H1B, J1, F1, Visa News – 2024-01-17
Welcome to the weekly news summary related to green card self-petition. This news page tries to capture immigration news that is relevant to self-petition applicants. It tries to gather broad immigration topics that may be of interest to self-petition EB1A, and EB2-NIW applicants. Hope you enjoy the news. All news sources are acknowledged. If you need additional details follow the source link.
News Articles
- February 2024 Visa Bulletin Released by U.S. Department of State: Minimal Movement in Employment-Based Categories
- USCIS Announces Increase in Premium Processing Fees Effective from February 2024
- USCIS Announces Customer Experience Improvements for H-1B Visa Applications
- USCIS to Initiate Online Filing for H-1B Applications from February for FY25
- US Economic Innovation Group Proposes Revisions to H-1B Visa Programme to Support Chips and Science Act
- USCIS Announces Increase in Visa Application Fees Starting 2024
- What evidence is required to demonstrate national interest?
- What types of evidence should I submit for EB1A?
February 2024 Visa Bulletin Released by U.S. Department of State: Minimal Movement in Employment-Based Categories
The U.S. Department of State has released the February 2024 Visa Bulletin, with little-to-no movement in most employment-based categories. The EB1 category remains unchanged, with India’s cutoff date at September 1, 2020, and China’s at July 1, 2022. The EB2 category sees India’s cutoff date at March 1, 2012, China’s at January 1, 2020, and all other countries at November 15, 2022. The EB3 category advances to July 1, 2012 for India, remains at September 1, 2020 for China, and moves to September 1, 2022 for all other countries. The EB4 category remains unchanged at May 15, 2019 for all countries. The EB5 category advances to December 15, 2015 for China and remains at December 1, 2020 for India.
Date: 2024/01/12
USCIS Announces Increase in Premium Processing Fees Effective from February 2024
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an increase in premium processing fees, effective from February 26, 2024. The increase is based on the inflation index from June 2021 to June 2023. The revised fees apply to premium processing requests postmarked on or after the effective date. USCIS is authorized by Congress to review and increase these fees every two years in line with inflation.
Date: 2024/01/10
USCIS Announces Customer Experience Improvements for H-1B Visa Applications
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is introducing customer experience improvements for H-1B visa applications to increase efficiency and streamline the process. The enhancements include the introduction of organizational accounts and the online filing of visa applications and premium processing requests. The organizational accounts will allow multiple individuals within an organization, including companies and their legal representatives, to collaborate on H-1B registrations. The USCIS plans to launch the organizational accounts in February 2024, and soon after, applicants will be able to submit Forms l-129 and l-907 online. The USCIS will also move the paper filing location for Forms I-129 and I-907 from service centers to the USCIS lockbox. The organization will host engagements to guide organizations and legal representatives through the process.
Date: 2024/01/16
USCIS to Initiate Online Filing for H-1B Applications from February for FY25
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will initiate online filing of H-1B applications for FY25 from February. USCIS will also introduce organizational accounts for online collaboration and submission of H-1B registrations. Petitions can be filed in three ways: online through organizational accounts, authorizing a legal representative for electronic filing, or by paper-based Form I-129. However, the H-1B registration process is exclusively conducted online. Two national engagement sessions will be held to aid organizations and legal representatives in navigating the process. The Biden administration aimed to enhance the efficiency of the H-1B system in 2023, maintaining the 60,000-visa cap and focusing on easing eligibility for F-1 students, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit employees.
Date: 2024/01/14
US Economic Innovation Group Proposes Revisions to H-1B Visa Programme to Support Chips and Science Act
The US Economic Innovation Group (EIG) has proposed revisions to the H-1B Visa programme to meet the demand for skilled jobs created by the Chips and Science Act investments. The current H-1B programme has several deficiencies, including a lottery system that doesn’t reward specific attributes or allocate visas to industries in need. Other issues include a 7% cap on total H-1B visas for any one nation, long wait times for transitioning from an H-1B visa to a Green Card, and a 60-day window to find a new job if an H-1B visa holder loses their job. The EIG’s proposals include issuing 10,000 ‘Chipmakers’ Visas’ per year with an expedited path to a Green Card, and auctioning off visas to qualifying firms.
Date: 2024/01/10
USCIS Announces Increase in Visa Application Fees Starting 2024
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an increase in visa application process fees across all categories, including the H-1B visa, effective from 2024. The premium processing fee for Form I-129 has surged by 12%, reaching $2,805 from $2,500. The premium processing charge for Form I-539 has risen to $1,965 from $1,750, and Form I-765, used for employment authorization, now carries a fee of $1,685, up from $1,500. This necessitates US employers to reassess their immigration budget planning. A pilot program for domestic visa renewal for qualified H-1B visa applicants has been approved, allowing them to renew their work visas without needing to travel abroad.
Date: 2024/01/10
What evidence is required to demonstrate national interest?
To demonstrate national interest for an EB2-NIW petition, you must meet three criteria: your proposed endeavor must have substantial merit and national importance; you are well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor; and it would be beneficial to the U.S. to waive the requirements of a job offer and thus of a labor certification. Evidence could include letters of recommendation from experts in your field, evidence of your past achievements, awards, or recognitions, published articles or reports, and any other documentation that demonstrates your ability to contribute significantly to your field. For those with an advanced degree, this evidence can often be drawn from your academic and professional achievements, demonstrating your unique skills and contributions to your field of expertise.
Date: 2024/01/17
What types of evidence should I submit?
Any evidence that you think can meet the EB1A USCIS criteria would be useful. For an EB1A green card application, a range of evidence can be submitted to demonstrate extraordinary ability. Examples include major international awards, national awards, membership in exclusive professional associations, published material about the applicant, scholarly articles, or exhibitions, serving as a judge of others in the field, and evidence of high salary or other significant remuneration in relation to others in the field. The evidence should be carefully chosen to best represent the applicant’s accomplishments and recognition in their field. It is also important to include letters of recommendation from experts who can attest to the applicant’s extraordinary ability and explain why they are among the top few percent in their field.
Date: 2024/01/17
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