This year over 85,000 H-1B applications were filed with USCIS, thus exceeding the Master’s Cap and Regular Cap. USCIS announced on Wednesday, May 15 that its initial H-1B selection process was complete and applicants should know whether their H-1B application was chosen for adjudication by June 1, 2013 . The lottery used to choose the H-1Bs is randomized and does not speak to the merits of each application. If chosen in the lottery, an H-1B application will
Current News
San Diego DACA Application Workshop
May 10th, 2013 Written by: Jason Feldman
Immigration attorneys and other volunteers will be offering a Free workshop on Saturday May 11th, 2013 to assist individuals looking to apply for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program. The DACA program dos not provide a path towards permanent residency or U.S. citizenship, but it allows certain individuals that came to the United States as children (and are under the age of 31) to lawfully remain in the United
Senate Judiciary Committee Begins Review of Comprehensive Immigration Reform
May 10th, 2013 Written by: Stephen
The Senate Judiciary Committee has begun reviewing the comprehensive immigration reform bill proposed by the bipartisan “Gang of 8.” In its first day under review, the bill was left mostly unchanged, despite Republican senators’ attempt to condition a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants on imposing stricter border security measures. Nearly all of the amendments made on the first day, save for one, were made with bipartisan agreement. The bill continues to be under review by the Senate Judiciary
2014 Diversity Visa Lottery
May 2nd, 2013 Written by: Jason Feldman
The results of the 2014 Diversity Lottery are out. Applicants will not be emailed of the results and will need to check the Diversity Visa Entrant Status page. Applicants selected for the Lottery are eligible to receive an immigrant visa. After entering on the immigrant visa they will become a permanent resident. After 5 years of living in the U.S. as a permanent resident they may become a U.S. Citizen.
CBP Implements Paperless I-94
May 1st, 2013 Written by: Stephen
U.S. Customs & Border Patrol (CBP) will soon begin to implement electronic I-94 cards, doing away with the white cards given to foreign visitors entering the U.S. via air and sea. CBP will continue to issue paper forms to foreign visitors entering via land borders. Implementation of this electronic system began May 1 and is expected to continue through May 24. Travelers will not need to adjust their entry in any way; the transition will be conducted entirely by
H-1B Visa Alternatives
April 22nd, 2013 Written by: Jason Feldman
Didn’t get selected in the H-1b lottery? Missed the H-1b filing deadline? Wondering what to do now? Here are some possible options that could work for you:
- O-1 Visa: The O-1 visa is for foreign nationals of extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, or business. The standard is generally quite high as the individual must have “sustained national or international acclaim”, but this standard is lowered for individuals in the arts. The O-1 visa is not subject
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation Finally Introduced in the Senate
April 17th, 2013 Written by: Danielle Rosché
After months of anticipation, careful drafting, and lobbying from immigrant rights groups, unions, and businesses, the Gang of 8 has introduced comprehensive immigration reform in the Senate. This is just the first step in a long road to immigration reform and the bill will look very different if an when it’s signed into law, but here’s at least the starting proposal. http://www.schumer.senate.gov/forms/immigration.pdf
Premium Processing on H-1b Petitions
April 10th, 2013 Written by: Jason Feldman
USCIS announced that the 15 day clock for premium processing on H-1b petitions will not begin until April 15, 2013. Regardless, these individuals will not be able to begin working until October 1st, 2013 when this year’s visas are actually released.
The delay is because USCIS was inundated with 124,000+ H-1b visa applications last week for only 85,000 slots.
Fiscal Year 2014 H-1b Cap Reached
April 5th, 2013 Written by: Jason Feldman
The H-1b Master’s Cap and Regular Cap have both been reached, as more than 85,000 new H-1b petitions were filed this week. As a result a lottery will be held to determine which petitions are selected. Any cap subject H-1b petition received by USCIS between April 1st and April 5th will be entered into the random selection process.
All advanced degree petitions not selected for the Master’s cap will be part of the random selection process for the regular cap.
Immediate Citizenship for Undocumented Immigrants Could Provide $1.4 trillion boost to United States’ economy
March 29th, 2013 Written by: Stephen
A recent study by the Center for American Progress estimates that granting undocumented immigrants immediate citizenship would create an economic boon in the amount of $1.4 trillion. Studies dating back to 1986 demonstrate that documented Mexican immigrant men made 6% more than undocumented Mexican immigrant men, with many economists suggesting that the gap is even wider today.
Granting citizenship to the millions of undocumented immigrants would allow such workers to have legal protections when raising