Immigration

On May 31st, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that they have published a new update on the I-94 website. CBP will remind travelers via e-mail of their officially recorded departure date from the United States. Currently, CBP will send these reminders to eligible travelers on the visa waiver program.

On May 24th, DHS Secretary John F. Kelly extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) through January 22, 2018 for eligible nationals of Haiti and individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Haiti.

On May 24th, DHS Secretary John F. Kelly extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) through January 22, 2018 for eligible nationals of Haiti and individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Haiti.

On Wednesday, May 24, our very own Kevin McNamara, Jen Rubin, and Bill Coffman will lead a live seminar in our San Diego office designed for in-house counsel, immigration specialists, HR professionals, talent managers, and other internal stakeholders to review changes affecting the hiring and continued employment of foreign nationals

On May 3, 2017, USCIS announced that it has completed data entry of all H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in the FY2018 lottery. We continue to receive receipt notices for selected petitions. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected, together with their respective filing fees.

On May 3, 2017, USCIS announced that it has completed data entry of all H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in the FY2018 lottery. We continue to receive receipt notices for selected petitions.

In another example of increased restriction on the rights of non-U.S. Citizens, on Thursday, April 27, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) published a policy memorandum limiting the privacy rights of immigrants and foreign nationals under the Federal Privacy Act of 1974.

Following our recent seminars on what to expect in the world of immigration law and compliance in 2017, we invite you to delve deeper into I-9 compliance, E-Verify compliance, and employment-based immigration compliance. During this three-part webinar series, we will aim to arm employers with best practices and tools regarding compliance in key areas of immigration law.

As a follow-up to the April 7, 2017 announcement that the H-1B cap had been reached, on Monday, April 17, USCIS revealed that it has now completed the random selection of the 85,000 petitions for the quota and that in total, the agency received 199,000 H-1B cap-subject submissions.

USCIS announced on April 7, 2017, that it has received enough H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap of 65,000 visas for fiscal year (FY) 2018. USCIS also received more than the limit of 20,000 H-1B petitions filed under the U.S. advanced degree exemption, also known as the master’s cap.

USCIS announced on April 7, 2017, that it has received enough H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap of 65,000 visas for fiscal year (FY) 2018. USCIS also received more than the limit of 20,000 H-1B petitions filed under the U.S. advanced degree exemption, also known as the master’s cap.

All individuals entering the U.S. at international ports of entry are inspected by US Customs & Border Protection (CBP).  This occurs at either the arrival airport in the U.S., Pre-Flight Inspection if flying from most Canadian airports, or border crossings into the U.S. from either Canada or Mexico.

“Computer Programmer” as a Specialty Occupation
On March 31, 2017, USCIS released a policy memorandum addressing the adjudication and review of H-1B petitions for Computer Programmers.

On March 17, 2017, the Department of State (“DOS”), through the Secretary of State, issued a cable to all US consulates and embassies with guidance on enhanced screening and vetting of applications for US visas and other immigration benefits.

A new travel restriction went into effect at 3:00 am EST on Tuesday barring passengers on foreign airlines coming to the United States from carrying electronic devices larger than a cellphone.

A new travel restriction went into effect at 3:00 am EST on Tuesday barring passengers on foreign airlines coming to the United States from carrying electronic devices larger than a cellphone.

Just hours before President Trump’s new Executive Order or “Muslim Travel Ban” was to become effective, U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson in Hawaii issued a Temporary Restraining Order to stop the ban from being implemented on a national basis.

Just hours before President Trump’s new Executive Order or “Muslim Travel Ban” was to become effective, U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson in Hawaii issued a Temporary Restraining Order to stop the ban from being implemented on a national basis.

From time to time, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducts site visits at the offices of employers petitioning for temporary work visas on behalf of their employees. These visits are funded by the $500 “anti-fraud” fee that is a component of the filing fee for H-1B and L-1 visas.

This advisory summarizes key travel and employment issues if you are an F-1 student with Optional Practical Training (OPT) employment eligibility valid to April 1, 2017 or later, and an H-1B filing on your behalf has been accepted by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).