August 2016 Immigration Update

Headlines: EB-4 Visa Limits Reached for Special Immigrants From India – Starting on August 1, 2016, applicants from India who filed Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant on or after January 1, 2010, will not be able to obtain an immigrant visa or adjust status until new visa numbers become available. Mayors […]

Mid-July 2016 Immigration Update

Headlines: Various Categories Oversubscribed for August, State Dept. Reports – High demand in various employment-based visa categories has required the establishment of cut-off dates in August. USCIS Has Returned Unselected FY 2017 H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions – Those who submitted an H-1B cap-subject petition between April 1 and April 7, 2016, and do not receive a […]

July 2016 Global Immigration Update

Feature Article REFUGEES AND RELATED BENEFITS: AN OVERVIEW – This article provides an overview of recent developments with respect to refugees and the benefits granted to them. Country Updates: BELGIUM – This article summarizes details on work permit exemptions, related to technical work, for foreign employees in Belgium. CANADA – Several developments have been announced. […]

July 2016 Immigration Update

Headlines: Split Supreme Court Decision Blocks DAPA – In U.S. v. Texas, the Supreme Court let stand lower court rulings that block the Obama administration’s plan to allow approximately 4 million parents of U.S. citizen children to remain in the United States and obtain work authorization. USCIS Celebrates SAVE’s 30th Anniversary, Launches Redesigned Website – […]

Mid-June 2016 Immigration Update

HeadlInes: House Holds Hearing on H-2B Temporary Foreign Worker Program – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) noted, among other things, that according to USCIS statistics, as of June 2, 2016, the agency had already approved petitions for 12,727 returning H-2B workers, “with 1,171 potential additional returning workers in the pipeline.” State Dept. Releases DV-2017 Results – […]

June 2016 Immigration Update

Headlines: USCIS, DOS Launch e-Approval for H-2A Petitions –USCIS and DOS announced the launch of e-Approval for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, for the H-2A (temporary agricultural worker) classification. USCIS Will Now Use Pre-Paid Mailers To Send H-2A Receipt Notices – Coinciding with the launch of e-Approval, USCIS has begun using pre-paid mailers […]

Cyrus D. Mehta & Partners Ranked in 2016 Chambers & Partners USA Guide

Cyrus D. Mehta & Partners PLLC announces that it has been ranked in the Chambers and Partners USA Guide. Among New York firms in the Immigration field, the firm ranked in Band 2. The firm’s founder and managing partner, Cyrus D. Mehta, was for the second year in a row ranked among “Star Individuals” in […]

Mid-May 2016 Immigration Update

Headlines: USCIS Proposes Fee Increases, New Fee for Annual Certification of EB-5 Regional Centers – Among other things, USCIS proposes a new fee of $3,035 to recover the full cost of processing the EB-5 Annual Certification of Regional Center, Form I-924A. USCIS Completes Data Entry of FY 2017 H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions, Begins Rejections – USCIS […]

May 2016 Immigration Update

Headlines USCIS To Resume Premium Processing for Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions; Temporarily Suspends Use of Pre-Paid Mailers for Certain H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions – For cap-subject H-1B petitions, including advanced degree exemption petitions, the 15-day premium processing period will begin on May 12, 2016, regardless of the date on the Form I-797 receipt notice. USCIS Designates Two […]

Mid-April 2016 Immigration Update

Headlines: USCIS Reaches FY 2017 H-1B Cap – As expected, USCIS has quickly reached the H-1B cap for FY 2017. USCIS also received more than the limit of 20,000 H-1B petitions filed under the U.S. advanced degree exemption. Due to the high number of petitions, USCIS is not yet able to announce the date on […]