On September 23, 2010, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced a fee increase for immigration benefits. Unlike most federal agencies, USCIS is primarily a fee-based organization, with 90% of its approximately $2.7 billion budget paid for by user fees. The economic downturn has meant that fewer employers were petitioning for foreign
Major filing fee increases for employers who use substantial H-1B and L-1 visas
By Jackson Lewis P.C. on
Posted in USCIS
Implementing a portion of the Border Security funding bill (Public Law 111-230) signed by President Barack Obama on August 13, USCIS has announced a new fee, in addition to existing fees, for certain H-1B and L-1 petitions. The new fee is $2,000 for certain H-1B and $2,250 for certain L-1 petitions.
The fee applies to…
The “Green Card” Is Green Again
By Jackson Lewis P.C. on
Posted in USCIS
During the I-9 verification process, foreign-born employees often present a variety of Permanent Resident cards, commonly called “Green Cards.” However, for the last few decades, no version of the Permanent Resident card has been the color green.
USCIS announced on May 11 a new version of the Permanent Resident card will be issued. The card…
FY 2011 H-1B Petitions Received in First Week: 13,500FY 2011
By Jackson Lewis P.C. on
Posted in US Immigration, USCIS
On April 9, 2010, USCIS announced that in the first week of accepting cap-subject H-1B filings for FY 2011, only 13,500 petitions had been received against the 65,000 regular cap and only 5,600 against the 20,000 master’s cap.
New H-1B visas are generally limited to 65,000 per fiscal year, with an extra 20,000 available to…
A Win for “Extraordinary Ability” Immigrant Visa Applicants
By Jackson Lewis P.C. on
Posted in US Immigration, USCIS
The Extraordinary Ability (EB1) immigrant visa category, as the name suggests, is set aside for immigrants who possess extraordinary ability in their fields. Unlike the case of other visa categories, individuals in this category may submit petitions for themselves. It also avoids the backlogs in other visa categories and is commonly used by artists, entertainers and researchers.
Continue Reading A Win for “Extraordinary Ability” Immigrant Visa Applicants
H-1B Employers: Prepare for Site Visits From USCIS
By Jackson Lewis P.C. on
Posted in USCIS
The Fraud Detection Unit of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (PDF) (USCIS) has initiated thousands of unannounced site visits to employers with H-1B employees. Although the vast majority of site visits go smoothly, this program can be intimidating and create a chilling effect for employers who wish to pursue the H-1B program appropriately.