DHS announced on January 6, 2012, that they will issue new regulations for processing of unlawful presence waivers of the 3 and 10 year bar to re-entry for certain immediate relatives of US citizens who wish to file immigrant visa applications (green card applications) abroad. more »

On August 17, 2011, USCIS issued a Policy Memorandum regarding B-2 Visa Status changes and extensions for cohabitating partners, including same-sex partners and same-sex spouses, and other nonimmigrant household members. more »

DHS outlined various policy, operational, and outreach efforts to promote start-ups on August 2, 2011. With these, DHS aims to fuel the US economy and stimulate investment by attracting foreign entrepreneurial talent who otherwise can create US jobs, form start-up companies in the United States, and/or invest capital in areas of high unemployment. more »

On May 13, 2011, USCIS launched I-9 Central, a new online resource center dedicated to the most frequently accessed form on USCIS.gov, Form I-9, Employee Eligibility Verification. This free website provides one-click access to various resources, tips and guidance on the completion of Form I-9 and on the Form I-9 process. more »

On April 28, 2011, DHS announced removal of several countries from the Special Registration procedures under the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, known as NSEERS.  more »

USCIS has proposed a new H-1B visa registration system for cap-subject H-1B visa petitions. The H-1B registration system will require H-1B employers to file a registration for each H-1B visa petition with USCIS. Only registered employers may file H-1B petitions. Employers may only file for  registered H-1B Visa Beneficiaries. USCIS will set aside a 2 week H-1B registration period in March of each fiscal year. They will provide public notice of that H-1B visa registration period well in advance. more »

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed a self-checking version of their E-Verify Employment Verification System tool. DHS created the E-Verify Self Check (Department of Homeland Security/United States Citizenship and Immigration Services—SORN DHS/USCIS—013 E-Verify Self Check System of Records) to assist US individuals in verifying their own legal US work authorization. more »

The questions and answers below contain a summary of the US Department of State Q and A on the removal of the HIV Travel Ban, i.e., the change in law made by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removing HIV infection from the list of communicable diseases of public health significance. The lifting of the HIV Travel Ban means that HIV+ individuals will no longer be inadmissible for admission to the United States solely based on their HIV status. more »

A proposed HHS-CDC Rule seeks to lift the HIV Travel Ban by removing HIV infection from the List of Communicable Diseases of Public Health Significance. The Proposed Rule will be published in the Federal Register on June 30, 2009. It will eliminate HIV from the List of Communicable Diseases of Public Health Significance. In addition, it will remove the HIV testing requirement from required medical examinations. more »

In the next few days, we expect the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to publish in the Federal Register a new proposed rule to eliminate the HIV Travel Ban, which currently places heavy restrictions on HIV positive persons who wish to enter and/or reside permanently in the United States. Once the HIV Travel Ban is lifted, HIV positive individuals, who are still generally unable to travel, work or live in the United States, will no longer be inadmissible to the US. more »