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...
Topic: Immigration Updates
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...
Restrictions on Travelers From Southern African Countries To Be Lifted December 31
Kevin Munoz, White House Assistant Press Secretary, tweeted on December 24, 2021, that 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...
State Dept. Expands Waivers of In-Person Interviews for Certain Temporary Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants
The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, has authorized consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain temporary employment nonimmigrant visa applicants who have a petition approved by U.S....
Miller Mayer’s Steve Yale-Loehr Quoted re Immigration Legislation, U.S.-Mexico Border Crisis
Miller Mayer immigration attorney Steve Yale-Loehr was quoted by Univision in "Rejection of 'Plan C' Complicates Immigration Reform in Congress: What Path Could Democrats Take Now?" Mr. Yale-Loehr noted that the budget bill passed by the House of Representatives...
Justice Dept. Adjusts Certain Immigration-Related Penalties on Employers
The Department of Justice has adjusted for inflation the civil monetary penalties assessed after December 13, 2021, for violations occurring after November 2, 2015. The adjustments made by the final rule are based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price...
