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.

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.

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.

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.

The State Department has once again started processing investor visa applications, and changes have been marked on the May visa bulletin. In addition, cut-off dates for May and June of 2022 have been listed for DV (green card lottery) applicants.

The visa bulletin for October, 2021, reflects the start of a new fiscal year for U.S. immigration.

The consequences of working without a work permit involve being inadmissible for any future visa/change of status application you might file. Harsher penalties could end in heavy fines or even deportation.

The DV lottery is a unique path to a green card in the United States, but it’s not always easy to secure an immigrant visa in the same fiscal year you won the lottery.