News & Updates
News Flash: USCIS May Reopen Denied H-1B Petitions
On Friday, March 12, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it may reopen, and possibly reconsider, previously revoked or denied H-1B petitions (Form
H-1B Registration Closes March 25
Starting in 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) started a new process employers must go through to apply for H-1B cap visa petitions. The
How to Create an H-1B Registrant Account
The electronic H-1B registration process is a preliminary step an employer must complete now (deadline March 25) before they can file H-1B visa petitions on
News Flash: Expansion of Interview Waiver Eligibility
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has temporarily expanded the ability of consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for individuals wishing to renew a nonimmigrant visa.
Fiancé Visa: Before You Say “I Do”
Getting engaged is an exciting time, full of possibility and joy. Congratulations on finding the person who makes your heart sing! But while you are
Do Green Card Holders Pay U.S. Taxes?
The short answer is “yes.” Acquiring a green card makes you a lawful U.S. permanent resident, as such, you automatically assume all the tax responsibilities
DACA: 5 Things Business Owners Should Know
The fate of DACA – Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – will be determined by Congress, but since the Trump Administration rescinded the program in September, many business owners are concerned about their employees who have been working legally under DACA. Will employers be able to keep these employees, or
Rising Demand for H-2B Visas
Employers in a number of industries across the U.S. rely on the H-2B visa program. The H-2B visa program allows thousands of foreign laborers from sixty-two nations to enter the U.S. temporarily every year to work in sectors of the economy that include construction, hospitality, landscaping, and food services. While
Can a Revoked Visa Be Reinstated?
If you hold a U.S. visa, you should be aware that your visa can be revoked or canceled at any time and for a variety of reasons. In this blog we review what impact a revoked visa or a canceled visa has on your immigration status, and how a Dublin
In Some U.S. States, Crime Drops as Immigration Increases
Some ideas that people may have about immigration are based on confusion and fear rather than facts. For example, more immigrants inevitably means more crime, right? Think again. That kind of prejudice is being entirely debunked in 2017. A research study released in June shows that California’s substantial decline in
Petition for Alien Relative: Bring Family to the U.S.
A top priority for U.S. immigration authorities is keeping families together. When a U.S. citizen submits an I-130 visa petition on behalf of an immediate relative, the system is supposed to let immediate relatives obtain green cards quickly. While the immigration process favors immediate relatives over almost all other immigrants,
Police Chiefs Support Sanctuary Cities Nationwide
A complicated legal battle is about to take place between the Trump Administration and the nation’s “sanctuary” cities, cities that are presumably not in compliance with federal immigration laws. A great deal of the confusion stems from the fact that the term “sanctuary city” was created by the media, so
Where Are the Best Computer Programmers?
Our prosperity in the United States is built on the renegade, risk-taking spirit of innovation and invention. A new business is an expression of belief – the confidence that “we can make it” in the United States. But there seems to be a computer programmer shortage. Historically, wave after wave
U.S. Immigrant Population Reaches All-time High
New data from the Census Bureau is telling us that the number of immigrants entering the United States – both with and without documentation – is not only growing but accelerating. According to a report released in November by the Center for Immigration Studies – an organization that lobbies for lower levels
Immigration and the Flight from El Salvador
Two years ago – in 2014 – thousands of unaccompanied minors poured into the United States from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The U.S. government was unprepared. The young people from Central America and the immigration authorities were caught in what President Obama called at the time an “urgent humanitarian
U.S. Business Visa Interview Best Practices
Several options for immigration are available for business visitors to the United States. There are five categories of “EB” visas (employment-based visas) for immigrants eligible to work in the United States as permanent residents, and employer sponsorship is sometimes required for those business visas. Temporary, non-immigrant visas are also offered
Where Do H-1B Visas Go?
In January 2010, the senior executives at Molina Healthcare, located in Long Beach, California, conducted a staff meeting. Dozens of people in Molina’s IT department would have to be laid off, the executives announced, because the company had done so poorly in the preceding quarter. What the laid-off employees did
April 1 for H-1B Visa Petitions
It’s a deadline that’s approaching fast. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) receives H-1B visa petitions each year beginning on April 1, and with only 65,000 H-1B visas available, April 1 is the date that those applications must be received by USCIS. Across the U.S., employers are right now determining
The EB-5 Investor Visa
If you are a knowledgeable international investor, and if you have been seeking to put your resources to work in the United States, you probably already know that attractive investment opportunities are abundant in every region of the country. Through the EB-5 investor visa program, the United States government permits
Temporary Visas for Journalists and Performers
If you want to enter the United States temporarily for employment, the precise work you perform and the precise nature of your employer’s business will determine which temporary work visa is right for you. If you are an international journalist or performer – or if you work with a journalist
Cincinnati and Immigration
Foreign-born Cincinnatians comprise only 3.5 percent of the city’s population, yet they wield $1.5 billion in spending power and contribute over $189 million in state and local taxes annually. Mayor John Cranley says he wants to “make Cincinnati the most immigrant friendly city in the country.” Cranley is just one
Law Compliance for U.S. Employers
U.S. employers are required to pay a legal wage to unskilled immigrants doing agricultural work. If you are a U.S.-based employer who needs help understanding or achieving compliance with immigration laws – or if you’re being cited for a violation – obtain the legal help you need by contacting an
I-9 Compliance for Business Owners
Is the company you own I-9 compliant? If you’re not sure, then it needs to be. An administrative judge imposed a whopping $600,000 fine on one employer recently for improperly handling I-9 forms. The fine (in U.S. v. Hartmann Studios, Inc.) is a timely reminder that every U.S.-based business must
Minnesota: A State with Big Immigration Changes
Immigration is fundamentally changing the United States. Immigrants create businesses and jobs, pay millions of tax dollars, and bring innovative new ideas as well as their own culture and traditions. While everyone perhaps knows that border states like Texas and California are changing dramatically due to immigration, you may not
What an Ohio Immigration Lawyer Does
Law in the United States is a vast and complicated field of knowledge. Attorneys not only specialize – they sub-specialize. From estate planning attorneys who only work with living trusts to malpractice attorneys who only work with brain injury patients, the specializations are many, and there are more developing all
OPT and the STEM Extension
As international students holding F-1 visas prepare to graduate, many apply for Optional Practical Training (OPT) to receive employment authorization for a year or more. Who Qualifies for STEM Extension? Although Optional Practical Training for some F-1 students is restricted to 12 months, other international students will qualify for an
Visa Waiver Program for Business and Tourism
The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of ninety days or less for tourism or for business purposes. Transiting or traveling through the United States to Canada or Mexico is generally permitted for VWP travelers. Business