USMLE Sarthi hosted a webinar on the topic of Residency visa options in the US. As an immigration lawyer, I led the discussion on the best visa options for medical students and graduates, focusing specifically on the J1 and H1 visa options. During the webinar, I provided an overview of the eligibility criteria, application procedures, and processing times for each visa type. I also highlighted...
B-1 visa for medical clerkship in the US is an opportunity for foreign medical students to gain hands-on experience in the American healthcare system. This visa allows medical students to participate in clinical rotations and clerkships at US hospitals, clinics, and medical institutions. To apply for a B-1 visa for medical clerkship, international medical students must provide documentations...
One of our most requested and complex legal services is the H-1B Specialty Occupation Petition. While the current economic and political climates may be more favorable for petitions filed this year, the mandatory regulations and deadlines still make it absolutely critical to proceed with the utmost confidence and clarity despite the inherent challenges of the H-1B Specialty Occupation Program....
On October 19, USCIS increased its filing fee for the I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service. In an associated news release, USCIS stated that the premium processing filing fee will be increased from $1,440 to $2,500 for all filings, except H-2B and R-1 filings where the premium processing filing fee will be increased from $1,440 to $1,500. The law responsible for the increased...
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) wage rule was published and took immediate effect on October 8. The DOL wage rule has drastically altered the system used to determine accurate wages for H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 nonimmigrant petitions and Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) applications. Under the DOL wage rule, required wages have increased by approximately 25% for all levels and...
The final rule expected to take effect on October 2, has been put on hold. On September 29, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, in Immigration Legal Resource Center et al., v. Wolf, et al., 20-cv-05883-JWS, preliminarily enjoined the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from implementing or enforcing any part of the final rule. While the rule is...
There are big changes coming in October! On October 2, the final rule announced by USCIS on July 31 will take effect and change the premium processing time frame and some USCIS filing forms and fees. In an associated news release, USCIS justified the “weighted average increase of 20%” to its fee structure by noting that “the current fees do not recover the cost of providing...
Welcome to June and the countdown to the H-1B cap-subject petition filing deadline of June 30. H-1B employers and prospective employees should be sure to provide all requested items to our office at the earliest, so that we may finalize assembly and filing efforts in a timely manner. On May 29, USCIS released a news alert regarding its plans to resume premium processing services that were...