Weekly Immigration Update: July 21–27, 2023

United States, July 27, 2023
USCIS Will Run Second Lottery to Select More FY 2024 H-1B Cap Registrations

• Today, USCIS announced that it plans to run a second lottery of properly submitted FY 2024 H-1B cap registrations.
• The additional lottery is taking place because USCIS did not receive enough H-1B cap petitions during the initial 90-day filing period to meet the 85,000 quota for FY 2024.
• Employers and their representatives will begin receiving USCIS notifications that additional H-1B cap registrations were selected in a second FY 2024 cap lottery draw.
• USCIS will announce when it has completed the second lottery selection process and has notified all employers with newly selected registrations.

To view entire article, click here.

 

Saudi Arabia, July 27, 2023
Investor Visa Now Available

• Effective immediately, foreign nationals from certain countries can now apply for the recently launched Business Visit Visa for investors in Saudi Arabia.
• This visa provides a specific entry route for visiting investors, where none was previously available in Saudi Arabia.
• Unlike the traditional Business Visit Visa, this visa does not require proof of a sponsor, opening the door to more entrants to Saudi Arabia.

To view entire article, click here.

 

Israel, July 26, 2023
Entry Rules Relaxed for U.S. Citizens With Dual Citizenship in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon or Syria

• Israel recently published a regulation allowing the Minister of the Interior to grant a residency permit to U.S. citizens with dual citizenship in Iran, Iraq, Lebanon or Syria if there is evidence that the issuance of such a permit is of special or important interest to Israel.
• Eligible applicants will be allowed entry for up to 90 days but will not be able to perform work of any type.
• These changes are part of an understanding between Israeli and U.S. governments in order for Israel to be admitted to the U.S. visa exemption program.

To view the entire article, click here.

 

Spain, July 25, 2023
Foreign Nationals Outside Spain for over Six Months Now Eligible for Residence Status

• Spain’s top court has declared void a royal decree rule that terminated foreign nationals’ temporary residence status if they had remained outside Spain for more than six months in any one-year period.   
• As the relevant rule in the royal decree is now invalid, foreign nationals whose temporary residence status was at risk of termination because they had been outside of Spain for more than six months within a one-year period, may now be able to renew their temporary residence status.
• The ruling leaves the door open for the Spanish parliament to create such restrictions in the future. Given the legal landscape may again change, affected individuals are advised to avoid being outside Spain for more than six months in any one-year period.

To view entire article, click here.

 

Thailand, July 25, 2023
Stricter Criteria Implemented for Board of Investment Applications Using Single Window System, Increasing Delays

• Based on a change in practice, the Board of Investment (BOI) has implemented new rules and criteria for employers filing work permits and visa applications under the BOI Single Window system.
• The new rules and criteria include updates to passwords/usernames every six months, no longer allowing the use of abbreviations in position titles, changing the requirements for “Director” positions, enforcing position and job title alignment with the promoted business activities approved by the BOI and requiring expanded organizational charts.
• Employers must follow the BOI’s requests or recommendations within the required period.
• As a result, employers should expect multiple changes and delays in their Single Window applications.

To view entire article, click here.

 

United Kingdom, July 24, 2023
Children Age 10 and 11 Can Now Use Passport E-Gates

• Effective July 24, 2023, children age 10 and 11 can now use passport e-gates at 15 UK airports and railports, including Heathrow and Gatwick airports and the Eurostar railways terminals in Brussels and Paris.
• Passport e-gates digitally compare a passenger’s face against their passport photo without any human input, therefore streamlining immigration processing upon entry.
• Previously, only children 12 years or older could use e-gates.

To view entire article, click here.

 

United States, July 21, 2023
|DHS Will Allow Qualified E-Verify Employers to Use Remote I-9 Document Inspection Procedures, and Will Issue New Version of I-9 Form

• The Department of Homeland Security has finalized a regulation that permits it to create exceptions to in-person physical inspection of documents used in the Form I-9 employment eligibility verification process.
• In conjunction with the final rule, DHS is creating a permanent remote I-9 document inspection process, effective for new employees hired on or after August 1, 2023, but this alternative process is limited to employers who are enrolled and in good standing in the E-Verify system.
• Qualifying employers can also use the alternative review process in lieu of undertaking a physical review of documents, to meet the August 30, 2023 deadline for I-9s completed with remote or virtual document review during the COVID-19 emergency, as long as the employer was enrolled in and used E-Verify when the I-9 was initially completed.
• DHS will issue a new edition of Form I-9, dated August 1, 2023. The new form version will become mandatory for all employers on November 1, 2023.

To view entire article, click here.