DM Law Global, PC

02/01/2022

Good news for Russian-based U.S. students/applicants applying for F, M and J visas:
U.S. Consulates in the following three countries: 1) Kazakhstan (U.S. Embassy in Nur-Sultan and the Consulate in Almaty), 2) Serbia (U.S. Embassy in Belgrade) and 3) Armenia (U.S. Embassy in Yerevan) are now required to process F, M, and J visa applications for Russians. This designation does not prevent from applying at another post where applicants are physically present.

Safely Resuming Travel by Vaccine Requirement and Rescission of Travel Restrictions on Brazil, China, India, Iran, Ireland, the Schengen Area, South Africa, and the United Kingdom

02/01/2022

Good news for some international students! The Department of Homeland Security announced that it updated the STEM Designated Degree Program List by adding 22 qualifying fields of study, including Data, Business and Financial Analytics. Additions to the list make more students eligible for the STEM OPT extension.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced 22 new fields of study have been added to the STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program to enhance the contributions of nonimmigrant students studying in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and support the g...

05/10/2021

Good U.S. immigration news for startups and their founders: USCIS re-launches International Entrepreneur Parole Program. The program was first established by the Obama Administration at the end of 2016, but was put on hold shortly after the Trump Administration took office in 2017. The International Entrepreneur Parole Program will grant qualifying foreign nationals temporary permission to enter, remain and work in the United States for up to five years for a particular start-up company to grow a start-up business. Unfortunately, the program does not provide a direct path to a green card. If an entrepreneur wishes to become a permanent resident, he must qualify under the established U.S. immigrant visa program. The further details of this program are coming soon by the USCIS. https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/dhs-announces-continuation-of-international-entrepreneur-parole-program?fbclid=IwAR1t2IZBghEXmBaeOjLq1qFiONaZHb4jiithtiEmf9nR9uacRl5pOWFr8OA

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that the Department of Homeland Security is withdrawing a 2018 notice of proposed rulemaking that proposed to remove the International Entrepreneur program from DHS regulations.

03/11/2021

USCIS has just removed the I-944 form from its website and provided this guidance on its Public Charge Rule page:

Today, DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced that the government will no longer defend the 2019 public charge rule as doing so is neither in the public interest nor an efficient use of limited government resources.

03/10/2021

IMMIGRATION NEWS: DHS Public Charge Rule Update. On March 9, 2021 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that the government will no longer defend the 2019 Public Charge Rule in the various lawsuits pending across the U.S. The 1999 Public Charge Guidance is back in effect as a result of dismissals by courts, including appeals in the U.S. Supreme Court. As of today, the I-944 form still remains in effect. But we are waiting for the USCIS to update their website soon and remove this form from the list of the required forms for Adjustment of Status applications.

AILA celebrates the end of the Trump administration’s public charge “wealth test” and offers gratitude to “everyone who collectively fought to see the battle against this unjust rule through to victory.”

02/25/2021

NEWS: Biden Administration revoked the immigrant visa ban and ordered the State Department and other agencies to issue a revised guidance on immigrant visa issuance. The large backlog of issuing the immigrant visas at U.S. Embassies and Consulates is inevitable since there are about 500K (!) immigrant visa applicants around the world still awaiting an interview. The ban is over, but the system is overwhelmed. Still сongratulations to those 7,000 DV lottery winners who were able to get immigrant visas and now can enter the U.S.!

President Joe Biden has revoked a visa ban introduced under President Donald Trump, asserting that it not only hurts would-be visa beneficiaries, but also “harms the United States” itself.

02/08/2021

NEWS: For the upcoming H-1B cap season, USCIS will apply the current regulations - random selection, as opposed to the proposed wage based selection, to any registration period that takes place before Dec. 31, 2021.

On Jan. 7, USCIS announced the H-1B Selection final rule, which amended the regulations governing the process by which USCIS selects H-1B registrations for the filing of H-1B cap-subject petitions.

01/26/2021

President Biden issued a proclamation suspending and limiting the entry into the U.S., with exceptions, as immigrants and nonimmigrants, of noncitizens who were physically present within the Schengen Area, the U.K., Ireland and Brazil during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry into the United States. The effective date is 12:01 am (ET), January 26, 2021.

The proclamation also suspends and limits the entry into the U.S., with exceptions, as immigrants and nonimmigrants, of noncitizens who were physically present within South Africa during the 14-day period preceding their entry or attempted entry. The effective date is 12:01 am (ET), January 30, 2021.

In addition to those countries listed, previous restrictions implemented by the Trump Administration remain for both China (Proclamation 9984) and Iran (Proclamation 9992).

The proclamation will remain in effect until terminated by the president.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/25/proclamation-on-the-suspension-of-entry-as-immigrants-and-non-immigrants-of-certain-additional-persons-who-pose-a-risk-of-transmitting-coronavirus-disease/?fbclid=IwAR1Cr9bueo-MJ5cIfouAe3A_aLyqiAQYakPJL5dP2LNcyrsz8XiAGmgVzvY

The Federal Government must act swiftly and aggressively to combat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The national emergency caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States continues to pose a grave threat to our health and security. As of January 20, 2021, the United States had experienced m...

01/22/2021

NEWS: Starting January 26, any passenger boarding an airline to the United States from any county in the world will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test (and/or recovery if previously tested positive). Test can be taken up to three days in advance. The rule applies to anyone including U.S. citizens, green card holders, tourists. It also applies to children 2 years or older. Please plan for a COVID-19 test prior to booking any air travel to the U.S.