Update: 2021/3/9 DHS announced that the Government will no longer defend the 2019 Public Charge rule. Department of Justice has dismissed pending appeals before the Supreme Court. Following the dismissals in the Fourth and Seventh Circuit, the final judgment from the Northern District of Illinois, which vacated the 2019 Public Charge rule, is the law ... Read More »
O Visas for Artists and Musicians
Recently, I was listening to Alt.Latino’s interview with a wonderful Argentinian musician named Silvina Moreno. She has a fantastic voice and does some wonderful improvisation with instruments. I learned that she studied music here at Boston’s Berkelee College of Music. It led me to this question: What immigration options are there for students of ... Read More »
USCIS Policy Change Affecting International Students (F, J, and M Nonimmigrants)
On May 11, 2018, USCIS published and sought comments on a policy change regarding how unlawful presence is calculated for F, J, and M nonimmigrants in the U.S. The proposed changes can have serious consequences for International Students (including students at Vocational or Technical Schools), Exchange Visitors, and their dependents. Previously, International Students’ length of ... Read More »
Tips for a Successful H-1B Application
We recently finished sending our H1-B applications for the Fiscal 2019 Cap Season. While we wait for the results of the lottery, I thought I would share some useful tips for folks thinking of applying for an H-1B visa: Travel History. In an H-1B application, we often show that the applicant has been in lawful ... Read More »
Immigration Options for International Entrepreneurs
A foreign national who owns a business in his/her home country may want to explore the following immigration options for International Entrepreneurs. Towards the end of the Obama administration, there was a lot of excitement about the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) or Startup Visa proposed. Given the cumbersome requirements and quotas of H-1B visas, many ... Read More »
Filing Taxes for Divorced and Separated Parents
It is tax season again! Often folks who are divorced and have children ask me how they should file taxes this year. Usually, in a divorce agreement, the parties agreed to alternate claiming the dependency exemption for their child. For instance, the custodial parent (using IRS language here) would claim the child for even-numbered years, ... Read More »