Business Immigration Insights

The Department of State announced increases in visa fees, effective April 13, 2012.  The machine-readable visa (MRV) fees will increase from $140 to $190 for the following nonimmigrant visas:  H, L, O, P, Q and R.  MRV fees for E and K visas will drop from $390 (E) and $350 (K), to $270 and $240, respectively.  All other nonimmigrant visas will increase from $150 to $160.  In addition, immigrant visa fees will drop for family-based cases ($330 to $230) and employment-based cases ($720 to $405).  Finally, Border Crossing Card (BCC) fees for Mexican nationals will increase from $14 to $15.  The ...

Although immigrant visa beneficiaries from India and China have enjoyed the recent priority date advancement in the EB-2 visa category, that will likely change soon.  Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division at the State Department, predicts a priority date retrogression in the coming months that will last the remainder of the fiscal year.  Mr. Oppenheim stated that the EB-2 category for India and China will likely move from May 2010 back to August 2007, as early as May.  Those able to file their adjustment of status applications during the priority date ...