H1B Visa Lawyer Blog

April 5, 2024

Immigrants in each State (fact sheets): Oklahoma, Oregon and Pennsylvania – Update

UPDATE: Explore American Immigration Council’ interactive map to get more comprehensive information on U.S. immigration data and its impact!

The American Immigration Council (AIC) has released all fifty states and the District of Columbia, for a total of fifty-one updated state-by-state fact sheets highlighting immigration data and facts. These fact sheets highlight the demographic and economic impact of Immigrants in each state.

With national immigration policy being discussed, we thought that it would be a good time to provide some statistics on the Immigrant population in the United States as provided by this AIC research. Once a week we will be posting a blog with information on three states at a time. This week we will highlight; Oklahoma, Oregon and Pennsylvania!

April 4, 2024

2024 USCIS Forms Updates – 4/1/24

by Kellie N. Lego

Review the USCIS Forms Updates web page for important updates! Many of the USCIS forms were updated on April 1st because of the USCIS fee schedule changes which went into effect on the same date. There are more then 70 update notices on their webpage for April 1st!

The Forms Updates web page lists their most recently updated forms. The list includes forms as they publish them and includes a brief explanation for the update.

Important Links:

April 3, 2024

Historical Processing Times Trends for Fiscal Years 2016 – 2024

by Kellie N. Lego

This new USCIS Fact Sheet includes historical national median (mid-point) processing times data in chart and graphic forms. This data was collected from all USCIS offices from the listed forms from Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 through 2024. Use this link to review this Fact Sheet for more details, “Historical Processing Times Trends Fiscal Year 2016 – 2024 (PDF)”.

Source of Information:

USCIS (USCIS.gov), USCIS Data as of 03/05/2024, Fact Sheet:

April 2, 2024

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee Schedule – New Fees started April 1st

by Kellie N. Lego

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Fee Schedule has changed as of April 1st. These are the fees that USCIS charges applicants to file and they use them to operate, 96% of their budget comes from these charged fees. USCIS says they are trying to avoid future backlogs in service by aligning the new fees with their operating costs.

Important Reminders:

Final fee rule was published Jan. 31, 2024.

March 29, 2024

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – 3/29/24

by Kellie N. Lego

MVP Law Group, P.A. makes available the information and materials in this forum for informational purposes only. The information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice or any contractual obligations. Further, the use of this site, and the sending or receipt of this information, does not create an attorney-client relationship between us. Therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.

1 – How does the USCIS know it is a concurrent filing? Form I-129 allows you to check the proper box to classify the filing. The Labor Condition Application (LCA) filed with the Department of Labor also allows you to check the proper box to classify the filing.

2 – If I file Form I-485 from the United States and leave the country as a visitor, can I come back? If you filed Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, requesting an Advance Parole document with your AOS (Form I-485), then you will need to wait for the Advance Parole document to be issued before you can leave the United States. Otherwise, leaving without an Advance Parole or a valid dual intent nonimmigrant visa will result in your I-485 being denied for abandonment, among other issues.

March 28, 2024

Update – Visa Bulletin – April 2024

by Kellie N. Lego

The Department of State has released its latest Visa Bulletin.

Click the link to view the April 2024 Visa Bulletin

UPDATE: When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application for Family-Sponsored or Employment-Based Preference Visas: April 2024

March 27, 2024

H-1B Initial Registration Period Closed!

by Kellie N. Lego

The H-1B initial registration period has closed! FY 2025 H-1B cap season’s initial registration period has closed as of noon Eastern on Monday, March 25, 2024. The USCIS will now have to randomly select enough beneficiaries who have properly submitted applications to reach the cap allocations for FY 2025. The USCIS will issue an alert when H-1B selection has been completed!

For further details please review the USCIS News Alert, “H-1B Form I-129 Filing Location Change and FY 2025 H-1B Cap Season Updates and Reminders“!

Source of Information:

March 26, 2024

DHS Announces Extension of Temporary Protected Status for Burma (Myanmar)

by Kellie N. Lego

On Friday, March 22, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that they were extending the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the country of Burma (Myanmar) for 18 months, beginning on May 26, 2024, and ending on November 25, 2025! The Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro N. Mayorkas determined that the TPS extension and re-designation are warranted because the civilian government was overthrown in a military coup in 2021 and continues to face many problems!

For further details please review the DHS Press Release, “Secretary Mayorkas Announces Extension and Redesignation of Burma (Myanmar) for Temporary Protected Status“

Background:

March 25, 2024

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – This Friday, March 29, 2024

by Kellie N. Lego

We wanted to find a new way to engage our reader base. Every other Friday, we will post the ten (10) best/most frequently asked questions received during the week from our h1bvisalawyerblog, Facebook, and Twitter readers. We will answer those questions and provide the Q&A on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

If you have a burning question, are seeking assistance with a difficult immigration related case, wish to discuss your views on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, DREAMers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, priority dates, the monthly visa bulletin, adjustment applications, etc., please contact us by submitting your question/comment/viewpoint in our comment box provided on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

Our next “Q & A Forum” will take place this Friday, March 29, 2024. Act now and submit your questions!

March 22, 2024

An Overview of Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

by Kellie N. Lego

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a temporary immigration status provided to nationals of designated countries experiencing difficult or unsafe conditions which makes returning to their home country onerous! The TPS for a country is designated by the Secretory of DHS, which is Alejandro Mayorkas. TPS recipients are not eligible for any public assistance because of this status.

Review the American Immigration Council’s Fact Sheet for a detailed overview: Temporary Protected Status: An Overview

Source of Information: