According to a new report by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), the number of H-1B visa denials and Requests for Evidence (RFEs) has increased significantly soon after President Trump issued the “Buy American and Hire American” Executive Order in April 2017. The NFAP report is based on data obtained from the United States […]

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (the USCIS) has recently updated its website allowing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) OPT (Optional Practical Training) F-1 students to engage in training programs conducted at third-party worksite namely the client site, provided:  All training obligations and requirements are met; Employer has and maintains a bona fide employer-employee relationship with the […]

LawQuest has been awarded ‘Winner – Best Law Firms To Work 2018’ by Vahura.Based on employee feedback; taking into consideration – Culture, Firm Leadership, Satisfaction, Pride, Rewards & Recognition and Work-Life Balance.

Thousands of children born in the United States to Indian parents including those born on US soil to visitor visa holders automatically get US citizenship by virtue of their birth in the country.   Recently, President Trump announced in an interview that he planned to end the so-called “birthright citizenship” for babies of non- US citizens […]

A proposal to require H-1B employers to pre-register electronically – for each beneficiary – for the H-1B cap lottery, prior to filing petitions for adjudication is now under review at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This is the first step towards a possible change in the H-1B cap petition process.  Currently, employers are […]

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) has issued a policy memorandum regarding changes in the validity period of a Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, when filed in support of a Form I-485 Adjustment of Status Application for Green Card applicants.  Green card applicants are required to undergo a medical examination […]

The Ministry of External Affairs has issued a notification in an attempt to protect and ensure the welfare of Indian emigrants overseas.  All Non- Emigration Check Required (Non-ECR) passport holding Indian nationals who are going to the following eighteen (18) countries on an employment visa are now required to register online through the website www.emigrate.gov.in with immediate […]

Last week, The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) published a proposed regulation that would significantly reform the H-1B cap selection (lottery) process. The proposed regulation would introduce two main changes: Pre-registration by employers for the H-1B lottery; Flipping the order of the two H-1B lotteries. Pre-registration by employers for the H-1B lottery: H-1B employers would […]

A group representing some of the country’s top technology companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, IBM etc. sent a letter to the Trump administration on November 1, 2018 calling H-1B adjudication practices into question. The group, Compete America addressed the letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen, USCIS director L. Francis Cissna and other high-ranking Department […]

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a Policy Memorandum dated November 29, 2018 clarifying the “one-year foreign employment requirement” for a qualifying U.S. organization that wishes to file for L-1 intracompany transfer petition to transfer an executive or manager (L-1) or a specialized knowledge worker (L-1B) from a qualifying foreign office to its related […]