Work Authorization for Residents of Hong Kong under DED
The Department of Homeland Security has issued instructions on how residents of Hong Kong benefiting from the Administration’s expanded Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) program can apply for or extend work authorization. First-time applicants can apply for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) on Form I-765 with the code (a)(11). For Hong Kong residents covered by the initial grant of DED who have an EAD valid until February 2, 2023, the EAD’s validity will be automatically extended through February 5, 2025.
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White House Announces End to COVID Vaccine Requirement for International Travelers
The White House has announced that it will no longer require the COVID-19 vaccine for international air travelers effective May 11, 2023. The COVID-19 vaccine requirements for international travelers entering the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals also will end on May 11, 2023.
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May 2023 Visa Bulletin Released
The Department of State (DOS) has issued its May 2023 Visa Bulletin. Other than the EB-3 category for Chinese nationals, which advances by five months, most employment categories either have no movement or retrogress in May. Most notably, the Final Action Date for the worldwide EB-2 category moves back by five months and the worldwide EB-3 category will no longer open with a June 1, 2022, cut off date.
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USCIS Removes 60-Day Rule for Civil Surgeon Signatures on Form I-693
USCIS no longer requires that the medical exam (Form I-693) submitted with applications for permanent residence (Form I-485) be less than 60 days old at the time of filing.
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CBP Terminates Negative COVID-19 Test Requirement for Passengers from China, Hong Kong, and Macau
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has ended the requirement for negative COVID-19 test results from air passengers traveling from the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Macau, including those transiting through South Korea, Toronto, and Vancouver locations.
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USCIS Completes H-1B Lottery
USCIS has announced that it completed selection of the registrations submitted in this year’s H-1B visa lottery. If your registration was selected, you should have received an email notification from USCIS to the email address associated with your myUSCIS account.
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April 2023 Visa Bulletin Released
The Department of State (DOS) has issued its April 2023 Visa Bulletin. Other than the EB-3 category for Chinese nationals, which advances by three months, most employment and family-based categories either have no movement or retrogress in April. Most notably, the Final Action Date for the worldwide EB-2 category retrogresses by four months and there is a cut-off date for the F-2A category for spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents.
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USCIS Extends H-1B Registration Deadline
USCIS tweeted (yes, tweeted) this morning that they have extended the H-1B lottery registration period to Monday, March 20 at 2PM PST / 5PM EST because their online payment option stopped working yesterday. USCIS confirmed that the crash was due to high user traffic.
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Extension and Redesignation of Somalia for Temporary Protected Status
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Somalia due to ongoing armed conflict, public health crises, and food security challenges in Somalia.
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USCIS Announces Premium Processing for Certain F-1 Students Seeking OPT or STEM OPT
On Monday, March 6, USCIS announced that it will expand the availability of premium processing to pending applications by international students for Optional Practical Training (OPT) and OPT extensions based on a STEM degree.
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