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Immigration Alerts
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration Practice
On July 16, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), an agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), published policy guidance with respect to its authority to conduct border searches of information contain... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration Practice
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now accepting Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications on a voluntary basis for visa waiver program (VWP) travelers. ESTA will become mandatory on January 12, 2... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration Practice
I-140 Premium Processing
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that on June 16 it will reinstate premium processing for a small group of I-140 petitions filed on behalf of nonim... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
Under an amendment to Executive Order No. 12989, signed by President Bush on Friday, June 6 and announced by the White House this morning, federal contractors will have to use E-Verify to confirm that their emp... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will begin to accept Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) applications on a voluntary basis beginning August 1, 2008. The ESTA program is expected to beco... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
On April 4, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an interim final rule that extended Optional Practical Training (OPT) for certain qualified F-1 students who are employed by a business participating... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
On April 9, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced receipt of approximately 163,000 cap-subject H-1B petitions, enough to meet the congressionally mandated numerical cap for Fiscal... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
Minnesota, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Utah, and Virginia have recently enacted state laws intended to highlight the issue of illegal employment of unauthorized aliens. These are the most recent in an ever-growing list of state ... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
On April 8, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has received a sufficient number of cap-subject H-1B petitions to meet the FY 2009 cap, including the advanced degree exemption (a... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
On April 4, DHS issued an interim final rule that will extend OPT for 17 months for certain qualified F-1 students who are employed by a business participating in E-Verify.
The rule also provides “cap-gap” relief to stu... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
On March 19, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued an interim final rule that modifies the random-selection process and prohibits multiple filings of H-1B petitions. Specifically, th... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Kirsten Fox,
Rachel Ashwood
Points-Based System
On February 29, 2008, the government of the United Kingdom launched a new points-based system (PBS) intended to control migration, tackle migration abuse, and identify skilled worker... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
On March 5, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued revised instructions for Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. Effective immediately, applicants for re-entry permits and refugee trav... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
Beginning April 1, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting FY 2009 H-1B petitions for H-1B employment starting October 1. It is expected that USCIS will receive enough pe... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ) jointly published a final rule in the Federal Register on February 26, 2008 that adjusts for inflation the civil monetary penalties asse... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting FY 2009 H-1B petitions on April 1, 2008. Given the high demand for H-1B numbers last year, it is expected that a lottery will be h... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
The United States Department of State (DOS) has released its March 2008 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin sets out per-country priority date cut-offs that regulate the flow of adjustment of status (AOS) and cons... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
USCIS Issues Memorandum Revising Previous Guidance Regarding FBI Name Checks
On February 4, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a memorandum modifying its existing policy r... more
LawFlash/Client Alert | Immigration Alert
Immigration
On January 7, 2008, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty issued an executive order that will require vendors and subcontractors that have entered into a contract with the state of Minnesota that is worth more than $... more