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Jun 20, 2019
3 min

Applicants for U.S. Visas and Green Cards Must Now Disclose Social Media Profile Information

Photo by Tracy Le Blanc from Pexels In response to the Trump Administration’s “extreme vetting” of foreign nationals entering the United States, the U.S. Department of State has increased the amount of personal data foreign nationals must provide when applying for a U.S. visa abroad. Federal government agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), have dramatically expanded their social media monitoring programs in recent years by collecting a vast amount of us

Cap on H-1B Visas for FY 2020 Reached Within 5 Days

Apr 12, 2019
3 min

Cap on H-1B Visas for FY 2020 Reached Within 5 Days

Each year, the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants 85,000 H-1B visas to applicants in “specialty occupations”. This cap has not increased since 2004, and has been greatly outweighed by demand over the last few years. Within the first five days of the 2020 fiscal year application filing period, which started on April 1, 2019, the cap was reached, as 201,011 petitions were received by April 5. This marks a 5% increase in petitions from the previous year. Immi

Clarification of STEM OPT Extension Reporting Responsibilities and Training Obligations

Aug 23, 2018
3 min

Clarification of STEM OPT Extension Reporting Responsibilities and Training Obligations

Certain F-1 students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees may apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT). On August 17, 2018, USCIS updated the Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students (STEM OPT) page of its website to clarify the reporting responsibilities for participation in the STEM OPT program. Students and employers must report material changes to the Designated School

Update on the Travel Ban and DACA

May 18, 2018
3 min

Update on the Travel Ban and DACA

Travel Ban On April 25th, 2018 the Supreme Court heard oral arguments from both sides on President Trump’s highly scrutinized “travel ban”. The travel ban, now in its third iteration, prohibits entry of travelers from five Muslim-majority countries (Iran, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, and Libya), as well as North Korea and government officials from Venezuela. Although previous versions of the travel ban were initially partially blocked by U.S. District Courts in Hawaii and Maryland,

Travel Ban Update: U.S. State Department Issues New Guidelines

Jun 30, 2017
4 min

Travel Ban Update: U.S. State Department Issues New Guidelines

by Raj Rathour, Esq. and Jennifer Grady, Esq. On June 29, 2017, the U.S. State Department began implementing President Trump’s new visa criteria based in Executive Order 13780. The revised criteria bars U.S. entry for 90 days, for citizens without prior connections to the United States from six Muslim-majority countries: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen. Stemming from a highly publicized decision by the Supreme Court, the current preliminary injunction has b

J-1 Cultural Exchange Visitor Visa for Entrepreneurs, Scholars, Au Pairs, Professors, and Trainees

Jul 14, 2016
3 min

J-1 Cultural Exchange Visitor Visa for Entrepreneurs, Scholars, Au Pairs, Professors, and Trainees

The J-1 Visa is a non-immigrant US visa available to cultural exchange visitors, scholars, and professors. The Exchange Visitor Program fosters global understanding through educational and cultural exchanges. It is often used by entrepreneurs, “au pairs, ” or to obtain business or medical training in the United States. J-1 visas are obtained as part of an exchange program, and the Department of State designates both public and private entities to act as exchange sponsors. All

Visiting the US for Business or Pleasure? You May Need a B-1 or B-2 Visa

Jun 16, 2016
2 min

Visiting the US for Business or Pleasure? You May Need a B-1 or B-2 Visa

B-1 and B-2 visas, also known as “visitor visas,” are nonimmigrant visas for persons who wish to temporarily enter the United States for business, tourism/pleasure, or a combination of both purposes. The process to obtain visitor visas is relatively simple, but visitors must comply with the regulations in order to ensure that their stay in the United States is legal and complication-free. Who Can Obtain a Visitor Visa? B1: Available to foreign workers participating in busine

Jennifer Grady, Esq. to Attend International Startup “Collision Conference” in New Orleans

Apr 14, 2016
2 min

Jennifer Grady, Esq. to Attend International Startup “Collision Conference” in New Orleans

Jennifer Grady Esq., principal attorney at The Grady Firm P.C., will be attending the third annual Collision Conference hosted in New Orleans, Louisiana, from April 26 to 28, 2016. The conference is strategically scheduled between New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival weekends to highlight New Orleans’ cultural and musical prowess. The Collision Conference (@CollisionHQ), “America’s fastest growing tech conference”, is a major US technology and entrepreneurship conference ho

All Canadian Residents Applying for K-1 Visas Must Now Interview in Montreal

Apr 12, 2016
2 min

All Canadian Residents Applying for K-1 Visas Must Now Interview in Montreal

As of April 1, 2016, the Vancouver offices of the U.S. Consulate General will cease processing of K-1 visas. Now, the K-1 visas, commonly known as”Fiancé(e) visas,” will only be processed by the U.S. Consulate General in Montreal. While the Bureau of Consular Affairs acknowledged that this change may inconvenience some applicants who will now need to travel for their interviews, it promises that the adjustment will help the consulate schedule and adjudicate K-1 applications

TN Visa for Canadian and Mexican Professionals under NAFTA

Feb 5, 2016
3 min

TN Visa for Canadian and Mexican Professionals under NAFTA

by Jennifer A. Grady, Esq. As part of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), citizens of Mexico and Canada have an additional immigration option available to them that is easier and faster to obtain that many other work visas. Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the United States must first obtain a visa, either a non-immigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Since 1994, NAFTA has created special econo