San Francisco Immigration Law Blog

The Trump administration issued significant concessions in August relating to immigration restrictions announced in June. The president signed an order on June 22, banning migrants’ entry through the end of 2020 in specific visa categories, including L-1B visas for specialized workers. The suspension does not apply to visa applicants already in-country before the ban took effect on June 24, or

The L-1 visa program has been invaluable for multinational businesses. It’s important to understand how this program can benefit your business and to understand some of the challenges the program is currently facing. Who is the L-1 visa for? The L-1 visa is a temporary visa for workers who are coming to a U.S. office of a multinational business. It

You worked with your boss to submit your H-1B employment visa petition. A couple months have gone by, and now – instead of receiving your H-1B approval – the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has sent you something called an RFE. Why have you received this, and is it cause for concern? What is an RFE? A Request

  A sufficient number of registrations have been received for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to fill its annual allotment of H-1B nonimmigrant specialty employee visas for the upcoming fiscal year. The agency caps applications at 85,000 – 65,000 for foreign nationals with a bachelor’s degree, and 20,000 with a master’s or higher. The USCIS says it

A new electronic registration process for the overhauled H-1B visa system is now ready for the fiscal year 2021 lottery. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) says the new system is an easier-to-use streamlined process. The USCIS says the new electronic system will reduce paperwork and save employers money when petitioning for H-1B visas. Under a simplified online process,

The H-1B visa program has already been the subject of some high-profile change. That includes the new electronic registration requirement with $10 fee, its impact on the lottery and reports of ever-increasing application denials. The tumult may not end any time soon. Two proposed rules could alter the H-1B visa process even further. Tightening the definition of ‘best and brightest’

The current administration said it would deny visas to immigrants who are unable to prove they can pay for their own health insurance or medical costs once they become official residents of the United States. The administration justified the move by saying immigrants are three times as likely to lack health insurance coverage, which would impose a burden on American