The Department of State (DOS) has issued its August 2024 Visa Bulletin. Compared to previous months with significant movement, this month shows a slowdown in the forward movement of priority dates for both the employment-based and family-based immigrant visa categories. No categories will retrogress in August.
Read MorePresident Biden has recently proposed a program that would allow certain undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens (and their children) to obtain work authorization and legal permanent resident (“LPR”) status while remaining in the United States.
Read MoreDue to the ongoing urgent humanitarian situation in Haiti, Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, has announced the extension and expansion of Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) until February 3, 2026.
Read MoreThe Department of State (DOS) has issued its July 2024 Visa Bulletin. After several months of minimal progress in priority dates, we finally will see forward movement in many employment-based and family-based immigrant visa categories. However, there will also be a retrogression in the final action dates for the EB-3 employment-based immigrant visa category.
Read MoreThe Department of State (DOS) has issued its June 2024 Visa Bulletin. Like in May, we primarily see forward movement in the family-based immigrant visa categories in June. There is almost no movement in the employment-based immigrant visa categories. Fortunately, none of the categories will retrogress.
Read MoreUSCIS has released the number of registrations it received for this year’s H-1B visa lottery: 479,953, resulting in 120,603 selected registrants.* This is nearly 300,000 less than last year’s numbers: 780,884. In comparison to last year’s chance of selection of 15%, the chances of being selected in the H-1B lottery for this fiscal year 2025 increased to 25.13%.
Read MoreDue to the ongoing armed conflict and grave political instability in Ethiopia, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the extension and expansion of Ethiopia for Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) until December 12, 2025. Ethiopian nationals in the United States who currently benefit from TPS can extend their status for an additional 18 months, from June 13, 2024, to December 12, 2025.
Read MoreEffective April 15, 2024, certain Palestinians in the United States may obtain an employment authorization document (EAD), which will be valid through August 13, 2025. This work authorization is further to President Biden’s memorandum dated February 14, 2024, which allows eligible Palestinians to remain in the United States until August 13, 2025 due to the humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian Territories. The Presidential policy is called Deferred Enforced Departure (DED).
Read MoreThe Department of State (DOS) has issued its May 2024 Visa Bulletin. In May, there will only be forward movement in the family-based immigrant visa categories. All the employment-based categories will stay the same. Fortunately, none of the categories will retrogress.
Read MoreIn a significant step towards promoting inclusivity, USCIS has added a third gender option, “X,” defined as “Another Gender Identity” on their naturalization application (Form N-400), which grants US citizenship to lawful permanent residents. This is the first USCIS form to include a third gender option.
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