Department of Homeland SecurityDepartment of State

Department of Homeland Security & Department of State Updates: February 14, 2024

Department of Homeland Security H-1B Cap Lottery Timelines Released by USCIS U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has recently announced important dates for the upcoming H-1B visa lottery. The lottery registration period for fiscal year (“FY”) 2025 will run from 11:00 am CST on March 6, 2024, through 11:00 am CST on March 22, 2024,

Department of Homeland SecurityH-1B

Department of Homeland Security Update: January 11, 2024

Department of Homeland Security ATTENTION: H-1B Cap Season Start for FY 2025 With the new H-1B Cap season quickly approaching, it is time to start evaluating your H-1B needs and preparing for the annual H-1B lottery. Each year, the demand for H-1B visas far exceeds the available supply and since 2020, the government has been

Holiday Travel

Holiday Travel Reminders from the Munsch Hardt Immigration Team

Munsch Hardt’s Immigration Team wishes you a wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy New Year! A few reminders and safety tips for your upcoming holiday travel: Be Prepared: Check your passport and visa validity before a trip. Hint: if you are traveling abroad, make sure that you have proper documentation to enter the country of

Department of Homeland SecurityDepartment of State

Department of Homeland Security & Department of State Updates: November 14, 2023

Department of Homeland Security New Form I-9 Mandatory as of November 1, 2023 As of November 1, 2023, the newly revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification (08/01/2023 edition date), must be used to verify the identity and employment authorization of all individuals hired in the United States. The new Form I-9 now includes alternative procedures

Department of Homeland SecurityDepartment of State

Department of Homeland Security and Department of State Updates: October 10, 2023

Department of Homeland Security USCIS Provides Updated Guidance on Status-Authorized Employment and Extended EAD Validity U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has updated its policy manual to reflect the government agency’s decision to increase the validity period of Employment Authorization Documents (“EADs”) up to five (5) years for certain nonimmigrant categories. This change comes as

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Homeland Security & Department of State Updates: September 14, 2023

Department of Homeland Security USCIS’s Automatic Extension Policy Set to Expire after October 26, 2023 During the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) rolled out a series of flexibilities to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors due to delays in government processing times and in response to remote work mandates. In particular, USCIS’s

Department of State

Department of Homeland Security Updates: August 17, 2023

Department of Homeland Security Second H-1B Cap Lottery Completed by USCIS On July 31, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced the completion of its second random selection from previously-submitted H-1B cap lottery registrations for fiscal year (“FY”) 2024. Newly-selected registrants have been notified via their myUSCIS accounts, which should be updated to include

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Homeland Security Update: July 25, 2023

Department of Homeland Security Hot Off The Press – New Form I-9 Compliance and Remote Verification Updates Beginning August 1, 2023, E-Verify participating employers in good standing may use an optional, alternative procedure to examine Form I-9 documents. The alternative procedure allows a qualified employer (or authorized representative acting on an employer’s behalf) to remotely

Department of Homeland SecurityDepartment of State

Department of Homeland Security & Department of State Updates: July 12, 2023

Department of Homeland Security Premium Processing Expansion for Applicants Seeking Status Change U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) is now accepting premium processing requests for Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status applicants who are seeking to change into F (academic students), M (vocational student), or J (exchange visitors) status. Dependent children and/or spouses of

Department of Homeland Security

Department of Homeland Security Update: June 6, 2023

Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification – Compliance Flexibilities Extended Through August 2023 As coronavirus (“COVID-19”) flexibilities are faded out with the end of the public health emergency, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) and U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (“ICE”) have announced important Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification compliance updates for employers. The Form I-9