VISA2US Blog

The filing window for Fiscal Year 2024’s H-1B visas may have closed, but the results are still in progress. This year projects that the number of submitted petitions will surpass all expectations. With the backlog of previous years’ applications from countries like India, where H-1B requests far outweigh the available visas, it gets more difficult to obtain this coveted document. What does this next fiscal year look like, and what does that mean for H-1B applicants? Read on to find out.

In mid-2022, foreign workers in the tech industry were hit with an unpleasant surprise. Many who had planned for their employers to sponsor a green card transfer were put on hold as mega-corporations like Google halted the process. The massive layoffs across the IT sector meant thousands of skilled American workers were actively searching for jobs, a fact that negated that part of a sponsor’s required attestation. But this green card hold created a backlog of processing with a ripple effect: the US could no longer compete with other countries for some of the top global talents. Something had to be done, and the government and IT industries were working behind the scene to fix this issue. What are the results? Here, we have the latest “Google” green card backlog updates.

Immigration law is a serious business, and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services continually strives to increase its security measures. The latest change impacts the design of Permanent Resident Cards (Green Cards) and Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). The redesigned cards came out on January 30, 2023, and have been making waves since then. What do you need to know about these newly modified documents? We have the details here.

H-1B visa season is upon us. The complicated visa process is further complicated by the similarly named B-1 visa. If you're considering working in the United States as a foreign national, it's essential to understand the different types of visas available to you. The H-1B and B-1 visas have significant differences that can affect your stay in the US. This article will explain the key differences between the two visas to help you determine which is best for your situation.

By now, you’ve heard about the tech layoffs in the US, and how they’ve impacted thousands of H-1B holders. This massive technological industry shift has created a domino effect felt by everyone else trying to obtain or renew their work visas. One of the ways it could impact you is through the H-1B lottery. How does the tech layoff problem change your lottery chances? Read on to find out.

You came to the US for work and found love alongside your job. What an excellent problem to have! But now you need to transfer your H-1B visa to a marriage green card, and that can be challenging. We have the tips here to help make the process easier, so you can focus on this new chapter of your life instead of complex paperwork.

The past few years have seen an increase in immigration changes through the COVID-19 pandemic and switching Trump and Biden Administrations. The latest round of federal immigration policies in 2023 focuses on things like immigration activity along the border of US and Mexico, noncitizens in mixed immigration status families, and children with immigrant parents. We cover the evolving immigration policies here and how they’ll affect your visa in 2023.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services filed a petition recently requesting permission to raise its rates. If this proposed rule is approved, certain applications and petitions will see filing fee hikes. As with any fee request, there are advantages and disadvantages to this change, but USCIS and the government aren’t making this decision unilaterally. Those affected by this rule and anyone with an opinion on the proposed rule may be heard, but the public comment period ended on March 13, 2023. What does this mean for you? Read on to learn the details.

Obtaining an H-1B visa as a specialty worker is a competitive process. There are more applicants than available visas, and a random lottery to win before USCIS begins to scrutinize your petition. One of the factors that can make or break your H-1B approval is the company you choose to accept as your sponsor. Large companies are often already in the system at the Department of Labor and USCIS, but small businesses, by nature, use fewer H-1B employees. Should you accept an offer of H-1B sponsorship from a lesser-known company? We’ll explain the pros and cons here.

H-1B nonimmigrant visas have impacted the US economy and the professions and lives of hundreds of thousands of foreign workers over the years. These visas are designed for those with skills that classify as a “specialty occupation,” but that definition has evolved and continues to change depending on the political and social climate of the country. Recent challenges to the H-1B specialty occupation are in process, and if you’re applying for a new or renewed work visa, you should know what these changes mean for you.