Category: News

This afternoon, USCIS announced the start of the fiscal year (FY) 2020 H-1B cap season, start dates for premium processing of cap-subject H-1B petitions, and the launch of its new H-1B data hub. USCIS is also reminding petitioners of its new H-1B cap selection process. These new efforts are all part of President Trump’s Buy […]

On April 1, 2019, the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, which spans the international border between Canada and the United States in Niagara Falls, will be temporarily closing. The closure is necessitated by the upcoming removal of the 1,700-foot Niagara Scenic Parkway viaduct above the bridge and customs plaza. The removal of the viaduct is part of […]

One advantage of the H-1B visa is that immediate family members of the H-1B visa holder may apply for an H-4 visa, which will allow them to lawfully stay in the United States. What is more, the holder of an H-4 visa, who is seeking employment based on lawful permanent resident status, is eligible to […]

In its continuing efforts to promote more efficiency in its processes, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that applicants now have the ability to file Form N-600, Application for Certificate of Citizenship and Form N-600K, Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate Under Section 322 online.  L. Francis Cissna, director of USCIS, noted […]

Today, the Department of Homeland Security posted a final rule amending regulations governing H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those that may be eligible for the advanced degree exemption. As a reminder, cap-subject petitions are filed on April 1 of each year for individuals who are applying for H-1B status for the first time. To read more about the general […]

After months of suspension, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will resume premium processing for fiscal year 2019 H-1B petitions as of January 28, 2019. This includes the advanced degree exemption cases, often referred to as the “master’s cap.” In 2018, USCIS announced that H-1B premium processing would be suspended until February 2019 to reduce […]

The government shutdown that began in December 2018 has become the longest U.S. government shutdown in history and is having some major impacts on immigration processing. Customs and Border Protection officers are considered essential staff due to the important role they play in national security at the U.S. border and ports of entry. This ultimately […]

Congratulations to Zach Ahlstrom who was officially sworn in as a licensed New York State attorney yesterday and is now an Associate Attorney with Berardi Immigration Law!  Zach started with Berardi Immigration Law as a law clerk during his second year of law school in March 2017. He passed the bar exam in October 2018. […]

Many employers are familiar with the E-Verify system, which allows employers to check the employment eligibility for all of their employees. This system compares information completed on an employee’s Form I-9 with records from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA). E-Verify is administered by DHS, which is one of […]

Irish nationals interested in relocating and working in the United States might just be in luck. A bill providing Irish nationals with several thousand additional work visas annually is scheduled for a vote in the Senate. Outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan holds ancestral and political ties to Ireland and is responsible for pushing this bill. […]