- China (Mainland-Born)
- Final Action
USCIS Issues Requests for Evidence Demanding $100,000 H-1B Fee; Here’s What it Means for Indians
This Times of India article discusses new USCIS requests for evidence (RFEs) under the Trump administration that demand a $100,000 H-1B visa fee, creating confusion and concern among employers and visa applicants, especially Indians. Greenberg Traurig Immigration & Compliance Co-Chair Kate Kalmykov notes that the heightened costs and uncertainty may cause companies to reconsider or
EB-5 Unreserved Backlog for China and India Moving Forward
The August 2025 Visa Bulletin may bring welcome news for EB-5 investors from China and India. After months of minimal advancement, final action dates (Chart A in the bulletin) for the unreserved EB-5 category have moved forward, unlocking visa availability during the final two months of the fiscal year 2025.
As reported in the August
Following AIIA Lawsuit, USCIS Releases Detailed I-526/I-526E Petition Data Through Jan. 31, 2025
In response to a Freedom of Information Act request the American Immigrant Investor Alliance (AIIA) filed, USCIS released updated statistics on I-526 and I-526E petition receipts. This data provides insights into the demand for EB-5 visas across different targeted employment area (TEA) categories and countries of chargeability for visa backlog prediction purposes, covering the
The State Department’s October 2022 Visa Bulletin Shows Retrogression for Mainland-China- and India-born EB-5 Investors
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the monthly Visa Bulletin for October 2022 — the first month of Fiscal Year 2023. A review of the Visa Bulletin shows that the Employment Based 5th (EB-5) visa category for nationals of Mainland China has retrogressed, with cutoff date moving from Dec. 22, 2015 to March
Biden Administration Lifts Travel Restrictions to Allow Vaccinated Travelers into United States
To advance the safe resumption of global travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, on Oct. 25 President Biden issued a Proclamation emphasizing the continued enhanced measures against the spread of the virus. The Proclamation quotes data indicating that the most effective way to control the spread amongst international travelers is to get vaccinated, in addition to
US Immigration and COVID-19-Related Travel Considerations: Update on Travel to the United States from India
Beginning Tuesday, May 4, 2021, the United States may well restrict travel from India due to the unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19 cases in India. If you have employees or family members who have recently traveled to India, the following actions can be taken:
- If an individual has a valid U.S. visa, they should plan to
USCIS Announces Significant Change to EB-5 Adjudications Processing
On Jan. 29, 2020, USCIS announced that it would be making a significant change to the processing of I-526 Petitions, commonly referred to as EB-5 Petitions. USCIS previously had a policy to adjudicate EB-5 Petitions on a “first-in, first-out” basis. This meant that USCIS was to review and decide EB-5 Petitions based solely on the
FAQ for Indian EB-5 Applicants Subject to Retrogression
- Is there a mechanism by which my child or children may continue to be eligible for immigrant visas as my dependents based on my approved I-526 petition and if so, how does it work?
Yes, the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) was enacted in order to protect children of petitioners against lengthy petition processing times.
May 2019 Update on Visa Backlog Times from U.S. State Department
On May 6, 2019, Charles Oppenheim, chief of the U.S. State Department Visa Control and Reporting Division, presented at the IIUSA Conference in Washington, D.C. on the state of visa backlogs for EB-5 immigrant visa applicants. Mr. Oppenheim reported on a number of important issues summarized in this blog.
Between approximately Oct. 1, 2018, and