H1B Visa Lawyer Blog

October 18, 2024

USCIS Webinar – Online PDF Intake Option National Stakeholder Engagement – (10/31/24)

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be holding a virtual national stakeholder engagement on Thursday, October 31, from 2 to 3 p.m. (Eastern). This webinar will provide an overview of the new Online PDF Intake Option for certain applicants seeking an Employment Authorization Document (EAD)! They will be providing a step-by-step overview of how to use the new PDF intake option in the USCIS online account!

For more details, please review the USCIS Outreach Engagement, “Online PDF Intake Option National Stakeholder Engagement“.

To Register for this engagement:

October 17, 2024

2024 USCIS Forms Updates including Form G-1055 Fee Schedule – 10/11/24

by Kellie N. Lego

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 October 11, 2024!

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October 16, 2024

USCIS Electronic Reading Room

by Kellie N. Lego

USCIS has an online Electronic Reading Room with access to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requested documents. The Reading Room is really a Web-based searchable database of public requested FOIA documents; mixed with USCIS documents that the government decided may have a larger public demand. You can use pull-downs to choose different listed subjects and include any month/year date from January 2011 to the present. You can also type in your own keywords to search.

Please visit this page for more information: Electronic Reading Room

Visa Bulletin – November 2024

by Kellie N. Lego

The Department of State has released its latest Visa Bulletin.

Click the link to view the November 2024 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).

October 11, 2024

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – 10/11/24

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.

Is the filing fee for an Advance Parole document the same as the filing fee for a Re-Entry permit? Yes, Form I-131 requires a USCIS filing fee of $630.00 whether you are filing to request Advance Parole, or a Re-Entry permit.
How do I find out what documents the Consulate will need for my mother’s case? I am assuming you are referring to Consular Processing for your mother’s Immigrant visa once her I-130 is approved. You can find particular country requirements for civil supporting documents by visiting https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/Visa-Reciprocity-and-Civil-Documents-by-Country.html and selecting the specific country from the A-Z list on the left hand side of the screen. Once you choose a country, you can scroll down and see the country’s requirements for: Birth, Death and Burial Certificates; Marriage, Divorce Certificates; Adoption Certificates; Identity Card; Police, Court, Prison Records; Military Records; etc.

October 10, 2024

USCIS Issues New Guidance on EB-1 Eligibility Criteria for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability

by Kellie N. Lego

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued updated policy guidance as part of their Policy Manual to further explain the types of evidence needed to evaluate and determine eligibility for extraordinary ability EB-1 immigrant visa. Please review the USCIS News Alert for more details, “USCIS Issues New Guidance on EB-1 Eligibility Criteria for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability“!

The EB-1 visa is an employment-based visa available for extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and multinational executives.

Source of Information:

October 9, 2024

Checking Your USCIS Processing Time Online!

by Kellie N. Lego

You can check USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) processing times at any time online using the link below, it is on their web site. You will need to select your form number, next select the form category, and last select the office processing your case and they will display a processing time. USCIS has made processing times easier to understand and provides a more realistic date range.

Check Case Processing Times

The processing time range is how long it takes for USCIS to process your type of case from the date they received it. USCIS processes cases in the order they receive them, and they normally update this information monthly. The estimated time range displayed is based on data captured over the last two months.

October 8, 2024

Eligible to Naturalize Factsheet: Columbus, Ohio

by Kellie N. Lego

This is a very interesting Factsheet, Eligible to Naturalize Factsheet: Columbus, OH , published by USCIS using Office of Homeland Security Statistics data from September 18, 2024! This well put together Factsheet provides information on selected characteristics of people with Lawful Permanent Residence (LPR) status in the Columbus, Ohio area. There are 48,630 (Green Card holders) in this area of the country that are eligible to be naturalized U.S. citizen after meeting the requirements!

For more information, please review the USCIS Factsheet, “Eligible to Naturalize Factsheet: Columbus, OH“!

Source of Information:

October 7, 2024

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – This Friday, October 11, 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, October 11, 2024. Act now and submit your questions!

October 4, 2024

USCIS has changed their Insignia!

by Kellie N. Lego

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has changed their organization insignia (Symbol). The new insignia is now a circle with the main feature in the center being the Statue of Liberty! I have included their mission statement below and a link for more details. To see the new USCIS insignia, open their homepage and look in the top left corner!

USCIS Mission Statement:

USCIS upholds America’s promise as a nation of welcome and possibility with fairness, integrity, and respect for all we serve.