Ray and Fahys, PLLC

02/08/2019

"If you file Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, to request an advance parole document and depart the United States without possession of an advance parole document that is valid for the entire time you are abroad, your Form I-131 will be considered abandoned.

At times, an individual may have an approved advance parole document while a second one is pending. Individuals may travel on the approved advance parole document, provided the document is valid for the entire duration of their time abroad. The pending Form I-131 will not be considered abandoned in this situation."

-USCIS Director Cissna (Via USCIS Ombudsman Office Announcement)

12/22/2018

Lapse in Federal Funding Unlikely to Impact most USCIS Operations

USCIS reported today that the current lapse in annual appropriated funding for the U.S. government does not affect USCIS’s fee-funded activities. Therefore, there should be no direct impact on the cases we have applied for or intend to apply for existing current Ray & Fahys clients, including premium processing cases.

USCIS offices will remain open, and all individuals should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled. USCIS will continue to accept petitions and applications for benefit requests, except as noted below.

The limited USCIS programs, that will either expire or suspend operations, or be otherwise affected, until they receive appropriated funds or are reauthorized by Congress include:

EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program (not the EB-5 Program). Regional centers are a public or private economic unit in the U.S. that promotes economic growth. USCIS designates regional centers for participation in the Immigrant Investor Program. The EB-5 Program will continue to operate.

E-Verify. This free internet-based system allows businesses to determine the eligibility of their employees to work in the U.S.

Conrad 30 Waiver Program for J-1 medical doctors. This program allows J-1 doctors to apply for a waiver of the two-year residence requirement after completing the J-1 exchange visitor program. The expiration only affects the date by which the J-1 doctor must have entered the U.S.; it is not a shutdown of the Conrad 30 program entirely.

Non-minister religious workers. This special immigrant category allows non-ministers in religious vocations and occupations to immigrate or adjust to permanent resident status in the U.S. to perform religious work in a full-time, compensated position.

10/12/2017

As of 10/03/2017 - Premium Processing Available for All Petitioners Seeking H-1B Visas -

USCIS resumed premium processing today for all H-1B visa extension of stay petitions. Premium processing is now available for all types of H-1B petitions.

11/30/2016

USCIS has published a final rule to modernize and improve several aspects of certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa programs. USCIS has also amended regulations to better enable U.S. employers to hire and retain certain foreign workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions and are waiting to become lawful permanent residents. This rule goes into effect on Jan. 17, 2017.Immigration laws are complex and ever-changing. If you have questions about your immigration status and options available to you, you many want to contact an experienced immigration attorney https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-publishes-final-rule-certain-employment-based-immigrant-and-nonimmigrant-visa-programs

USCIS has published a final rule to modernize and improve several aspects of certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa programs.

03/31/2016

Does the H1B lottery have you on edge? If you are an individual with "extraordinary ability" an H1B VISA may not be your only path to work authorization in the United States. Immigration laws are complex and ever changing. If you have questions about your immigration status and options available to you, you many want to contact an experienced immigration attorney. https://www.uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/o-1-visa-individuals-extraordinary-ability-or-achievement

The O-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the individual who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achieve

03/11/2016

New DHS regulations, will allow certain international students to receive a 24 month STEM OPT extension effective May 10, 2016. For more information see the link. Immigration laws are complex and ever changing, if you have questions about the applicability of these new instructions to your immigration status you many want to contact an experienced immigration attorney. https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/sevp-stem-opt

The final rule replaces the existing 2008 interim final rule, and amends the current regulations at 8 C.F.R. parts 214 and 274a, regarding OPT for F-1 nonimmigrant students who have completed a STEM degree. The rule posted to the Federal Register Wednesday, March 9, 2016, for public inspection and w...

10/19/2015

USCIS announces updated instruction for using the DOS Visa Bulletin. Beginning with the November 2015 Department of State (DOS) Visa Bulletin, if USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, they will publish that information on www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo so that applicants may use the Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart. For more information see the link. Immigration laws are complex and ever changing, if you have questions about the applicability of these new instructions to your immigration status you many want to contact an experienced immigration attorney. http://www.uscis.gov/news/updated-instruction-using-dos-visa-bulletin

Beginning with the November 2015 Department of State (DOS) Visa Bulletin, if USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such v

10/16/2015

Thank you to everyone who came out to join in all the fun at the first annual Sugar Shindig! The team at Ray & Fahys, PLLC was delighted to have the opportunity to be one of the sponsors for the event and had a fabulous time - bidding on the beautiful cakes, dancing, reconnecting with old friends, and making new friends.

Congratulations to the Fort Bend Education Fund for selling more than 500 dinner tickets and raising $18,600 for Grants to Teachers and Schools!

Thanks again for the all of your support! We can’t wait for next year’s Shindig!

09/28/2015

http://www.uscis.gov/news/dos-publishes-updated-visa-bulletin-october-2015 On Sept. 25, the Department of State (DOS) published an updated Visa Bulletin for October 2015. For the first time two charts per visa preference category have been posted in the DOS Bulletin. Check the link to the USCIS website to see how this effects you. Immigration law is complicated, if you have any questions consult an experienced immigration attorney.

On Sept. 25, the Department of State (DOS) published an updated Visa Bulletin for October 2015. This bulletin supersedes the bulletin for October 2015 that was originally published on Sept. 9, 2015.