Author: Jeff MacArthur

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) developed the TN visa category to facilitate the entry of professionals across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico for temporary employment purposes. NAFTA created a list of more than sixty professional designations through which applicants may be eligible for TN status. Each professional designation on this list requires applicants […]

If you are in the process of coming to the United States on a temporary nonimmigrant visa or if you are already in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant visa, you may be able to bring not only your family members, but also your nanny, maid, cook, and other domestic or personal employees. They may qualify […]

Typically, a green card (permanent resident card) must bear a beneficiary’s signature. This signature is captured at the beneficiary’s biometrics appointment and electronically transferred onto the card. However, USCIS released a statement last week explaining that not all green cards must bear the holder’s signature. When a green card holder is physically unable to provide […]

Foreign nationals applying for status in the United States with USCIS have likely seen the term, “A-Number.” Many people wonder what this term refers to as it appears on virtually every USCIS form. The “A-Number” stands for Alien Registration Number. It may also be referred to as an “Alien Number” or “USCIS Number.” This number […]

USCIS put into effect a new rule on May 26, 2015, allowing certain H-4 spouses to apply for work authorization. Previously, USCIS did not provide work authorization to any H-4 spouses. Since last Tuesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began accepting applications for employment authorization from H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants who are seeking employment-based […]

USCIS has recently released guidance regarding the precedent decision made by the Administrative Appeal Office in Matter of Simeio Solutions LLC. Under the decision, employers must file a new or amended H-1B petition, along with an updated Labor Condition Application (LCA), if an H-1B worker is transferred to a different geographical area than the one […]

With the school year quickly coming to a close, thousands of Americans and foreign nationals alike will begin booking their summer getaways. Whether you will be flying to a popular international destination like Britain or France, or perhaps visiting the U.S. from Canada or Mexico, CBP offers the Global Entry Program to help shorten U.S. […]

USCIS recently announced that beginning May 26, 2015, it will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B Extension of Stay petitions until July 27, 2015. This temporary change has been implemented so that USCIS will have the time and workforce to put into effect the new rule allowing certain H-4 spouses to apply for work […]

The House of Representatives last week voted to remove a measure from the National Defense Authorization Act that asked the Secretary of Defense to review policies on whether certain undocumented young people, often called “Dreamers,” can join the military if they have work authorization. During the last five months, the Pentagon has enlisted 81 of […]

In June of 2013, the Supreme Court decided in United States v. Windsor that restricting U.S. federal interpretation of “marriage” and “spouse” to apply only to heterosexual couples under the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. Since the repeal of DOMA, U.S. citizens and green card holders are able to petition for their same-sex […]