read The Full Article
