In the United States, our Immigration laws, policies, and procedures are complex and cause much confusion for my clients. One innocent mistake can have unintended, negative consequences – denial of your case or worse. Therefore, it is essential to have the correct information before heading down any particular path. Like millions of other people, when I need information for personal reasons, I often start with a Read More
Aging-Out of Dependent Status for U.S. Immigration
In the United States, it is common knowledge that children, or “minors”, are people under the age of 18. On the child’s 18th birthday, he or she becomes a legal adult. But guess what – it does not work this way in immigration. For immigration purposes, a “child” is an unmarried person under the age of 21. On the other hand, U.S. immigration law labels a person “son” or “daughter” if they are 21 or older, or in a Read More
Biden Administration Announces New Travel Bans
In light of the Coronavirus Omicron Variant, President Biden announced new travel bans for several African countries. Regardless of vaccination status, travelers from the following countries cannot enter the United States. Botswana Eswatini Lesotho Malawi Mozambique Namibia South Africa Zimbabwe Travelers who have been in these countries for 14 days prior to entering the United States Read More
The H-1B Program – Round #3
In March, I wrote a blog about the FY 2022 H-1B registration period. Basically, the H-1B program allows United Stated employers to temporarily employ international workers. The workers must fill jobs that require specialized knowledge in a particular area. Also, the worker must have bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific specialty. H-1B specialty occupations include fields such as architecture, engineering, Read More
Undocumented Workers to be Treated Differently Under Biden
Under the Trump Administration, there were many headlines about ICE raiding workplaces and arresting undocumented workers. According to some, Trump’s workplace raid policy was established as a punitive measure against these undocumented workers. As it often happens when there is a new administration, President Biden and his team have changed policies. As a result, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas Read More
What Does TPS Mean for Employers?
Recently, individuals from Burma, Yemen and Somalia received TPS. So, what does TPS mean for employers? Let’s start at the beginning. What is TPS? TPS stands for Temporary Protected Status. According to immigrationforum.org, TPS is granted by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to eligible foreign-born individuals who are unable to unable to return home safely due to conditions or Read More
3 Alternatives to the H-1B Visa for US Employment
Looking to enter the US on a work visa without the lengthy process and the H-1B visa lottery? There are three visas that are significantly faster and easier to apply for, with no lottery that are excellent options for employers and employees alike. These programs are for citizens of Canada, Mexico, Australia, Chile and Singapore. E-3, Work Visa for Australians Australians may apply at the US Consulate in Read More
The New Application for Employment Authorization and What That Means For you
On October 2, 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a new version of its Application for Employment Authorization, the Form I-765, which allows applicants to now request a Social Security Number (SSN) or a replacement Social Security card at the same time as when they apply for their Employment Authorization Document (EAD). An EAD, or work permit, shows employers that someone is Read More
