The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the October 2025 Visa Bulletin, which is the first visa bulletin of fiscal year (FY) 2026. All cutoff dates listed below refer to the final action chart (i.e., Chart A), unless otherwise specified. Visa Bulletin Summary Employment-Based, First Preference...
Answer If you interfile a prior employer’s I-140 to upgrade or downgrade, you are telling the USCIS that you plan to work for the prior employer once your green card is issued. That employer must still have a bona fide job available for you, and you...
In a significant policy shift, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced its plan to eliminate the ability to pay filing fees using personal checks, money orders, or other forms of paper payments, with few exceptions. For decades, these paper-based payments have been a...
Answer Priority date retention happens at the I-140 stage. Requesting retention of a priority date does not void or otherwise invalidate the original I-140’s PERM application. If Company A chooses not to withdraw the I-140, it continues to remain valid for immigration purposes, even if that...
Answer Because this petition is requesting a change of status, and not simply a change of employer while already in H1B status, it is necessary to wait for the H1B petition approval before starting employment again. (27.Aug.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies...
Answer No. An approved PERM labor certification is employer-specific and normally cannot be transferred. The new employer would need to file their own PERM application. (27.Aug.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here....
Answer A startup normally can file green card cases as soon as the company has sufficient income or, in some cases, investments, to establish its ability to pay the offered wage. It is about the company being in a position to offer the job and able...
Answer Neither the PERM labor certification process nor I-140 petition imposes any travel limitations on the sponsored employee. Travel considerations typically become a concern when the employee is pursuing the actual green card application process. (20.Aug.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the...
Answer No, a denial of the H1B petition typically does not affect the PERM process. Similarly, if the PERM case is denied, the H1B petition normally would not be impacted. (06.Aug.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our...
Recently, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) submitted a proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), titled "Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions." While the text of the proposed rule has not yet been...
