The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an interim final rule setting forth a process for the public to petition the DHS for regulatory changes. This interim rule is scheduled to take effect on August 22, 2016. Background on the Regulatory Process Regulations are, in essence, the...
There is little-to-no movement of cutoff dates for the vast majority of categories in the September 2016 Visa Bulletin, which was released this afternoon by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). However, in the final action (FA) chart, the employment-based, second preference (EB2) and employment-based,...
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continues its careful expansion of Global Entry, an international trusted traveler program. Effective July 12, 2016, any British citizen, holding a valid U.K. passport, is eligible to apply for a Global Entry permit. Program Background Global Entry is a voluntary...
Every year, the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Ombudsman submits a report to the U.S. Congress on the state of immigration services within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This report is a key component of the CIS Ombudsman's role. The Ombudsman's office reviews U.S. Citizenship...
On June 30, 2016, President Obama signed a law aimed at strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The Freedom of Information Improvement Act of 2016 implements policies to increase the transparency by the U.S. federal government. These important changes come on the eve of...
Originally published May 5, 2013, this NewsBrief has been updated for MurthyDotCom readers.The term "cap gap" refers to the period of time between April 1st and October 1st each year when many F-1 students experience a gap from the end of their optional practical training...
Travelers entering the United States on the visa waiver program (VWP) face additional screening questions when completing the application for Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). These ESTA restrictions are part of the VWP program and are based on an applicant's nationality and/or travel history. Background...
Significant progress has been made toward India's inclusion in the expedited travel program known as Global Entry. After several years of effort, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been entered into between the United States and India, with the goal of facilitating legitimate travel between...
As part of the process of naturalizing to U.S. citizenship, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) generally reviews whether an applicant's permanent residence (commonly, "green card") was properly approved. If the USCIS determines that the green card should not have been issued, this typically...
Many types of immigration forms submitted to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) require the applicant to provide biometrics at an office in the United States. The USCIS has recently confirmed, however, that in "rare circumstances," the agency has the discretion to allow such...
