U.S. Immigration Attorneys and Counselors

Archive for January 2011

Jan

FY2011 H-1B Numbers: Last Week – 62,800 Regular Cap Visas Used (2,200 left), Masters Cap Reached (January 21, 2011)

USCIS released the weekly FY2011 information on the numbers of cap-subject H-1Bs filed since April 1. As of January 21, 2011, USCIS has received approximately 62,800 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap (an increase of 2,100 over the last week). Also, as of December 24, the U.S. Masters cap (with its 20,000 limit) has been reached. The numbers indicate that there are only 2,200 H-1B visas left under the FY2011 cap.

Jan

Employment-based I-485 Adjustment of Status Inventory

USCIS has released a schedule of the inventory of pending employment-based Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status. The statistics are very recent – as of January 5, 2011 – and are very helpful to understanding the relative queue positions for employment-based adjustment of status applicants.

Jan

GAO Report on the H-1B Program

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has published a January 2011 report on the H-1B program. The GAO has produced a a comprehensive, 118-page, report which is intended to provide guidance to Congress with respect to amending or tweaking parts of the H-1B program.

Jan

FY2011 H-1B Numbers: Last Call – 60,700 Regular Cap Visas Used (4,300 left), Masters Cap Reached (January 14, 2011)

USCIS released the weekly FY2011 information on the numbers of cap-subject H-1Bs filed since April 1. As of January 14, 2011, USCIS has received approximately 60,700 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap (an increase of 2,000 over the last week). Also, as of December 24, the U.S. Masters cap (with its 20,000 limit) has been reached. The numbers indicate that there are only 4,300 H-1B visas left under the FY2011 cap.

Jan

February 2011 Visa Bulletin – Minor Forward Movement in EB; No Movement in EB-2 India (Again); No Movement in FB2A

The U.S. State Department just released the February 2011 Visa Bulletin which is the fifth Visa Bulletin for the FY2011 fiscal year and first for the calendar year. The major headline in the upcoming month’s bulletin is the major retrogression in family-based visa numbers, accompanied by the continued slow forward movement across the employment-based categories. The retrogression in family-based categories is a surprise following recent comments by the State Department that family-based categories (especially 2A) should continue to move forward.

Jan

FY2011 H-1B Numbers: Last Call – 58,700 Regular Cap Visas Used (6,300 left), Masters Cap Reached (January 7, 2011)

USCIS released the weekly FY2011 information on the numbers of cap-subject H-1Bs filed since April 1. As of January 7, 2011, USCIS has received approximately 58,700 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap (an increase of 1,500 over the last week). Also, as of December 24, the U.S. Masters cap (with its 20,000 limit) has been reached. The numbers indicate that there are only 6,300 H-1B visas left under the FY2011 cap.

Jan

FY2011 H-1B Numbers: Last Call – 57,300 Regular Cap Visas Used (7,700 left), Masters Cap Reached (December 31, 2010)

USCIS released the weekly FY2011 information on the numbers of cap-subject H-1Bs filed since April 1. As of December 31, 2010, USCIS has received approximately 57,300 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap (an increase of 1,500 over the last week). Also, as of December 24, the U.S. Masters cap (with its 20,000 limit) has been reached. The numbers indicate that there are only 7,700 H-1B visas left under the FY2011 cap.

Jan

FY2011 H-1B Numbers Last Call – 55,800 Regular Visas Used (9,800 left), Masters Cap Reached (December 24, 2010)

USCIS released the weekly FY2011 information on the numbers of cap-subject H-1Bs filed since April 1. As of December 24, 2010, USCIS has received approximately 55,800 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap (an increase of 1,900 over the last week). Also, as of December 24, the U.S. Masters cap (with its 20,000 limit) has been reached. The numbers indicate that there are only 9,800 H-1B visas left as of more than one week ago, December 24, 2010.

Jan

How Does Passport Expiration Date Affect Visa Entry or Extension of Status?

The winter holidays, together with the summer vacation season, create a steady flow of inquiries and consultations from our clients regarding travel and passport expiration dates. Most often the question is, What should be the duration of the passport for purposes of entering the U.S.?

Jan

USCIS Proposes Employer Pre-Registration for H-1B Cap Filings

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) has proposed a change to the relevant regulations requiring all employers who wish to file for an initial H-1B cap petition to preregister with USCIS. The proposal is for an electronic registration program for petitions subject to numerical limitations for the H-1B nonimmigrant classification. In the future, other classifications may be added as needed.

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Testimonial B.T., U.S. (December 27, 2011). "Thank you kindly for your excellent service throughout the entire [employment-based green card] process. I have been so impressed and grateful for your clear and timely communication. You are very well organized and knowledgeable about the entire [...] process. We always felt you were representing us well and moving us through all of the requirements in a very expeditious and professional manner."
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