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Yearly Archives: 2016

/2016

AAO precedent decision makes the National Interest Waiver process more accessible for entrepreneurs & self-petitioners

After almost two decades, the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) revisited and revised the analytical framework USCIS will now use for determining eligibility for a National Interest Waiver (NIW), which allows certain highly qualified individuals to pursue Legal Permanent Resident status (a “green card”) without the need for employer sponsorship or an approved PERM labor certification […]

By | 2017-01-12T17:16:03+00:00 December 28th, 2016|Categories: I-140, Permanent Residence|Comments Off on AAO precedent decision makes the National Interest Waiver process more accessible for entrepreneurs & self-petitioners

EVUS registration requirement for Chinese Citizens with 10-year B visas

Chinese nationals are commonly issued a 10-year visa to enter the U.S. for business/pleasure. Employers often use this visa for international associates to enter the U.S. for business meetings or training.

On November 29, 2016, a new rule came into effect requiring all Chinese nationals with this 10-year visa (B1/B2, B1, and B2 visas in passports issued by […]

By | 2016-12-01T21:08:25+00:00 December 1st, 2016|Categories: Travel|Comments Off on EVUS registration requirement for Chinese Citizens with 10-year B visas

Department of Homeland Security Issues Final Regulations Affecting High-Skilled Immigration 

On November 18, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security issued final regulations that will change a number of provisions relating to high-skilled immigration. The new rules become effective January 17, 2017. The regulations offer several positive improvements, and they also codify many of the policy positions and interpretations that USCIS has developed over the […]

By | 2017-09-20T17:51:03+00:00 November 23rd, 2016|Categories: AOS, H-1B, Immigration Legislation, Immigration Reform|Comments Off on Department of Homeland Security Issues Final Regulations Affecting High-Skilled Immigration 

DHS sends final AC21 regulation to the Office of Management and Budget

Monday, October 24th, the Department of Homeland Security sent the final AC21 Regulation, titled “Retention of EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting High-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers,” to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. It could take OMB up to 90 days to review and publish the final regulation.

We […]

By | 2017-09-20T17:51:03+00:00 October 25th, 2016|Categories: I-140, Immigration Legislation, Immigration Reform, Uncategorized|Comments Off on DHS sends final AC21 regulation to the Office of Management and Budget

USCIS Announces Filing Fee Increase effective December 23, 2016

USCIS just announced that effective December 23, 2016, certain filing fees will increase based on the final rule published today in the Federal Register. This filing fee increase is the first USCIS increase since November 2010. Applications and petitions postmarked or filed on or after December 23, 2016, must include these new fees or […]

By | 2016-11-21T19:40:04+00:00 October 24th, 2016|Categories: Immigration Reform|Comments Off on USCIS Announces Filing Fee Increase effective December 23, 2016

“Entrepreneur Visa” Program Moves Closer to Implementation

Part of President Obama’s regulatory agenda relating to immigration involved creation of an “entrepreneur visa” program that would allow foreign national inventors and entrepreneurs to be able to immigrate temporarily to the United States to establish and grow a business. While certain existing visa programs already provide some entrepreneurs and researchers with a mechanism to […]

By | 2017-09-20T17:51:03+00:00 August 25th, 2016|Categories: Administrative Action, Immigration Reform|Comments Off on “Entrepreneur Visa” Program Moves Closer to Implementation

EB-2 All Countries retrogresses August 1, for applicants for permanent resident status

You may recall a few months back the U.S. Department of State (DOS) started bifurcating the monthly visa bulletin into “filing” and “final action” tables. This was an interesting new development that has caused great confusion since its release.

Earlier this week DOS released the August visa bulletin and, while the “filing” date for EB-2 […]

By | 2017-09-20T17:51:03+00:00 July 14th, 2016|Categories: AOS, Permanent Residence|Comments Off on EB-2 All Countries retrogresses August 1, for applicants for permanent resident status

Sarah Peterson is recognized by HRE and Law Dragon as one of the nation’s top corporate immigration attorneys

SPS Immigration is pleased to announce that Human Resource Executive and Lawdragon recently selected Sarah Peterson as one of the nation’s top corporate employment attornys for 2016. Sarah was selected as one of 40 immigration specialists selected as up-and-coming. HRE is in its 9th year of soliciting and selecting its list of the nation’s Most Powerful Employment […]

By | 2016-07-01T01:46:26+00:00 July 1st, 2016|Categories: Uncategorized|Comments Off on Sarah Peterson is recognized by HRE and Law Dragon as one of the nation’s top corporate immigration attorneys

USCIS to Propose Increased Filing Fees

USCIS will publish a notice in the Federal Register tomorrow, May 4th, 2016, proposing an increase in filing fees for most immigration applications. A change in filing fees requires USCIS to follow the regulatory procedures of the Administrative Procedures Act, so the agency will accept comments on the proposed fee changes and will then […]

By | 2016-05-03T16:31:00+00:00 May 3rd, 2016|Categories: Immigration Legislation|Comments Off on USCIS to Propose Increased Filing Fees

USCIS has completed data entry for FY2017 H-1B Cap Petitions

On Tuesday, May 2, 2016, USCIS announced that it has completed data entry of all FY2017 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in its computer-generated random process. USCIS will now begin to return H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected. USCIS is not providing a definite time frame for returning H-1B Petitions that were not selected in the lottery but […]

By | 2016-05-03T15:02:31+00:00 May 2nd, 2016|Categories: H-1B|Comments Off on USCIS has completed data entry for FY2017 H-1B Cap Petitions