Articles Posted in Non immigrant Visas

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In this video attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses a very hot topic in the world of immigration—the H-1B visa lottery program. Learn how you can increase your chances of winning the H-1B visa lottery for the fiscal year 2024 cap in this video.

Recently, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for the FY 2024 H-1B cap will open starting at noon Eastern time on March 1st and close noon Eastern time on March 17th.

The H-1B season is always an exciting time that gives you the chance of being selected in the lottery and the opportunity to live and work in the United States.

If you want to know more just keep on watching.

Did you know? The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant work visa that allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for specialty occupations requiring a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. The most common occupations for the H-1B visa are the STEM occupations. Every fiscal year, USCIS is limited to a congressionally mandated visa quota of 65,000 cap-subject H-1B visas. Separately, 20,000 H-1B visas are available for foreign nationals who hold a master’s or other advanced degree from a US institution of higher education (cap-exempt).

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As we near the end of the month, attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses the release of the February 2023 Visa Bulletin and the trends and projected movement you can expect to see in the family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories for the month of February.

If you are interested to know about the cutoff dates and visa availability for the upcoming Visa Bulletin, please keep on watching.

Did you know? Every month the Department of State releases the Visa Bulletin, which summarizes the availability of immigrant visa numbers for that particular month. The “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” charts indicate when immigrant visa applicants can assemble and submit the required documentation to the National Visa Center (for those residing overseas), or USCIS (for those residing in the United States).

The primary purpose of the Visa bulletin is to provide an updated waiting list for immigrants that are subject to the numerical visa quota system.

Overview

USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Charts for the February Visa Bulletin (for those residing in the USA)

To be eligible to file a family or employment-based adjustment of status application in the month of February (for those residing inside the United States), foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country.

For Family-Sponsored Filings:

Pursuant to guidance released by USCIS, for all family-sponsored preference categories, applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for February 2023 to determine when you can apply for adjustment of status.

For Employment-Based Preference Filings:

All applicants, falling under employment-based preference categories, must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for February 2023 to determine when you can apply for adjustment of status.

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In this blog post, attorney Jacob Sapochnick talks about a brand-new proposal to increase the government filing fees for certain types of immigration benefits filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Following the announcement, on January 4, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register outlining the proposed fee schedule which seeks to increase the filing fees of certain nonimmigrant visa classifications, as well as adjustment of status (green card) applications.

The government will be accepting public comments for the proposed rule until March 6, 2023. After the comment period has closed, the agency will review the public comments and issue a final version of the rule.

TIP: If you know that you will be applying for an immigration benefit that is subject to the proposed fee increase, you should apply as soon as possible to avoid incurring the higher fee.

Want to know more? Just keep on watching.

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Do you want to know how you can change your status from a B1/B2 tourist visa to F-1 international student from inside the United States? If so, then this is the right video for you. In this video, we answer this important topic and discuss some important considerations you may want to know if you are interested in changing your status while inside the United States.

When you enter the United States in B1/B2 nonimmigrant status, you do so for a specific purpose – to remain temporarily for business, tourism, or a combination of both. But what happens when after you have entered the United States, you decide that you want to enroll in a course of study in the United States? Is this possible?

Overview

The short answer is yes, however there are some important considerations.

To begin, it is important for you to understand that you cannot file a change of status application while inside the United States during the first 3 months (90 days) of gaining admission to the United States. Doing so may trigger a presumption that you misrepresented your true intention for entering the United States and could land you in hot water with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

However, if, during the course of your remaining duration of stay in the United States (after those 90 days) you become interested in studying in the United States, it is possible for you to apply for a change of status while remaining in the United States. Please note that you must have a good reason for changing your status to F-1 from inside the United States, instead of opting to apply for your F-1 visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas. For instance, if you could not return to your home country for political or legitimate medical reasons.

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Are you applying for a green card or immigrant visa? Want to know whether the COVID-19 vaccine is required to immigrate to the United States?

Then this is just the right video for you. In this video you will learn all about the COVID-19 vaccination requirement from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as well as other useful information regarding the Form I-693, Medical Examination and religious exemptions to the vaccination requirement. This information is being provided to help you understand the medical examination requirements and prevent the issuance of a Request for Evidence.

Did You know? Last year, USCIS announced the COVID-19 vaccination requirement which impacted all adjustment of status applications and medical examinations, filed on or after October 1, 2021.

If you want to know more just keep on watching.

Overview

What are the COVID-19 vaccination requirements?

Effective October 1, 2021, USCIS announced that applicants for adjustment of status subject to the immigration medical examination must complete the COVID-19 vaccination series before their civil surgeon can complete and sign the Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record.

This means that if you submit your Form I-693 medical examination on or after October 1, 2021, you are required to complete the entire COVID-19 vaccine series (1 or 2 doses depending on formulation) and submit evidence of vaccination to your civil surgeon. During your medical examination appointment, your civil surgeon will inspect your vaccination record to make sure you have all of the necessary vaccinations, and discuss your vaccination history with you before signing the I-693 medical examination.

If you submitted your Form I-693 before October 1, 2021, then are not required to complete the COVID-19 vaccine series in order to obtain your adjustment of status.

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thanksgiving-gd44f78c1b_1920On behalf of our team, we would like to thank you for your enormous support and express our heartfelt well wishes in this time of gratitude.

For the opportunity you give us to serve you year by year, we say thank you.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.

Sincerely,

The Sapochnick Law Firm 

As a reminder, please be aware that our office will be closed Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25 in observance of the holiday. We will resume normal business hours on Monday, November 28.

Contact us. To schedule a consultation please text 619-483-4549 or call 619-819-9204.

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Need more immigration updates? We have created a new facebook group to address the impact of the new executive order and other changing developments related to COVID-19. Follow us there.

For other COVID 19 related immigration updates please visit our Immigration and COVID-19 Resource Center here.

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Are you an international student in the United States or planning to apply for an F-1 visa? Then this video may interest you. Here, we discuss a recent announcement made by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regarding the loss of accreditation of the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) as an accrediting agency, and how it will impact certain F-1 students in the United States. The ACICS agency accredited close to 30 schools in the United States attended by more than 5,000 students.

Did You know? The U.S. Department of Education has announced it will no longer recognize the ACICS as an accredited agency. Accordingly, students in an English language program or those seeking an extension of their STEM OPT may be impacted.

If you want to know more just keep on watching.

Overview

On August 19, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that it no longer recognizes the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) as an accrediting agency. This determination immediately affects two immigration-related student programs:

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In this video, we bring you a new update from the State Department, based on recent conversations between State Department officials and representatives of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).

We will specifically cover topics such as visa processing for third country nationals wishing to secure interview appointments at Consulates and Embassies worldwide, the fate of E-2 visa renewal applicants who previously applied for loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the permissible activities of B-1 visa holders while in the United States, issues relating to visa inadmissibility, and nonimmigrant visa denials.

Did You know? We help clients in all 50 states and all countries of the world. If you are interested in discussing your immigration options, we invite you to contact us for a consultation.

If you would like to know more about the recent updates from the State Department, just keep on watching.

Overview

The U.S. Department of State recently met with representatives of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) to discuss several immigration topics that have been frequently asked by our viewers. Here we provide a summary of those updates and useful information that may be helpful to you.

Visa Appointments for Third Country Nationals

Applicants of certain nationalities have been experiencing difficulties obtaining visa interviews in their home country. For instance, recent political demonstrations in Iran have made it more and more difficult for applicants to travel to neighboring countries, leading applicants to seek visa appointments elsewhere.

Since the United States does not maintain a diplomatic presence in Iran, applicants can travel and apply at any U.S. Embassy or Consulate that processes their visa type. The U.S. Embassies in Ankara, Yerevan, and Dubai are staffed with Farsi-speaking consular officers who are most familiar with Iranian visa applicants, and therefore are encouraged to apply there. However, visas for Iranian applicants can also be processed at other U.S. Embassies such as Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt, Naples, and Vienna.

For others, obtaining a visa interview in their home country has been nearly impossible leading many to ask whether they can apply elsewhere as a third country national.

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We are lucky to have filed many successful O-1B visa petitions on behalf of individuals seeking a visa for their extraordinary ability in the arts. In this video, we share with you a recent case study of how our firm achieved success for an internationally recognized DJ of Electronic Dance Music, allowing him to live and work in the United States with his approved O-1B visa.

Want to learn how we did it? Keep on watching for more information.

Overview

What do the famous international DJs Avicii, Tiesto, David Guetta, Calvin Harris, and Afrojack have in common? They are not American, or at least they were not American, when they first entered the United States. These individuals had to apply for a special visa type, enabling them to perform in the United States, known as the O-1B visa of extraordinary ability in the arts.

Recently, our firm represented an internationally recognized DJ similarly performing under the Electronic Dance Music (EDM) genre.

O-1B Extraordinary Ability in the Arts Requirements

To work in the United States as a DJ, you must apply for the O-1B extraordinary ability in the arts visa type.

The O-1B visa is available to DJs who have extraordinary skills and can meet the O-1B criteria of national or international recognition.

What do DJs need to qualify for the O-1B visa?

Before you consider the O-1B visa, it is necessary for you to be represented by a U.S. employer, U.S. agent, or a foreign employer through a U.S. agent, who can file the O-1B petition on your behalf as your “petitioner.” In general, an applicant demonstrates his or her extraordinary ability in the O-1B category by providing evidence of sustained national or international acclaim, showing recognition of achievements, and providing signed contracts, offer letters, deal memos, letters of intent, and/or a detailed itinerary outlining the details of each planned performance.

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In this video, we bring you the latest update from the State Department regarding the status of worldwide consular visa operations as of October 2022, including statistics and what you can expect in the coming months as it relates to visa processing.

If you are waiting for your immigrant visa to be processed at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate overseas, then this video is right for you.

Did You know? The State Department recently announced that it has reached pre-pandemic visa processing.

If you would like to know more about this important topic, just keep on watching.

Overview

The State Department recently provided a report on the status of consular visa operations and what the agency has been doing to cut down the waiting periods for immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants at Consulates worldwide. We provide the highlights of the report down below.

One of the major ways in which the State Department is improving visa processing times is by hiring more U.S. foreign service workers at Consulates overseas.

As you may be aware, visa backlogs at Consulates overseas piled up during the COVID-19 pandemic after the Department of State announced a worldwide suspension of routine visa services. Due to the restrictions on travel to the United States, as well as several other factors including social distancing protocols, Consulates were unable to schedule applicants for in-person visa interviews. The result was that virtually no visas were issued in the family preference categories during the temporary suspension of visa services, which caused the backlogs to increase significantly.

What is happening with visa operations now?

The State Department is almost back to pre-pandemic processing.

New initiatives like interview waivers are providing relief to Consulates and Embassies, while making available much needed interview slots for other applicants who need appointments.

The State Department estimates that approximately 30 percent of worldwide nonimmigrant visa applicants may be eligible for an interview waiver. This is a very positive development that could very well increase in the months ahead.

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