Temporary travel restrictions the Biden administration imposed in November on foreign travelers from South Africa and seven other countries in the region, due to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, were lifted on December 31, 2021, following recommendations...
Topic: Immigration Updates
State Dept. Proposes Raising Consular Service Fees for Nonimmigrant and Special Visas
The Department of State (DOS) has proposed raising fees for consular services for several nonimmigrant visa (NIV) application processing fees, the Border Crossing Card (BCC) for Mexican citizens age 15 and over, and the waiver of the two-year residency requirement fee...
USCIS Extends Flexibilities for Responding to Certain Agency Requests
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is extending the flexibilities it originally announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors who are responding to certain requests. The flexibilities apply if the issuance date listed on...
Miller Mayer’s Steve Yale-Loehr Quoted re H-1B and H-2B Visas, Border Wall
Miller Mayer immigration attorney Steve Yale-Loehr was quoted by Marketplace in "Will Employers Need Newly Available Seasonal Visas?." Mr. Yale-Loehr said the additional H-2B visas could help the labor shortage a little. " 'A little bit' is the operative word. An...
CBP Confirms Lifting of Temporary Travel Restrictions Between the United States and Canada, Mexico
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published notices on December 23, 2021, announcing the lifting on November 8, 2021, of temporary restrictions that applied to non-essential travel by fully vaccinated travelers with proof of COVID-19 vaccination status entering...
U.S. Passport Fees to Rise December 27
The fee for a U.S. passport book will increase by $20 on December 27, 2021, the Department of State (DOS) announced, attributing the rise to a need "to ensure we continue to produce one of the most secure travel and identity documents in the world." As examples, the...
DHS Withdraws H-1B Selection Final Rule
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule on December 22, 2021, that withdraws the "Modification of Registration Requirement for Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions" final rule, also known as the H-1B Selection Final Rule,...
State Dept. Updates Guidance on F-1, M-1 Student Intent to Depart and Residence Abroad Requirements
The Department of State (DOS) updated its Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) on intent to depart and residence abroad requirements for F-1 and M-1 students. The guidance may also be useful for J-1 exchange visitors and Afghan scholars. The guidance states that student visa...
OFLC Reminds Employers That H-2B Filing Window Starts January 1
The Department of Labor's Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) reminded employers and other stakeholders that the filing window for employers of H-2B workers opens on January 1, 2022, to submit Form ETA-9142B, Application for Temporary Employment...
For First Time, DHS to Supplement H-2B Cap With Additional Visas in First Half of Fiscal Year
The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Labor (DOL) announced on December 20, 2021, the forthcoming publication of a joint temporary final rule to make available an additional 20,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for fiscal year (FY) 2022. These...
