Information and analysis of recent events that impact immigration

HR 392 immigration bill per country limitations india china mexico philippines

H.R. 392: Where are you in the queue?

H.R. 392, or the “Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act,” has been a controversial bill since it was introduced in January 2017.  This bill, if passed as is, would modify the U.S. immigration laws that specify “per-country limitations” on how many immigrants are accepted into the U.S. annually. Read more

USCIS PM 602-1060.1

Silent Dream Killer: The rules just changed for foreign students in the USA.

The USCIS has changed the rules again.

This time it affects students in F, J, and M status, effective as of August 9, 2018.     The new rules have to do with how the government will calculate unlawful presence for students, which can be triggered by quitting or missing too much school, taking unauthorized employment, changing programs improperly, or any number of other actions that show an intent to stay in the U.S.A. permanently.  Read below for a breakdown of how this new change can affect you.

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Taymoor Pilehvar describes effects of new legislation regarding E-visas for traders and investors from New Zealand.

KIWI Act Passed: Prepare for increase in U.S. Foreign Direct Investments from New Zealand investors.

On August 1, 2018, the KIWI Act (Knowledgeable Innovators and Worthy Investors Act) was signed into law with bipartisan support and will usher in a major change for economic relations between New Zealand and the United States, as well as immigration opportunities.  The aptly named KIWI Act adds New Zealand to the list of countries […]

New immigration policy gives USCIS adjudicators “full discretion” to deny cases without issuing Request for Evidence

The USCIS announced today in PM-602-0163 the rescission of the standing policy that Requests for Evidence (RFEs) or Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs) be issued before denial.  The current  policy directs adjudicators not to deny a case without giving the petitioner a chance for rebuttal unless there was “no possibility” for the deficiency to be […]