E-2 Treaty Investor Visa is Implemented for Israeli Nationals

Beginning May 1st of 2019, the E-2 Treaty Investor will be made available to qualifying citizens of Israel.

Ekaterina PowellApril 18, 2019Employment-Based Visas, Employment Immigration Attorney, E-2, E-2 Treaty Investor Visa, Investor Visas, Israel, Israeli Citizens, Immigration Law, Immigration Lawyer, Immigration Attorney, California, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los AngelesComment

H-1B Visas for FY 2020: USCIS Announces Filing Date, Updates, & Changes

Along with the filing date for cap-subject fiscal year 2020 H-1B specialty occupation visas, USCIS has announced a number of other important changes and updates to the program.

Ekaterina PowellMarch 25, 2019Employment-Based Visas, H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa, Immigration Law, Employment Immigration Attorney, California, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Form I-907, Form I-129, United States Citizen and Immigration Services, USCIS, Department of Homeland Security, DHSComment

Success Story: Petition for the EB-2 National Interest Waiver in Business

A success story transcribing the process in which Powell Immigration Law, PC obtained approval for a EB-2 NIW petition, allowing an accomplished entrepreneur to direct his new bakery venture in the United States.

Ekaterina PowellFebruary 27, 2019Success Story, Immigration Law, Immigration Lawyer, Business Immigration Attorney, EB-2, EB-2 NIW Green Card, Visa, Employment-Based Visas, California, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, San Diego, San Francisco, Entrepreneur, National Interest Waiver, BakeryComment

L-1 Intracompany Transfer Visa: USCIS Announces a Restrictive New Interpretation

A new USCIS memo introduces changes to the L-1 Intracompany Transfer Visa’s requirements that could very well result in severe complications concerning one’s eligibility for the benefit.

Ekaterina PowellJanuary 21, 2019California, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Employment Immigration Attorney, Employment-Based Visas, L-1B, L-1A, L-1 Intracompany Transfer Visa, United States Citizen and Immigration Services, USCIS, H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa, E-2, Policy MemorandumComment

TN Visa for Mexican and American Citizens - A Technical Writer's Success Story

A success story from our firm elucidating how an initially rejected petition for the TN Visa for Mexican and Canadian Citizens was triumphantly revised after a technical publications writer sought our help.

Ekaterina PowellJanuary 17, 2019Immigration Law, Immigration Attorney, Employment-Based Visas, TN Visa for Mexican and Canadian Citizens, CBP, Customs and Border Protection, California, Los Angeles, Immigration Lawyer, Employment Immigration Attorney, Technical Publications Writer, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San DiegoComment

DHS’s Proposed Changes to the H-1B Visa Lottery Process

DHS has proposed rule changes that will significantly impact the H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa program, namely the process petitioners will apply under and the order by which applications will be selected.

Ekaterina PowellDecember 14, 2018H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa, Employers, Employees, Employment-Based Visas, Business Immigration Attorney, Immigration Law, United States Citizen and Immigration Services, USCIS, DHS, Department of Homeland Security, California, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los AngelesComment

New USCIS Policy on Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs)

A new USCIS memo has gone into effect modifying its policy pertaining to the issuance of Notices to Appear before an immigration judge, or NTAs, in response to certain applications and circumstances.

New USCIS Policy on Denying Applications

A new policy memorandum grants additional discretion to USCIS adjudicators in denying visa applications.

Ekaterina PowellSeptember 4, 2018USCIS, Employment-Based Visas, Visas, Green Card, Business Immigration Attorney, California, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon ValleyComment

USCIS Extends Suspension of Premium Processing for H-1B Visa Petitions

USCIS will extend its suspension of premium processing services for H-1B petitions into next year.

Ekaterina PowellAugust 30, 2018H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa, USCIS, United States Citizen and Immigration Services, Employment-Based Visas, entrepreneur immigration, Business Immigration Attorney, Immigration Attorney, California, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, San Diego, San FranciscoComment

Ivan's O-1 Extraordinary Ability Visa RFE Success Story

A success story in which an unusual RFE was received for a business coach’s O-1 Extraordinary Ability Visa questioning nearly every one of our client’s claims.

Ekaterina PowellJune 19, 2018o-1 visa, O-1 Extraordinary Ability Visa, Business Coach, Employment-Based Visas, Business Immigration Attorney, Requests for Evidence, RFE, California, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley Comment

DHS Proposes the Removal of the International Entrepreneur Rule

After much foreshadowing, the Department of Homeland Security finally announces its proposed removal of the International Entrepreneur Rule.

Ekaterina PowellMay 31, 2018IER, International Entrepreneur Rule, USCIS, United States Citizen and Immigration Services, DHS, Department of Homeland Security, Business Immigration Attorney, Employment-Based Visas, Entrepreneurs, California, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San DiegoComment

USCIS Completes Lottery Selection of the Year's H-1B Visa Petitions

USCIS has announced the completion of its data entry for all FY 2019 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in its computerized random selection process.

Ekaterina PowellMay 18, 2018H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa, Employment-Based Visas, USCIS, United States Citizen and Immigration Services, Business Immigration Attorney, California, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, San Diego, San FranciscoComment

Sean's RFE in Response to his L-1B Petition - Success Story

In this success story we give background information on the trouble with proving specialized knowledge in L-1B Intracompany Transfer Visas and a real case in which we successfully responded to a request for evidence for a client.

Ekaterina PowellMay 10, 2018RFE, Requests for Evidence, California, L-1B, Business Immigration Attorney, E, Employment-Based Visas, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon ValleyComment

USCIS Update: H-1B Cap for Fiscal Year 2019 Reached

USCIS has announced that the cap for next years H-1B non-cap exempt visa petitions has been reached.

Ekaterina PowellApril 9, 2018United States Citizen and Immigration Services, USCIS, H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa, Business Immigration Attorney, Immigration Law, California, Los Angeles, San Diego, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Employment-Based VisasComment

H-1B Wage Level 1 RFEs: Specific Actions to Take

USCIS has adopted the inappropriate practice of using wage levels to help determine whether a H-1B position is a specialty occupation. Here are some specific actions petitioners may take in securing a favorable outcome.

Ekaterina PowellJanuary 19, 2018H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa, Department of Labor, DOL, USCIS, United States Citizen and Immigration Services, Wage Levels, Labor Condition Application, LCA, Education, Employment-Based Visas, Degree, Business Immigration Attorney, San Diego, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Los AngelesComment

USCIS Now Issuing H-1B Specialty Occupation RFEs Due to Low Wage Levels

In a startling new trend, USCIS has begun issuing RFEs to H-1B petitions claiming Level 1 and 2 wage levels. What has led to this sudden occurrence, and is there any reasonable justification?

Ekaterina PowellJanuary 15, 2018H-1B Specialty Occupation Visa, Business Immigration Attorney, Requests for Evidence, Trump Administration, Employment-Based Visas, Wage Levels, Job Zones, USCIS, Department of Labor, United States Citizen and Immigration Services, American Immigration Lawyers Association, San Diego, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, San FranciscoComment

Mandatory Interviews for Employment-Based AOS Applicants

USCIS is now expanding the requirement for in-person interviews to employment-based adjustment of status applications, a visa category largely untouched by such interviews before. This new burden has wide-reaching implications, and may affect the entire immigration process.

Ekaterina PowellDecember 21, 2017Adjustment of Status, EB-1, EB-2, Eb-3, EB-5, Employment-Based Visas, USCIS, Interviews, Immigration Law, Business Immigration Attorney, San Diego, Los Angeles, Silicon ValleyComment

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