VISA2US Blog

October is a big deal for the government, particularly in the immigration sector. October 1 is the start of the new fiscal year, and a new round of H-1B workers have begun the jobs they worked so hard to obtain. But October is also when the Diversity Visa (Green Card) lottery opens. This year, the window started on October 4. What is this lottery, and could it help you? Keep reading to find out.

Followers of the US immigration system have seen the headlines demanding change across the board, particularly in the H-1B employment-based visa category. Reformation is necessary to address the border security, substantial backlog in Green Cards, and imbalance in the number of H-1B allotted visas versus the demand. According to many proponents, one potential solution is the move from skill-based to merit-based immigration. What would this mean for immigrants and the US? Keep reading to find out.

Foreign workers under the H-1B visa umbrella enjoy the added perk of bringing their spouses and eligible children to the United States. While employed in this category, they have up to six years to live and work in America. During this period, it’s common for children to “age out” of the visa’s eligibility requirements. What happens when your child gets to this point, and is there any way you can keep them in the US with you? We have the details here.

Immigration news is full of optimistic changes on the horizon as US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) continues to revamp its systems and processes. The latest regulations involved requests for rate increases. Should those requests go through, USCIS has big plans for the funds. Regardless of the budget, though, the agency released its goals for FY 2023-2026 in its Strategic Plan. This plan is essentially a roadmap of milestones and targets that will take USCIS to its ultimate goals to strengthen its workforce and aid the country overall. A summary of the plan is found here.

Before COVID, H-1B levels were significantly higher than the availability of visas. But when the embassies and consulates were shut down, and international borders were limited, so were the visa requests and approvals. This has affected US businesses relying on specialized workers to fill vacancies, but the good news is around the corner. Reports from the Immigrant and Non-Immigrant Visa Issuance organization show that these numbers are almost back to normal.

The H-1B visa program has been a significant part of the US immigration system for decades, allowing foreign workers to come to the United States to work in technology and science-related fields.

When you enter the US on an H-1B visa but decide to work toward your green card, you’ll need to apply for an Adjustment of Status (AOS). This process lets you stay in the country as you complete and wait for your application’s determination, even if your visa expires while your results are pending. What’s involved in the AOS process? Read on to find out.

The report highlights an important survey that was conducted in 2021 for both non-citizens eligible for naturalization, as well as those who had recently become naturalized.

Immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa are more likely to come to the U.S. as refugees or immediate family members, making their path to legal permanent residence different, and less unpredictable, from employment based visa holders.

The State Department will award 55,000 diversity visas for fiscal year 2023. Confirm on their website if you have been picked in this year’s drawing.