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WR Immigration Podcast: Chatting with Charlie: Unpacking the Latest Visa Bulletins

Mar 15, 2023 | Investor Visas, Podcast

In this month’s Chatting with Charlie Director of Visa Consulting Charlie Oppenheim, Partner Charina Garcia and Senior Associate Laura Bloniarz update HR professionals with the latest employment-based green card processing information from the latest Visa Bulletins.

Learning Topics Include:
– April Visa Bulletin Summary
– Understanding 2022 State Department Annual Report Table V
– Predictions and Trends in Adjustment of Status Applications and Consular Processing
– Common Case Profile for HR Discussion

Related Posts:

USCIS Increases Premium Processing Fees But Declines to Expand Service

A new law effective October 19, 2020, increased the fee for premium processing requests from $1,440 to $2,500 for almost all filings, except those for nonimmigrant worker petitions requesting H-2B or R-1 nonimmigrant status. For the latter, the fee increased from $1,440 to $1,500. The new law also gives U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) the ability to expand premium processing to additional forms and benefit requests, but USCIS is not yet taking that action. Premium processing service allows petitioners to pay an additional filing fee to expedite adjudication of certain forms, “generally” within 15 days. It is notable that 15 days used to be guaranteed but now is merely a target. Filings postmarked on or after October 19, 2020, that include the incorrect fee will be rejected and returned. In May 2019, USCIS began premium processing for fiscal year (FY) 2020 cap-subject H-1B petitioners requesting a change of status on Form I-129, Petition for an Immigrant Worker. Without premium processing, H-1B adjudications can take 8 to 12 months. Premium processing is also available for several other visa categories. A USCIS chart lists the forms, designated classifications within each form type, and current availability and termination dates for premium processing service. For […]

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EB-5 Regional Center Program Reauthorized Through September 30, 2027

With President Biden’s signature, the EB-5 Regional Center Program – which has been lapsed since July 1, 2021 – has been reauthorized through September 30, 2027, under the “EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022.”   WR Immigration is pleased to see that Congress has kept its side of the bargain for existing investors who have been stuck in limbo for the past 8 months. Also with grandfathering now in the law, lapses like this will be avoided in the future. While the legislation is far from perfect, it provides a workable framework for EB-5 to continue bringing in foreign direct investment to create jobs for qualifying U.S. workers for the foreseeable future.  Several updates and “integrity measures” will now become part of EB-5 law, and USCIS will need to engage in administrative rulemaking to fill in some of the blanks and provide additional clarity to EB-5 stakeholders.   Most importantly, the legislation includes “grandfathering” language that would allow USCIS to continue processing petitions for immigrant investors filed on or before September 30, 2026, if Congress does not further reauthorize the Regional Center program in the future.  Changes include: Increased investment to $1,050,000, or $800,000 for investments in rural areas […]

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