- by Michael H. Neifach and Porter S. YoungUSCIS has released the new Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The new form must be used to file starting June 3, 2024. Among the form’s various changes, two are particularly notable: As to the X gender option: Applicants with pending N-400 applications filed before the new edition was available may request a gender update. They… Continue Reading
- by Manda BrefoMedical examinations and vaccination records properly completed and signed by a civil surgeon after Nov. 1, 2023, can be used indefinitely, USCIS has announced. There is no longer any expiration date. Form I-693, Report of Immigration Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, is used by some foreign nationals, including green card applicants, to show they are… Continue Reading
- by Forrest G. Read IVOn April 12, 2024, USCIS issued a Federal Register notice establishing procedures for Palestinians eligible for Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) to apply for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) valid through Aug. 13, 2025. President Joe Biden had announced in February 2024 DED for up to 18 months through Aug. 13, 2025, for Palestinians who had been… Continue Reading
- by Forrest G. Read IVThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended and redesignated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopia until Dec. 12, 2025. The decision to renew and redesignate is based on the ongoing armed conflict in the Amhara Region and violence in other regions of the country that includes human rights abuses and indiscriminate attacks, as well… Continue Reading
- by Amy L. PeckGood news for those applying for or with pending Employment Authorization Document (EAD) renewals. DHS is temporarily reinstituting its 540-day automatic extension of work authorization for eligible individuals. Although DHS has streamlined its EAD process and extended EAD validity periods for certain applicants from two years to five years, the government still struggles to timely… Continue Reading
- by Forrest G. Read IVThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published instructions on how to apply for the extended and redesignated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma (Myanmar). On March 25, 2024, DHS extended and redesignated TPS for Burma until Nov. 25, 2025. Applications for re-registration and employment authorization document (EAD) renewals should be made during the re-registration… Continue Reading
- by Cynthia LiaoChinese students make up the majority of international students in the United States. However, the number of Chinese students in U.S. universities has dropped from a high of 370,000 in 2019 to about 290,000 today. Part of the drop has been attributed to the Trump Administration’s 2020 executive order suspending entry of certain students and… Continue Reading
- by Kimberly M. BennettThe Department of Justice (DOJ) has issued a new Employer Fact Sheet alerting employers about avoiding unlawful discrimination and other Form I-9 violations when using commercial or proprietary programs to electronically complete I-9s and participate in E-Verify. It is a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, explanation. DOJ states: According to the DOJ, employers should not automatically… Continue Reading
- by Forrest G. Read IVStudents studying in the United States in F or M visa status must have a foreign residence that they have no intention of abandoning. A new USCIS policy manual update has clarified that being the beneficiary of a PERM application or an immigrant visa petition does not mean the student cannot demonstrate their intention to… Continue Reading
- by Carolina Guiral Cuervo, Scott M. Pechaitis and Christopher T. PatrickWashington, D.C. joins a growing group of states requiring employers to include projected salary ranges in job postings and to restrict the use of pay history in setting pay. On Jan. 12, 2024, the mayor of D.C. signed the Wage Transparency Omnibus Amendment Act, which, among other things, requires private employers, regardless of size, to… Continue Reading