Business Immigration Insights

UPDATE – Thursday March 20 – Department of State Officially Announces the Suspension of ALL Routine Visa Appointments WORLDWIDE

Effective today, Friday March 20, the US Department of State is suspending routine visa services at all embassies and consulates worldwide. All routine (non-emergency) visa appointments will be cancelled until normal operations resume.  If applicants whose appointments are cancelled have already paid the MRV application fee, that fee will remain valid for a future appointment within one year.

The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process. The complete visa bulletin can be found here.

Below is a summary of the June Visa Bulletin, including Final Action Dates and changes from the previous month.

• China: EB-1 remains stalled at February 22, 2017, EB-2 leaps forward nearly three months to August 1, 2016 and EB-3 advances over three weeks to September 15, 2015
• India: EB-1 falls to January 1, 2015, EB-2 crawls ahead three days to April 19, 2009, and EB-3 ...

The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process. The complete visa bulletin can be found here.

Below is a summary of the May Visa Bulletin, including Final Action Dates and changes from the previous month.

• China: EB-1 remains stalled at February 22, 2017, EB-2 advances six weeks to May 15, 2016, and EB-3 moves ahead twenty-one days to August 22, 2015
• India: EB-1 freezes at February 22, 2017, EB-2 moves forward four days to April 16, 2009, and EB-3 continues to outpace ...

The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process. The complete visa bulletin can be found here.

Below is a summary of the April Visa Bulletin, including Final Action Dates and changes from the previous month.

• China: EB-1 halts at February 22, 2017, EB-2 leaps forward three months to April 1, 2016, and EB-3 moves ahead three weeks to August 1, 2015
• India: EB-1 stalls at February 22, 2017, EB-2 creeps ahead three days to April 12, 2009, and EB-3 continues to outpace EB-2 ...

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that because the conditions in Honduras no longer support its designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the designation set to expire on July 15, 2018, will terminate on January 5, 2020.  This conclusion is at odds with the State Department travel advisory, which says that travelers should reconsider travel to Honduras due to violent crime (murder, assault, rape, armed robbery, gang activity, etc.).  The travel advisory can be found here.

TPS allows qualifying persons inside the United States to remain and work ...

The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process. The complete visa bulletin can be found here.

Below is a summary of the February Visa Bulletin, including Final Action Dates and changes from the previous month:

• China: EB-1 remains current, EB-2 advances nearly two months to October 1, 2013, and EB-3 jumps forward five months to September 15, 2014
• India: EB-1 remains current, EB-2 continues a slow forward crawl –advancing 16 days to December 8, 2008, and EB-3 leaps forward an entire month to December 1, 2006
• Philippines: EB-2 remains current and EB-3 advances two weeks to March 1, 2016
• All Other Countries: All EB categories are current

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that because the conditions in El Salvador  no longer support its designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the designation set to expire on March 9, 2018, will terminate on September 9, 2019.  This conclusion is at odds with the State Department travel advisory, which says that travelers should reconsider travel to El Salvador due to violent crime (murder, assault, rape, armed robbery, gang activity, etc.).  The travel advisory can be found here.

The State Department online registration period for the Congressionally mandated 2019 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery begins October 3, 2017 (at noon EST), and ends on November 7, 2017 (at noon EST). The DV lottery allows nationals from certain countries to apply for immigrant visas (“green cards”) outside of the normal immigrant visa process. Individuals already being sponsored for immigrant visas by family members or employers may participate as well. Requirements include being a national of an eligible country (although an applicant may qualify based on his or her spouse’s ...

President Trump signed today the long-awaited revised travel ban Executive Order entitled, “Protecting The Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into The United States”, effective 12:01 a.m, Eastern Standard Time on March 16, 2017.  The list of affected countries includes Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen; Iraq was removed from the list.  Key provisions are as follows:

We have learned that, as of the evening of January 27, 2017, all U.S. embassies and consular posts have been instructed to immediately suspend the issuance of both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas and cancel currently scheduled visa interviews for nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Some diplomatic visa categories are exempt.

The Administration has now signed the Executive Order entitled, “Protecting the Nation from Terrorist Entry into the United States by Foreign Nationals,” with immediate effect. Individuals from the designated countries should strongly consider not traveling outside the United States during the periods mentioned below. Key provisions are as follows:

1. The Order prohibits the “immigrant or nonimmigrant entry” into the United States by nationals of Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Libya for the next 90 days – until April 27, 2017.

The Department of State reports that it is experiencing technical problems with its global passport and visa system. This problem is delaying the issuance of visas at this time. The embassies and consulates are still scheduling and conducting visa interviews; however, visa issuance will be delayed until the problem is resolved. This is a worldwide issue, and not specific to any one location. Those planning to travel abroad to obtain new visas must take this problem into consideration before departing the United States, as their return may be delayed. We will provide an update ...