H1B Visa Lawyer Blog

February 3, 2025

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – This Friday, February 7, 2025

We wanted to find a new way to engage our reader base. Every other Friday, we will post the ten (10) best/most frequently asked questions received during the week from our h1bvisalawyerblog, Facebook, and Twitter readers. We will answer those questions and provide the Q&A on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

If you have a burning question, are seeking assistance with a difficult immigration related case, wish to discuss your views on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, DREAMers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, priority dates, the monthly visa bulletin, adjustment applications, etc., please contact us by submitting your question/comment/viewpoint in our comment box provided on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

Our next “Q & A Forum” will take place this Friday, February 7, 2025. Act now and submit your questions!

January 31, 2025

All USCIS Application and Petition Form Types (FY2024, Qtr. #4) – Statistical Table

by Kellie N. Lego

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released their fourth quarter, Fiscal Year 2024 (FY2024) performance data for all Application and Petition Form Types as a statistical table. They have divided the forms by category: Family Based, Employment Based, Humanitarian, Lawful Permanent Residence (LPR) , Citizenship and Naturalization, Other, and Supplement Processing as the rows. The columns are divided by case status: Received, Approved, Denied, Total Completions, Pending, and Process Time. The updated FY2024 statistics (fourth quarter) cover July 2024 through September 2024. Here is the link to the Q4 table, “All USCIS Application and Petition Form Types (Fiscal Year 2024, Quarter 4)“.

Source of Information:

USCIS (USCIS.gov), Immigration and Citizenship Data Webpage:

January 30, 2025

President Trump’s Executive Order – Securing Our Borders – Read it!

by Kellie N. Lego

From Inauguration Day, January 20, 2025, until today, President Trump has signed many Executive Orders! One of the orders signed on the first day was, “Securing Our Borders“! It deals with his objective and layouts out his plan related to U.S. immigration.

For more details and to read the Executive Order for yourself, please review the White House link, “Securing Our Borders“!

Source of Information:

January 29, 2025

USCIS Naturalization Statistics Report – FY2024

by Kellie N. Lego

On the USCIS webpage, “Citizenship Resource Center”, they have published the U.S. Naturalization Statistics for Fiscal Year 2024! This web-based report is made up of graphs and charts explaining U.S. naturalization patterns in statistical forms! In the last ten years, we as a country have welcomed more than 7.9 million naturalized citizens into this country.

For further details please review the USCIS Webpage, “FY 2024 Naturalization Statistics”.

Source of Information:

January 28, 2025

Kristi Noem Sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security

by Kellie N. Lego

On Saturday, January 25, 2025, the United States Senate voted to confirm Kristi Noem as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)! Secretary Noem served as South Dakota’s Governor from January 5, 2019, to January 25, 2025, and was the first female governor of that state.

For more information, please review the DHS News Releases, “PHOTO RELEASE: Kristi Noem Sworn in as the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security“ and “US Senate Confirms Kristi Noem as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security in Sweeping Bi-Partisan Vote“!

Source of Information:

January 27, 2025

USCIS Waives COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Adjustment of Status Applicants

by Kellie N. Lego

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that effective January 22nd that they are waiving all requirements that applicants for adjustment of status to a lawful permanent resident (often called a green card), that they received the COVID-19 vaccination. The USCIS has waived the requirement to prove you received your COVID-19 vaccination!

For more information, please review the USCIS News Alert, “USCIS Waives COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for Adjustment of Status Applicants“

Source of Information:

January 24, 2025

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – 1/24/25

by Kellie N. Lego

MVP Law Group, P.A. makes available the information and materials in this forum for informational purposes only. The information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice or any contractual obligations. Further, the use of this site, and the sending or receipt of this information, does not create an attorney-client relationship between us. Therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.

What is DED? Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) is a benefit authorized within the President’s discretion as part of their constitutional power to conduct foreign relations. DED recipients are temporarily protected from deportation and are able to request employment authorization to obtain a work permit from the USCIS. Individuals currently covered under DED include nationals from: Lebanon, Liberia, Hong Kong and Palestine. There are specific eligibility requirements for each designation of DED.
What is the process for obtaining an E3 Australian Visa? If you are outside of the United States applying from Australia, you would petition the Consulate directly. You would need proof of the legitimate job offer, a letter of support from the U.S. employer, a certified Labor Condition Application (LCA) from the Department of Labor (DOL), and your academic or other qualifying credential documentation available for review. Once all of these items are gathered, you would proceed with scheduling an E3 nonimmigrant visa appointment by completing Form DS-160 and submitting it to the Department of State (DOS), along with all requested documentation to establish eligibility. You would then appear for your interview at the scheduled date and time. If successful, your E3 visa will be issued and placed in your passport.If you are inside the United States in another visa status and wish to change status to E3 or are working with a different employer and wish to change employers, you would need to first petition the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). You would need to have a letter of support from the U.S. employer, along with Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker completed by the U.S. employer, and a certified LCA from the DOL, along with documentation to establish your eligibility. These forms and paperwork need to be filed with the USCIS, likely with premium processing. You cannot assume E3 status or begin working with a new U.S. employer until the USCIS has approved your case. Premium processing costs an additional $2805.00 to obtain a decision within 15 business days of filing.

January 23, 2025

2025 USCIS Forms Updates including Form G-1055 Fee Schedule – 1/6 and 1/13

by Kellie N. Lego

The USCIS Forms Updates web page lists their most recently updated forms. The list includes forms as they publish them and includes a brief explanation for the update.

The updated form listed below is their most recent addition to the list, dated January 6 & 13, 2025!

Update to Form I-854, Inter-Agency Alien Witness and Informant Record. New Edition Dated 12/12/24.

January 21, 2025

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – This Friday, January 24, 2025

by Kellie N. Lego

We wanted to find a new way to engage our reader base. Every other Friday, we will post the ten (10) best/most frequently asked questions received during the week from our h1bvisalawyerblog, Facebook, and Twitter readers. We will answer those questions and provide the Q&A on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

If you have a burning question, are seeking assistance with a difficult immigration related case, wish to discuss your views on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, DREAMers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, priority dates, the monthly visa bulletin, adjustment applications, etc., please contact us by submitting your question/comment/viewpoint in our comment box provided on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

Our next “Q & A Forum” will take place this Friday, January 24, 2025. Act now and submit your questions!

January 20, 2025

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – Federal Holiday

by Kellie N. Lego

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream…”

Excerpt from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech, delivered on August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial!

Related link: