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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. What is DED? Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) is a benefit authorized within the President’s discretion as part of their constitutional power to conduct foreign relations. DED recipients are temporarily protected from deportation and are able to request employment authorization to obtain a work permit from the USCIS. Individuals currently covered under DED include nationals from: Lebanon, Liberia, Hong Kong and Palestine. There are specific eligibility requirements for each designation of DED.
  2. What is the process for obtaining an E3 Australian Visa? If you are outside of the United States applying from Australia, you would petition the Consulate directly. You would need proof of the legitimate job offer, a letter of support from the U.S. employer, a certified Labor Condition Application (LCA) from the Department of Labor (DOL), and your academic or other qualifying credential documentation available for review. Once all of these items are gathered, you would proceed with scheduling an E3 nonimmigrant visa appointment by completing Form DS-160 and submitting it to the Department of State (DOS), along with all requested documentation to establish eligibility. You would then appear for your interview at the scheduled date and time. If successful, your E3 visa will be issued and placed in your passport.If you are inside the United States in another visa status and wish to change status to E3 or are working with a different employer and wish to change employers, you would need to first petition the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). You would need to have a letter of support from the U.S. employer, along with Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker completed by the U.S. employer, and a certified LCA from the DOL, along with documentation to establish your eligibility. These forms and paperwork need to be filed with the USCIS, likely with premium processing. You cannot assume E3 status or begin working with a new U.S. employer until the USCIS has approved your case. Premium processing costs an additional $2805.00 to obtain a decision within 15 business days of filing.

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The USCIS 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.

The updated form listed below is their most recent addition to the list, dated January 6 & 13, 2025!

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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, January 24, 2025. Act now and submit your questions!

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“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream…”

Excerpt from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech, delivered on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial!

Related link:

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On December 18, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a new H-2 final rule and it will take effect on January 17th, this Friday! USCIS Alert stated, “The H-2 final rule significantly strengthens worker protections by, among other things, imposing new consequences on companies that charge prohibited fees or violate our labor laws, and provides greater flexibility for H-2A and H-2B workers.”

For more information, please review the USCIS News Alert, “H-1B Final Rule, H-2 Final Rule, and Revised Form I-129 Effective Jan. 17, 2025“!

Source of Information:

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On December 18, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a new H-1B final rule and it will take effect on January 17th, this Friday! USCIS Alert stated, “The H-1B final rule modernizes the H-1B program by streamlining the approval process, increasing its flexibility to better allow employers to retain talented workers, and improving the integrity and oversight of the program.” 

For more information, please review the USCIS News Alert, “H-1B Final Rule, H-2 Final Rule, and Revised Form I-129 Effective Jan. 17, 2025“! 

Source of Information:

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The Department of State has released its latest Visa Bulletin.

Click the link to view the February 2025 Visa Bulletin

The monthly Visa Bulletin has changed. The bulletin now summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during the reported month for: “Application Final Action Dates” (consistent with prior Visa Bulletins) and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center using Consular Processing (outside of the US) or file on their own with USCIS Form I-485 (within the US).

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The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Friday, January 10, 2025, that they have received enough petitions to reach the cap for the additional 20,716 H-2B visas made available for returning workers for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2025! They will continue to accept petitions for H-2B workers for the other 20,000 additional visas which have been allotted for nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, and Costa Rica.

For more information, please review the USCIS News Alert, “Cap Reached for Additional Returning Worker H-2B Visas for the First Half of FY 2025

Source of Information:

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The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has a great resource web page, “Citizenship Resource Center”! They have centralized available online information about becoming a U.S. Citizen. This web page includes citizenship preparation materials and activities and is divided into three main sections:

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