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H-1B: Person in Specialty Occupation
This nonimmigrant classification applies to people who wish to perform services in a specialty occupation, services of exceptional merit and ability relating to a Department of Defense (DOD) cooperative research and development project, or services as a fashion model of distinguished merit or ability.
H-3 Visa Trainees
General Information
An H-3 classification applies to an alien who is coming temporarily to the United States:
(1) As a trainee, other than to receive graduate medical education or training, or training provided primarily at or by an academic or vocational institution, or
(2) As a participant in a special education exchange visitor program which provides for practical training and experience in the education of children with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities.
Nonimmigrant Visas
H-4 Visa Spouse & Children
Family members of the H-1B foreign worker are admitted to the United States in the H-4 category. Qualifying family members include only the spouse and unmarried children under 21 years old. H-4 dependents are admitted for the same period of time for which the H-1B foreign worker is admitted. H-4 dependents may alternatively be admitted in other nonimmigrant categories for which they qualify. H-4 dependents may undertake studies while remaining in the H-4 category, however, they may not engage in any form of employment.
USCIS Resumes Premium Processing for Certain Petitions
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that it will resume premium processing for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, in phases over the next month.
Effective June 1, 2020, USCIS will accept Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service for all eligible Form I-140 petitions.
USCIS Begins Implementing New Interactive Voice Response Telephone System
USCIS is introducing a new interactive voice response (IVR) telephone system today for English and Spanish calls to the USCIS Contact Center. The new IVR system personalizes the caller’s experience by giving the caller the ability to:
USCIS Publishes Interim Final Rule Implementing the Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Workforce Act of 2018
Rule creates new requirements for CNMI employers to protect U.S. workers
DHS Offers Flexibilities to Increase Food Security, Stabilize U.S. Supply Chain During COVID-19
WASHINGTON—The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a temporary final rule to change certain H-2B requirements to help support the U.S. food supply chain, maintain essential infrastructure operations and reduce the impact from the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency.
Military Personnel and Veterans Can Now File Their Form N-400, Naturalization Application, Online
WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that U.S. service members and veterans can now file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, online.
USCIS Extends Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests
In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March 30 to assist applicants and petitioners who are responding to certain:
May 14, 2020 Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday)
Nonimmigrant Visas
Immigration Law
FAQs:
- Covid Coronavirus: H-B during Covid, H-1B not sure if I am laid off, LCA/H-1B amendments, and travel during H-1B
- H-1B start own business or invest
- Promotion after getting the green card
- Extraordinary circumstance EAD
- Extension of tourist stay during Covid
- H-1B delayed entry
May 28, 2020 Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday)
Green Card
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 28 May 2020:
FAQ: Applying for I-485 through a past employer or through a new employer || L-1A moving back to home country with green card pending || Can green card be applied for an old job under the international manager EB1C category? || Applying for naturalization/citizenship under Trump administration || Effect on H-1B of working from outside the USA || Laid off while green card is pending
Other: Porting priority date from EB-2 two EB-1C as international manager || J-1 gap in status/O-1 visa || H-1 RFE converting to H-4 || Amendment or extension timing || Nunc pro tunc or consular processing of H-1B || H-4 extensions || OPT and CPT times || International adoption procedures || F-1 student working in the USA for a foreign company, etc.
H Visa Processing times & status checks
Processing Times
- USCIS Service Center Processing Times
- California Service Center
- Nebraska Service Center
- Texas service Center
- Vermont Service Center
Nonimmigrant Visas
H-2 Visa - Temporary Workers
The H-2B visa category is used by U.S. employers to temporarily employ skilled or unskilled foreign nationals in nonagricultural positions for which the employer has a temporary need and for which qualified U.S. workers are unavailable. The company must plan to employ the foreign nationals for a temporary period and the employer’s need for the skills of the foreign nationals must also be temporary. In addition, the employer must seek a “labor certification” from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) certifying that:
ICE Publishes FAQs On Prioritization Of Enforcement
ICE FAQs on the Administration’s August 18, 2011 announcement regarding a new process to ensure that immigration enforcement resources are focused on high priority cases.
DOL Replaces PERM FAQ on Special Recruitment and Documentation Procedure for College and University Teachers
The Department has replaced a PERM program Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) regarding the use of an electronic or web-based national professional journal instead of a print journal when conducting recruitment for College and University Teachers as specified under 20 CFR 656.18.
Please check the attachment to read the FAQ.
Guestbook Entry for Susan Dane, United States
USCIS Publishes Memo On Field Guidance For Processing Form N-400 Regarding SSI Benefits
This memorandum provides field guidance to all USCIS employees about their responsibilities regarding the priority processing of Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, when filed by applicants who will soon loose supplemental Security Income(SSI) benefits because they have reached their eligibility time limit.
DOL Publishes H-2B Prevailing Wage FAQ
The Department has posted a new Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) to assist employers and others in understanding how the Service Contract Act (SCA) wages are used by the OFLC in issuing H-2B prevailing wage determinations.
USCIS Publishes Memo On Eligibility To Self-Petition As Abused Parent Of US Citizen
USCIS policy memo on the self-petitioning eligibility of a battered or abused stepparent or adoptive parent of a U.S.C., and the eligibility for VAWA relief after termination of a step-relationship.
Please check the attachment to read USCIS policy memo.
Guestbook Entry for A Chaudhary, United States
USCIS Publishes CNMI Transitional Worker Final Rule
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule in Federal Register that establishes a Transitional Worker (CW) classification for workers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The CW classification allows employers in the CNMI to hire nonimmigrant workers who are otherwise ineligible to work.
Guestbook Entry for Namrata Tognatta, United States
USCIS Seeks Public Comment on Proposal to Amend Special Immigrant Juvenile Regulations
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is seeking public comment on a proposed rule governing the Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) classification.
Currently, certain children present in the United States may be eligible for SIJ status if they are: