Header graphic for print
EB-5 Insights Where Government Policies and Business Realities Converge

Tag Archives: DOS

By Robert Y. Maples on Posted in Department of State, Immigrant Visa, Uncategorized

The Department of State (DOS) has noticed for public comment an Information Collection Review – Electronic Application for Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration  that would require immigrants coming to the United States to submit five years of social media history. This effort is viewed by many as a component of “enhanced vetting” on behalf of the… Continue Reading

By Kate Kalmykov on Posted in Department of State, EB-5, Retrogression, Vietnamese, Visa Bulletin

Each month, the Department of State (DOS) issues a visa bulletin which contains information regarding the availability of immigrant visas. The availability of immigrant visas is subject to numerical caps imposed by Congress, which limit how many foreign nationals may obtain immigrant visas each year. In the employment-based green card category Congress allots 140,000 immigrant… Continue Reading

By Nadia Sowinski* on Posted in Department of State, EB-5, Immigration

The Department of State (DOS) has informed EB-5 stakeholders that retrogression of the EB-5 category in the chargeability area including Vietnam, is imminent; however, DOS is unable to provide specific dates of which priority dates will retrogress at this time, though it did clarify that this is not going to occur in April 2018. As… Continue Reading

By Kristen W. Ng on Posted in Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, Immigrant Visa, President Trump's Administration, USCIS, Visa

On Oct. 8, 2017, the White House released the promised Immigration Principles & Policies (Principles & Policies) which outline the Trump Administration’s position on immigration. This document is broken into three parts: 1) Border Security, 2) Interior Enforcement, and 3) Merit-Based Immigration. A summary of each part is broken down below.

By Jennifer Hermansky on Posted in Department of State, EB-5, EB-5 Program, Eb-5 Regional Center, I-526, Immigrant Visa, Visa, Visa Bulletin

On Oct. 5, 2016, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued an unclassified cable on the Continuing Resolution signed into law on Sept. 29, 2016 that extends several important immigration programs, including the EB-5 Regional Center program. The cable explains that the EB-5 Regional Center program (immigrant visa categories R51 and I51) now is set… Continue Reading

By Patty Elmas* on Posted in China, Department of State, EB-3, Immigrant Visa, USCIS, Visa, Visa Bulletin

After the release of the October Visa Bulletin, Charlie Oppenheim, Chief of Visa Control and Reporting Division for the U.S. Department of State (DOS), provided his predictions on the future movement in the employment-based green card categories.  They are summarized below: EB-1 China and India In the October bulletin, final action dates for India and… Continue Reading

By Laura Foote Reiff on Posted in Department of State, Visa Bulletin

This week the Department of State released the August Visa Bulletin, which contains some significant movement in certain employment-based categories. In its July Visa Bulletin, which we wrote about here, the Department advised that it would impose cutoff dates for India and China in the EB-1 category.  In the August Bulletin, the Department has imposed… Continue Reading

By Courtney B. Noce on Posted in China, Immigrant Visa, Immigration, Visa, Visa Bulletin

Charlie Oppenheim is the Chief of Visa Control and Reporting Division for the U.S. Department of State (DOS) where he is responsible for providing analysis and prediction for immigrant preference categories.  After the release of the July 2016 visa bulletin Mr. Oppenheim provided the following information regarding employment-based petitions to AILA: EB-2 and EB-3 – China:… Continue Reading

By Greenberg Traurig on Posted in Visa

In a recent Law360 article, Nataliya Rymer, Of Counsel in Greenberg Traurig’s Philadelphia office, addresses the DOS’ prudential visa revocations and its impact on foreign nationals, employers, and school officials.  Nataliya reviews the State Department’s broader application of prudential visa revocation of late and the low burden of proof used by the agency to determine… Continue Reading

By Shaun Staller on Posted in EB-5 Investment, Visa, Visa Bulletin

The Department of State (DOS) has released the April 2016 Visa Bulletin, with the Application Final Action Date chart for employment-based applications reflecting some substantial movement. Notably, the 2nd preference category for China-mainland born applicants has moved ahead one month to Sept. 1, 2012, and for India born applicants it has moved ahead a few weeks to… Continue Reading

By Shaun Staller on Posted in EB-5 Program, Immigrant Visa, Immunity

Applicants to the EB-5 Immigrant Investor program come from all walks of life, ranging from entrepreneurs to surgeons and diplomats. After successfully completing the initial source of funds phase of the EB-5 process and armed with an I-526 Petition approval notice in hand, the next step for any approved EB-5 investor is to process their… Continue Reading

By Jennifer Blloshmi* on Posted in Immigrant Visa

The National Visa Center (NVC), in operation now for 20 years, is the U.S. Department of State agency responsible for pre-processing approved immigrant visas that include immigration based on: family and employment sponsorship, diversity visas and special immigrant visas. This month, the NVC met with the American Immigrant Lawyer’s Association and provided insight into its… Continue Reading

By Greenberg Traurig on Posted in Immigrant Visa

The Department of State (DOS) announced more changes to its Reciprocity Table following updates from earlier this month and in September.  Specifically, beginning November 12, 2014, Chinese nationals and their dependents will be eligible for longer visa validity periods for the following U.S. visas: B-1/B-2 (business and tourism) visas will increase from a one-year validity… Continue Reading