Overseas Employment Certificates (“OEC”) are generally required for Filipinos who have or will be entering into active employment abroad and are not yet permanent residents of the country where they will be working. This means all Filipino H-1B employees must obtain an OEC and the employer should account for the extra time. What is an OEC? Also known as an exit clearance, this document is issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (“POEA”) to Filipino workers

On August 29, 2025, USCIS announced two significant changes to its fee payment methods . Read below for those important details.   ACH Transaction   USCIS will now accept electronic debit from a U.S. bank account to pay filing fees. ACH stands for “Automatic Clearing House.” It’s a method of paying directly using bank account information. To pay by ACH transaction, complete the new  Form G-1650, Authorization for ACH Transactions . The payer can choose to pay via checking or

This FAQ previously posted in late September has been revised based on new information issued by USCIS on October 20, 2025. The revised information is in red and any information that is no longer applicable has been struck through.   When does this proclamation take effect? The proclamation took effect on 12:01 a.m. EST on September 21, 2025.     Does the proclamation have an expiration date? The proclamation is set to expire on September 21, 2026.   What does the proclamatio

TPS is another U.S. immigration program that has changed in 2025. Read below for more information on the program and its current state. What is TPS?   “TPS” stands for Temporary Protected Status. The Secretary of Homeland Security may designate a country for TPS if conditions in that country temporarily prevent that country’s nationals from safely returning, or if that country cannot adequately handle the return of its nationals. The country must be undergoing extraordinary a

The United States government shutdown will impact some immigration services. Read below for each immigration department’s current status...

This post was updated on October 21, 2025. See the updated blog here . The recent Presidential Proclamation leaves many questions unanswered. Here's what we know so far. When does this proclamation take effect? The proclamation took effect on 12:01 a.m. EST on September 21, 2025.     Does the proclamation have an expiration date? The proclamation is set to expire on September 21, 2026.   What does the proclamation do? It imposes a new $100,000 fee that the H-1B sponsor must p

On September 19, President Trump issued a proclamation that dramatically changes the rules for employers who rely on H-1B visa workers....

This post summarizes the key directives and implications outlined in the May 2025 Department of State cable titled “Action Request: the...

Many permanent resident cards (green cards) are valid for ten years, but some are only valid for two. This is called “conditional...

There is an array of eligibility categories to obtain a U.S. green card (lawful permanent residence or “LPR”). Family-based and...

Although they do not have all the rights of U.S. Citizens, permanent residents (“LPRs”) do gain several new rights. Some of these new...

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Attorneys, legal representatives, petitioners, applicants, and supporters can create a myUSCIS account to track the status of...

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In January 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14159 which directed the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that foreign...

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Naturalization is the term used for a non-U.S. citizen born outside of the U.S. to voluntarily become a U.S. citizen. The most common...