US
United States: Greece Joins Visa Waiver Program
Greece has become a member of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced. DHS estimates that, in about 30 days, Greek citizens should be able to begin using the program to make short trips for business or tourism visits without the need to obtain a visa, provided that... »
United States: FAQ for Form DS-160, Nonimmigrant Visa Application
U.S. consulates and embassies will soon require nonimmigrant visa applicants to use Form DS-160, the Department of State’s fully electronic nonimmigrant visa application, instead of Form DS-156, the paper-based application. Form DS-160 has been in use at selected U.S. diplomatic posts for some time, but the State Department announced late last year that all... »
United States Reminder: FY 2011 H-1B Cap Filing Season Opens on April 1
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 H-1B cap petitions on April 1, 2010. Though the business immigration community does not anticipate the huge initial surge of filings and rapid cap exhaustion of past years, filing petitions on April 1, or at least during the first five business days... »
United States: ICE Boosts I-9 Audit Efforts in Several States
Over the past week, Fragomen has learned that numerous employers throughout the United States have recently received notices of I-9 inspection from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE). ICE officials have not been able to confirm that these audits are the result of a nationwide initiative akin to the programs that resulted in the... »
United States: Technical Problems Plague DS-160 Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application
Foreign nationals who are trying to fill out Form DS-160, the new, fully electronic nonimmigrant visa application, have been experiencing widespread technical problems and delays. The Department of State (DOS) is attempting to resolve the problems, but in the meantime, individuals who are unable to complete the online form should check with the consulate... »
United States – Some Employers Report Petition Revocation Notices after USCIS Site Visits
Some employers have reported receiving U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services notices of intent to revoke an immigration petition and requests for additional information after the agency has conducted a worksite visit to verify the facts stated in a petition. So far, the notices are not widespread, but could become more common as the site... »
USCIS Proposes Significant Revision of Nonimmigrant Worker Petition
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is proposing a significant revision of Form I-129, the nonimmigrant worker petition, that would require employers to make declarations about the third-party placement of foreign workers and about compliance with federal export control laws, among other changes. »
United States: Narrow Exception Allowing H-1B Petitions without Certified LCAs Set to Expire
A temporary U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy that allows employers to file H-1B petitions without certified labor condition applications (LCAs) in limited circumstances will expire on March 4, 2010. Unless the policy is extended by the agency, employers with long-pending LCAs will need to wait for certification by the Department of Labor... »
United States USCIS Will Not Implement New Signature Policy Until After H-1B Filing Season Opens
In a meeting with immigration stakeholders held today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials confirmed that a revised policy memorandum regulating the use of powers of attorney would not take effect without notice, and would not be implemented prior to the start of H-1B filing season on April 1, 2010. »
Worldwide: Extreme Winter Weather in U.S. May Cause Outbound Travel Delays
Many embassies and consulates in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area have been closed since Monday due to extreme winter weather in the northeastern United States. As a result, individuals seeking to travel internationally from the United States who require consular services from posts in Washington may experience delays. »