Category: Interim Rules

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has granted deferred action for two years to widows and widowers of U.S. citizens, and their unmarried children under 21 years old, who reside in the U.S. and were married for less than two years before their spouse’s death. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will suspend adjudication of… Read More

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations governing the types of acceptable identity and employment authorization documents and receipts that employees may present to their employers for employment authorization verification (Form I-9). The interim rule (PDF), effective February 9, 2009: requires that all documents presented during the verification process be unexpired; eliminates… Read More

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an interim final rule, effective April 8, 2008, that extends the maximum period of optional practical training (OPT) from 12 months to 29 months for F-1 students who have completed a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) degree and accept employment with employers enrolled in U.S. Citizenship and… Read More

On April 1, 2008, employers may file petitions requesting H-1B workers for fiscal year (FY) 2009 employment starting on October 1, 2008. For FY 2009, Congress has once again set a tight limit of 65,000 for most H-1B workers, and the supply is expected to be exhausted immediately. Last year, the cap was reached in… Read More