The USCIS announced today that effective June 29, 2009, it will resume Premium Processing Service for Form I-140. The USCIS will accept Premium Processing requests for Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, involving EB-1 Aliens with Extraordinary Ability, EB-1 Outstanding Professors and Researchers, EB-2 Members of Professions with Advanced Degrees or Exceptional Ability not […]

USCIS has announced that applicants may experience up to an eight week delay in the delivery of their permanent resident card (Green Cards) while the Service is in the process of upgrading their card production equipment. USCIS Field Offices will be issuing temporary evidence of permanent residence in the form of an I-551 stamp to applicants approved […]

In a decision released April 23, 2009, the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit questioned the USCIS standards on the issue of the ability to pay.  The Court stated, ” We were thrown by the government’s brief”. The Court stated that the position of the USCIS “makes no sense” and was even renounced by the […]

Today, USCIS published notice that it will expand premium processing of I-140 Petitions to H-1B holders that have already “H-ed” out.  In the past, I-140 Premium Processing was only available for those who were within 60 days of the expiration of their 6th year and who did not qualify for the 1-year AC21 extension at […]

USCIS has received inquiries noting that it is not issuing Notices of  Intent to Deny following a change of jobs, but instead is immediately denying pending Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) applications.  Does this apply to you?
DHS has issued guidance for affected individuals.
Contact an attorney at HLG for further assistance.

On Nov. 7th, Hammond Law Group will host an immigration seminar specifically designed for IT companies. The seminar will be held in NYC at the Helmsley Hotel. For more info visit the HLG web-site.

HLG has received inside information that the USCIS may start to relax its interpretation of the Kellogg Language (i.e. “Any suitable combination of education, training or experience is acceptable”) and when it must be added to an application. A source of constant ambiguity, the addition or subtraction of this “magic language” from labor certification applications has consistently led […]

Based upon information obtained from the recently filed lawsuit, Fragomen vs. Chao  (DOL) it is expected by many experts, that PERM cases facing an audit by the DOL will be delayed by over 1 year as the DOL attempts to follow through on its promise to audit all PERM applications filed by Fragomen.  For all of […]

Today, the USCIS announced that on June 16, 2008, it will begin accepting Premium Processing Service requests for I-140’s  filed on behalf of certain H-1b workers who are nearing the end of their sixth year limit.  Although this particular program is rather limiting, it is welcome news and may signal the more widespread return of premium processing. […]