The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the February 2020 Visa Bulletin. All cutoff dates listed refer to the dates in the final action (FA) chart, unless otherwise specified. Visa Bulletin Summary Employment-Based, First Preference (EB1) Category The EB1 cutoff dates for China and India remain unchanged,...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the December 2019 Visa Bulletin. In December, movement in most categories is limited. China sees gradual advancements in the employment-based, first and second preference (EB1 and EB2) categories, while India sees little to no progression in any...
Charles Oppenheim, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, gave a presentation at the IIUSA EB5 Industry Forum on October 29, 2019, where he provided stakeholders with his updated predictions on backlogs and wait times for EB5 applicants....
The November 2019 Visa Bulletin has been released by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). In November, there is some advancement in the oversubscribed employment-based (EB) categories for China. Unfortunately, India receives nearly no relief. Visa Bulletin Summary All cutoff dates listed refer to the dates in...
Answer On November 21, 2019, a new regulation will go into effect that raises the minimum investment amount for EB5 cases to $1.8 million, or $900,000 if the investment is made in a targeted employment area (TEA). A TEA is a rural area or area of...
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is scheduled to publish in the Federal Register a final rule related to the employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) immigrant investor program that will dramatically increase the minimum investment requirements, among other changes. The final rule will apply only...
The June 2019 Visa Bulletin has been released by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). The most notable movement is that the employment-based, first preference (EB1) category for India retrogresses significantly, albeit only temporarily. In addition, the latest visa bulletin cautions that the employment-based, fifth...
President Trump indicated today that he will sign a spending bill that funds the federal government through September 30, 2019, despite the fact that it does not include the funding he demanded to build a wall on the U.S. / Mexico border. The bill will...
This afternoon, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum that provides officers with more discretion to deny an application or petition without first having to issue either a request for evidence (RFE) or notice of intent to deny (NOID). This memo...
Most months, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, Charles Oppenheim, provides visa bulletin explanations and predictions. For the May 2018 Visa Bulletin, Mr. Oppenheim only provides some very minor, short-term predictions. Family-Based Preference Categories For most family-based (FB) preference...
