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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services updated its FAQ on the new fee rule to help certain petitioners understand how to submit the correct required fees. Key Points: The final USCIS fee rule went into effect April 1, 2024, marking the most
The adopted revision to the 2011 single-permit directive has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, and the EU Council has temporarily suspended certain elements of EU law that regulate visa issuance to Ethiopian nationals. Key Points: The
Australian authorities announced that the new Pacific engagement visa will open its first ballot on June 3. Key Points: As BAL previously reported, Australian authorities introduced a new permanent resident visa program called the Pacific engagement visa for nationals of participating
The Thai government is introducing several new immigration initiatives designed to increase tourism and spur economic growth. Key Points: The Thai cabinet recently approved the extension of a policy that allows Russian tourists to enter Thailand for 60 days until July 31, 2024. The Immigration Bureau stated that visa holders are
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that it received 479,953 total registrations for this year’s H-1B lottery — a figure substantially less than last year’s record-breaking 780,884. The agency attributed the decline to the undertaking of fraud investigations and implementation of the new beneficiary-centric selection
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments last week in a closely followed case involving a California woman whose husband was denied an immigrant visa to rejoin her in the United States. Sandra Muñoz, a U.S. citizen, sued the federal government after her husband, Luis Asencio Cordero, a citizen of El Salvador,
The U.S. Department of Labor announced a final H-2A regulation Friday, saying the rule was crafted to target the “vulnerability and abuses experienced by workers under the H-2A program that undermine fair labor standards for all farmworkers in the U.S.” The H-2A program allows employers to hire temporary agricultural workers
The European Commission adopted updated rules on Schengen visas for nationals of Bahrain, India, Oman and Saudi Arabia. Key Points: The standard rules of the EU visa code have been updated for Indian nationals who reside in India and who have already obtained and lawfully used
The Indonesian government has launched a new remote worker visa. Key Points: Eligible foreign nationals may obtain the new remote worker visa and reside in Indonesia while working remotely on behalf of employers located outside the country for up to one year, with the possibility of renewal for an additional year.
The Malaysian government has stated that Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation registered employers should now file employment pass applications through the Xpats Gateway system. Key Points: Effective April 24, all new and renewal applications for employment passes are required to be made through the Xpats Gateway system
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the upcoming opening of international field offices in Doha, Qatar, and Ankara, Turkey. Key Points: The new field offices are designed to increase capacity for refugee processing, strengthen strategic partnerships and facilitate interagency cooperation. The new Doha field office will open on May
Norwegian officials announced they have lifted the requirement that permanent resident applicants cannot have received financial assistance under the Social Services Act. Key Points: Norwegian officials removed the requirement that permanent resident applicants must prove they have not received any financial assistance in the last 12
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Thursday that it had received enough petitions to reach the H-2B cap for returning workers with start dates from April 1 to May 14, 2024. Key Points: The 19,000 visas for returning workers were available under a
The Supreme Court agrees to hear another immigration case. BAL makes a big announcement. And what U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data tells us about the recent H-1B registration lottery. Get this news and more in the new episode of BAL’s podcast, the BAL
DALLAS, April 29, 2024 -- BAL, the world’s most innovative corporate immigration law firm, is thrilled to announce that six nationally recognized partners of Seyfarth Shaw’s immigration practice will join BAL this summer. Acclaimed partners Russell Swapp, James King, Gabriel Mozes, Sharon Cook, Michelle Gergerian and Jason Burritt along with
The Supreme Court hears arguments in a case about U.S. citizens’ rights in visa denials. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reaches an H-2B cap for returning workers. And why a small change to the USCIS policy manual could have important consequences for green
The U.S. State Department suspends visa services in Haiti. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico moves to reduce visa wait times. And BAL Senior Associate Steven Quezada discusses his series on immigration journeys to the U.S. Get this news and more in the new episode