Visa Bulletin

Immigration Reform Bill

By Michael H. Neifach, Amy L. Peck & Otieno B. Ombok on February 22, 2021

Posted in Asylum / Refugee, Biden Administration, Citizenship, DAPA / DACA, Department of Labor, EADs, Green Cards, H-1B, H-4, L-1A / L-1B, Legislation, O-1, Students / CPT / OPT / STEM, Temporary (Non-immigrant) Work Visas, TPS, Visa Bulletin

The United States Citizenship Act was introduced on February 18, 2021. Sponsored in the House by Representative Linda Sanchez (D-Calif) and in the Senate by Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the bill calls for broad immigration reform, including creating paths to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, expanding the number of available visas, and creating more access for…

Public Charge Rule Blocked by Federal Court

By Nadine T. Trinh on December 4, 2020

Posted in COVID-19, Immigration Litigation, Permanent Residence, Temporary (Non-immigrant) Work Visas, Trump Administration, USCIS, Visa Bulletin

On December 2, 2020, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld preliminary injunctions blocking USCIS from enforcing the “new” Public Charge Rule in 18 states and the District of Columbia.

The Court found the rule was inconsistent with any reasonable interpretation of the statute which requires long-term dependence on government support, not temporary resort to…

USCIS Switches to ‘Dates for Filing’ Chart for Employment-Based Adjustment of Status for October

By Michael H. Neifach, Amy L. Peck & Marko C. Maglich on September 27, 2020

Posted in Department of State, EADs, Fees and Penalties, Green Cards, Immigrant Petitions, Permanent Residence, USCIS, Visa Bulletin

While it typically uses the “Final Action Dates” chart for accepting adjustment of status application filings, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that for October 2020, it will allow employment-based adjustment of status applicants to file based upon the U.S. Department of State’s (DOS) October “Dates for Filing” chart.

This means that individuals…

Green Card Process: The Visa Bulletin and Backlogs

By Jessica Feinstein on October 29, 2019

Posted in Department of State, Green Cards, Legislation, Permanent Residence, US Immigration, USCIS, Visa Bulletin

The Visa Bulletin, published every month by the Department of State (DOS), is the key to the Green Card process. The Department of State is charged with allocating the statutory 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas each year. The Bulletin announces when an applicant can file for the coveted Green Card. A foreign national cannot file an…

Demand Pushes Back Dates for China, India EB Visas, Department of State Announces

By Jessica Feinstein on May 11, 2017

Posted in Permanent Residence, Visa Bulletin

While the Department of State’s Visa Control and Reporting Division had hoped it would not be necessary to include a cut-off date in the first preference category, that cut-off has come to pass. In its June 2017 Visa Bulletin, DOS states that, due to heightened demand, beginning on June 1, 2017, for both India and …

Immigration Blog