The L Visa in General The L-1 visa is a non-immigrant work visa enabling U.S. companies to transfer employees from overseas subsidiaries to the U.S. There are two types of L-1 visas—an L-1A visa available to managers or executives, and…
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Officers inspect and admit all individuals, whether an immigrant or U.S. citizen, into the U.S. The chart below outlines what you can expect after an international flight to the U.S. and the rights you…
On January 27, 2017 the President signed an Executive Order on Protecting the Nation From Terrorist Attacks by Foreign Nationals. This article focuses on Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Executive Order: Section 3: Bans entry for citizens of…
On May 10, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s newly published STEM OPT rule will take effect. The new rule extends the initial 12 months of Optional Practical Training (OPT), available to all F-1 students, an additional 24-month period…
USCIS announced on May 2, 2016, that it has completed data entry of all fiscal year 2017 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in the computer-generated random lottery process. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected. Due…
One of the requirements for an H-1B visa is that the job for which an employee is being sponsored must be a “specialty occupation.” According to federal regulations, to qualify as a specialty occupation, the position must meet one of…
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) recently proposed rule to extend a student’s Optional Practical Training (OPT) is now in its final stages. The proposed rule came about as a result of litigation challenging the procedure used by the…
Foreign nationals who are not eligible to adjust their status to permanent resident in the United States must travel abroad to obtain an immigrant visa. This includes individuals who have unlawfully entered the United States or have remained in the…
When an employer in the United States seeks to employ a foreign worker on a permanent basis through the PERM labor certification process, federal law requires that the offered wage not be used to undercut US workers. In this context,…
To get an H-1B visa in fiscal year 2016, one must win the lottery… quite literally. On April 7, 2015, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the H-1B cap had been met for the 2016 fiscal year. USCIS…