Obtaining an interview at almost any consulate outside of the U.S. has been almost impossible due to the ongoing pandemic and as a result, many have been left unable to return to the U.S. To help facilitate the issuance of visas and clear the backlog, the Department of State announced that they would waive the…
Tag Archives: L-2 visa
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DHS Agrees To Allow H-4 And L-2 Applicants To Qualify For 180-Day Automatic EAD Extension As Part Of Settlement
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has now agreed to a settlement after the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and Partners, filed a Federal Lawsuit claiming, that the prohibition on qualifying H-4 and L-2 applicants benefits from the 180-day extension, was unlawful. For details of our original article please click the following link: https://patellegal.com/aila-files-lawsuit-claiming-h-4-and-l-2-ead-should-qualify-for-180-day-automatic-extension/ The…
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AILA Files Lawsuit Claiming H-4 And L-2 EAD Should Qualify For 180- day Automatic Extension
USCIS processing times continue to increase for the majority of applications and have only been made worst by the ongoing pandemic, resulting in the agency being heavily understaffed. This is especially true for H-4 and L-2 EAD applicants. Because of the long processing times and the fact that these categories of work authorization are not…
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Is Day 1 CPT Still A Problem?
Having previously written two articles on Day 1 CPT (Curricular Practical Training) I keep being asked whether I would recommend Day 1 CPT and what are the potential consequences of taking it. If you haven’t read my previous articles, please find the links below: https://patellegal.com/why-day-1-cpt-is-not-a-good-idea-and-can-cause-more-problems-than-it-solves/ https://patellegal.com/day-1-cpt-revisited/ Please note that the first article was written during…
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Life after the expiration of Proclamation 10052
Despite a new administration no action was ever taken by President Biden to revoke Proclamation 10052. This Trump Proclamation suspended entry of certain nonimmigrants in the US and including those on H-1B, H-2B, J and L1s and was extended by Trump by Proclamation 10131 until March 31, 2021. However, the Department of State (DOS) has…
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USCIS Processing Delays
The length of time for adjudication of petitions through USCIS continues to increase despite a new administration and new leadership of USCIS in the form of Alejandro Mayorkas. On March 22, 2021 the American Immigration Lawyer’s Association (AILA) filed a class-action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), specifically in relation to the long…
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Loss Of Employment And Filing A New H-1B Petition Outside Of The 60-Day Grace Period
COVID-19 has taken its toll on the labor market, resulting in millions of people losing their job. Unfortunately for those on a nonimmigrant visa such as an H-1B, the clock starts ticking on their last day of work. H-1B holders generally have 60 days or until the end of their authorized stay, whichever is shorter,…
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Premium Processing: Congress Increases The Fees And Expands The Immigration Petitions Eligible
On October 1, 2020, Congress passed a new Bill (Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act was included in Division D, Title I of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act) increasing USCIS Premium Processing Fees from $1,440.00 to $2,500.00 for most cases. The good news is that the Bill also expands the immigration petitions…
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L-1B General Information
L-1B intracompany transferee with specialized knowledge The L-1 visa is a temporary work visa that allows a U.S. employer to transfer an employee from a qualified foreign company to an office in the U.S. The visa can also be issued when a foreign employee is sent to the U.S. to work and open a U.S….
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L-1A General Information
L-1A intracompany manager or executive transferee The L-1 visa is a temporary work visa that allows a U.S. employer to transfer an employee from a qualified foreign company to an office in the U.S. The visa can also be issued when a foreign employee is sent to the U.S. to work and open a U.S….