We’re very excited to better understand how U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is shaping the H-1B lottery for the future, as early as next year. It published two different proposals for the pre-registration process for employers planning to submit petitions in the next H-1B lottery. This year, USCIS changed the H-1B lottery process by…
Individuals looking to extend their student visa or visitor visa for business or pleasure can now file online through the eProcessing system. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently launched its online eProcessing system with Form I-539 (Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status). Now, you can renew the following visas online: B-1 temporary visitor for business…
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are turning away some Canadian workers at the border. Without notice, CBP abandoned a decades-long policy of allowing Canadians to apply for L-1 visa renewals directly at U.S. ports of entry. And now, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) reports that CBP officials at some points of entry…
Nearly 260 million people will be flying during the summer. If you’re one of them, traveling abroad to visit friends and family—and you also hold a visa or green card—there are a few things you should keep in mind. Check Your Expiration Date This may sound obvious, but make sure your visa, green card,…
Late last year, founding partner Sophie Alcorn wrote about the dramatic rise processing times for some forms by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Since then, the processing times have improved for many visa and green card categories. However, processing times for many employment-based and family-based green cards continue to steadily increase. USCIS takes 10…
For immigrants, establishing a strong credit score may prove necessary for more than just qualifying for a mortgage or auto loan. Last year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed using a credit score to determine whether an immigrant is “self-sufficient” and admissible. The Alcorn Immigration Law team only practices U.S. immigration law. Much of…
President Trump issued a memorandum aimed at placing new immigration restrictions on individuals who hold nonimmigrant (temporary stay) visas. The “Presidential Memorandum on Combating High Nonimmigrant Overstay Rates” orders the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to immediately take “all appropriate actions that are within the scope of their respective authorities to…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently clarified that violating the federal controlled substance law, including violations involving marijuana, will make it difficult to establish a good moral character for the naturalization process. Marijuana can create other immigration difficulties as well. Founding partner Sophie Alcorn wrote about cannabis and immigration law last year. Even if…
Eliminating work permits for H-4 visa holders would result in an annual loss of $1.9 billion in federal tax revenue and $530 million in state and local tax revenue, according to a recent study. Researchers Ike Brannon, a senior fellow at the Jack Kemp Foundation, and M. Kevin McGee, Professor Emeritus at the University of…
We’re happy to introduce Caitlin Bohaboy, who joined the Alcorn Immigration Law team last year. At Alcorn, Caitlin works as an administrative assistant, helping to make sure that all of our clients’ cases and government correspondences are handled smoothly. She ensures that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) hasn’t let anything slip through the cracks…