immigration Archives

Attorneys Arnold, Forbes, White Join Orr & Reno

February 1, 2022 - Orr & Reno welcomes shareholder John Arnold, attorney Nicole Forbes, and attorney Emily White to the law firm. Arnold’s practice will focus on commercial real estate, Forbes will concentrate on family law, while White specializes in immigration law. “The addition of John Arnold to our real estate group, Emily White to lead our immigration team […]

Orr & Reno Webinar Series: Avoiding the Pitfalls of I-9’s

December 2, 2020 - Orr & Reno attorney Laura Hartz and immigration paralegal Paula Violo will discuss strategies to ensure that you and your employees have correctly completed Form I-9 and avoided discrimination in a webinar presentation in partnership with the Concord Chamber of Commerce, on Tuesday, December 8 at 10 am. The one-hour presentation will include a Q […]

Climate Change Within USCIS

September 20, 2019 - Attorney Laura Hartz and Senior Immigration Paralegal Robin Vermette attended this year’s American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Annual Conference in Florida. A common theme was the change in climate at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office, shown as an across the board increase in Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and denials of petitions, particularly […]

Changes to H-1B Petitions for FY 2020 Cap Season Effective April 1

January 31, 2019 - On January 30, 2019, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) posted a final rule amending regulations for the H-1B cap-subject petitions. Effective April 1, 2019, the final rule reverses the order by which the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will select H-1B petitions under the H-1B regular cap and the advanced degree exemption. During […]

Possible New Twist on H-1B CAP Program

December 3, 2018 - On December 3, 2018, the USCIS proposed a plan which would eliminate the filing of cap-subject H-1B cap petitions during the first week of April: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/12/03/2018-26106/registration-requirement-for-petitioners-seeking-to-file-h-1b-petitions-on-behalf-of-cap-subject The proposal introduces an Online Registration System. If the regulation becomes effective in 2019, employers will have a 15-day period at least 2 weeks prior to April 1 to […]

Diversity Visa Program (DV-2020) – Could Be the Last One!

September 28, 2018 - The U.S. Department of State has announced the DV-2020 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (aka “Green Card Lottery” and “DV Lottery”). This may be the DV Lottery’s last year. This Administration wants to end the program and there has been legislation introduced to eliminate it in the future. The program, created by the Immigration and Nationality […]

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to Allow Credit Card Payments

April 3, 2018 - Have you wished you could pay the filing fee by credit card when filing your immigration forms? It appears U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is listening. In February, USCIS announced that it will now accept credit card payments for filing most of its forms. If you file an application, petition, or request with a […]

American Immigration Lawyers Association Proves Worthy

March 27, 2018 - Curious about New England’s premiere immigration lawyer association? I was too. Recently, Orr & Reno’s Paula Violo and I attended the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) New England Chapter’s annual conference in Boston at the Federal Reserve. AILA is the nation’s premier membership association for immigration law professionals, with over 15,000 members across the country. […]

Immigration Enforcement is Becoming More Aggressive in 2018: Are Employers Ready for I-9 Audits From ICE?

February 12, 2018 - As the French saying goes, “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose,” or “the more it changes, the more it’s the same thing.” In the world of employment and immigration law, it is a truism that political winds have a dramatic effect. One by-product of today’s shifting political scene is more intense enforcement from […]

Time to Plan for Fiscal Year 2019 H-1B Cap Season

January 29, 2018 - Yes, it’s that time of the year again for cap-subject employers. H-1B petitions subject to the Fiscal Year 2019 cap (FY 2019) can be filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Monday, April 2, 2018. Overview of H-1B Program The H-1B allows U.S. companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that […]

In the News

Stay updated on legal information that matters.

- Search News Archive