Must Read News

Cap Exempt H-1B visas … What to do if your current or prospective employee was not selected in the H-1B lottery?

I recently had a South Florida-based Financial Services company reach out to me concerning an international student employee of theirs.  “David” is a very promising young man from South America who graduated last year with a master’s degree from a top Florida University.   Over the past year, while on post-completion F-1 OPT (Optional Practical Training), David became a rising star in their company’s job-training program and developed into a key piece for the ..... Read More

Indian University Invents World’s First Synthetic Jaw Graft.

Image-Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, a research-oriented private university in India, has pioneered Nanotex Bone, a synthetic bone graft, which addresses a critical need for patients who have lost parts of their lower jaw (mandibular bone) due to cancer, injuries, or trauma. This groundbreaking invention has received patents and clearance for clinical trials, set to be conducted over two years at Amrita School of Medicine and Amrita School of De ..... Read More

Young Indian girl catches Priyanka Chopra’s attention.

Twitter : @PranysqaM Pranysqa Mishra, a talented nine-year-old Indian-origin singer, gained recognition when she sang the US national anthem at the US Open’s inauguration. She took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her gratitude towards her role model, Priyanka Chopra. The official X page of the US Open Tennis shared Mishra’s impressive performance, captioning it, “That’s how you start a night session. 9-year-old Pranysqa Mishra nailed the Nati ..... Read More

International Student (F-1) Visas and Employment

At any given time, there are more than one million international students studying in the United States and the vast majority come to study in the U.S. on an F-1 visa. The typical international student attends an American college or university to complete a Bachelors, Masters, or PhD program. However, students can also apply for an F-1 visa to attend a U.S. primary school, secondary school, or even to complete a short-term English language program. While less common, t ..... Read More

Immigration Solutions for Entrepreneurs

If you are an entrepreneur and are looking to come to the United States to form a startup, there is a new program called International Entrepreneur Parole (IEP) that you may want to consider. IEP allows startup founders to legally move to the United States to work for and grow their company. Since there is no specific “startup visa,” this grant of parole is the closest thing the U.S. currently has to a startup program. IEP allows entrepreneurs who provide a “sign ..... Read More

Marriage-Based Green Cards

One of the most frequently asked questions from clients is “How can I get a green card?” The two most common pathways to becoming a green card holder are 1) getting sponsored by a spouse/ immediate family member, OR 2) getting an employer sponsorship. The employment-based green card process is more challenging and much more difficult to obtain, as it requires a very particular set of skills. Additionally, applying for an employment-based green card is considerably ..... Read More

Frequently asked questions on B’s and H-1B’s

By Seth Finberg I was told that some registrants in the H-1B lottery have a better chance of selection.  Is this true? The H-1B lottery is a random lottery and is therefore nationality neutral.  Unlike the “Green Card Lottery” (Diversity Visa Lottery) or the Immigrant Visa Bulletin, the H-1B lottery does not consider where you were born or even what passport you hold.  However, there is a benefit if you have an advanced degree from a U.S. University.  If you ho ..... Read More

Frequently asked questions on OPT, STEM OPT and H-2B’s

I am an international student on an F-1 visa and I am about to graduate from my University in May.   How can I stay in the US and work?  The most important piece of advice I give to all of my clients and potential clients is to “maintain your immigration status”.  Your F-1 visa is only valid while you are enrolled in school or in an approved job training program.   Once you graduate you have a 60-day grace period to 1) depart the United States, 2) enroll in ano ..... Read More

Frequently asked Questions on Premium Processing

What exactly is Premium Processing?   Premium processing is a service, where available, for an extra fee employers can get a decision from the USCIS much more quickly on certain employment-based visa petitions.   This usually costs $2,500 and you should get a decision in 15 (or 45) calendar days depending on the visa classification.  The premium processing service is an optional additional filing fee/form that is usually filed at the time you submit your petitio ..... Read More

Are you extraordinary? O-1 visas for persons of extraordinary ability

I recently had a consultation with Vikram, a film director from India, who was studying advanced film production and technology in the United States.   Often clients will come with a specific visa in mind.   Vikram had done some research and was interested in an O-1B visa for persons of extraordinary ability in the arts (specifically the category of movies and TV).   While many of my clients think they are impressive or believe they have a strong case for such vi ..... Read More

Why Attorneys Charge for Consultations

In life, we often seek guidance when faced with decisions or challenges. As an immigration attorney, I assist people in such situations. For instance, imagine Jesper, an international pilot who’s been flying for a foreign airline for almost a decade but now wishes to pursue his career in the United States. Jesper has little knowledge of the specific visa requirements for pilots here in the US and the complex immigration system he has to go through. With this, a consu ..... Read More

EB-1A Extraordinary Ability Green Cards

One of my favorite areas to practice immigration law involves representing exceptional individuals with extraordinary abilities.  I first use a personally created and detailed analytical analysis of my client’s (or potential client’s) specific profession, skill set, and unusual talents to determine their chances of successfully petitioning for an extraordinary ability visa. After a rather rigorous screening process involving one or more consultations, we determi ..... Read More

EB-2 visas and National Interest Waivers (NIW)

Question: “I’m a 40-year-old airline captain from New Zealand with over 15 years of aviation experience currently flying in the Middle East.  While my parents are from India, I was born in Auckland. Could I qualify for an EB-2 NIW? What is an NIW and what are my chances of getting an EB-2 NIW? Great question!  I currently represent experienced foreign airline pilots in your exact situation.Since my father was a pilot and a US Air Force Major and Vietnam Veteran, ..... Read More

Indian-Origin Tharman Elected Singapore’s President.

Twitter : @FAODG Tharman Shanmugaratnam, of Indian heritage, achieved a resounding victory when he was elected as the President of Singapore on September 1. In the country’s first contested presidential election since 2011, Shanmugaratnam, an accomplished economist, secured a substantial 70.4 percent of the vote, triumphing over his rivals of Chinese descent. Prior to becoming President, Shanmugaratnam held the position of a senior minister. He will be the third ..... Read More

India surpasses 10 billion UPI transactions.

In August 2023, India’s Unified Payment Interface (UPI) saw a significant milestone as it crossed 10 billion transactions for the first time in a month. This information comes from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) data as of August 30th, 2023, which reported a transaction volume of 10.24 billion. Not only did UPI achieve a remarkable transaction volume, but it’s also on the verge of surpassing its previous high in terms of value. The previ ..... Read More

Columbus Hindus honor first responders and protectors.

Nikhil Ajotikar played a pivotal role in facilitating a celebration organized by the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh Chapter of Columbus to honor and appreciate local protectors, which encompassed police officers, firefighters, and first responders. This upcoming Hindu celebration, as perceived by Columbus resident Deepti Vijaykumar, revolves around the simple act of expressing gratitude. In her words, Vijaykumar draws parallels between this celebration and others like Mother& ..... Read More

Four individuals of Indian heritage have been designated as UH-Chevron Fellows.

The University of Houston, known as the Energy University, has recognized the achievements of four outstanding individuals of Indian origin, namely Aparajita Datta, Chirag Goel, Swapnil Sharma, and Meghana Idamakanti, who have been selected as part of the inaugural cohort of UH-Chevron Energy Graduate Fellows. This distinguished group of fellows is characterized by their diverse research interests within the field of energy, as stated by the University. Among this grou ..... Read More

Texas Firefighters Recognized During Raksha Bandhan for Their Protection.

Image : HSS Eduardo Hernandez, the captain of Northeast Fort Bend Fire Station 2 in Richmond, patiently stood while a young lady carefully tied a silk thread around his outstretched wrist. In the midst of this scene, other firefighters adorned with similar bracelets savored Indian sweets as they warmly welcomed children into the fire station. These visitors belonged to the local chapter of the faith-based nonprofit Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS). The silk bracelet they ..... Read More

India to host Global IndiaAI 2023.

India is gearing up to host the Global IndiaAI 2023 conference in October, uniting prominent figures in the field of artificial intelligence, including researchers, startups, and investors, from both India and across the globe. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is the driving force behind this event. The steering committee responsible for shaping the conference’s direction will be chaired by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Minister of State fo ..... Read More

MSME centers trained 1.6M youth, aided 3L MSME units: Narayan Rane.

To mark the event of “National Small Industries Day,” Mr. Narayan Rane, the Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, highlighted a significant achievement. He shared that the Ministry of MSME operates 18 tool rooms and technology centers across the country, having trained 1.6 million youth over the past nine years. This training has subsequently benefitted more than 300,000 MSME units. Mr. Rane emphasized that these Tool Rooms and Technology ..... Read More

Pundits predict Indian American Republicans sticking with Trump.

“Nikki Haley embodies experience, skill, and composure amid turmoil, qualities that currently don’t align with the Republican sentiment,” stated Karthick Ramakrishnan, founder and co-director of AAPI Data. Despite impressive performances in the recent debate by presidential contenders Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, experts predict that Indian American Republicans will likely prioritize policy over identity politics and cast their votes for former Pr ..... Read More

BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham Kalash Pujan Ceremony, Robbinsville, NJ

  For hundreds of volunteers, August 30, 2023, marked a momentous occasion in the building of BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville, New Jersey. The Kalash, or topmost part of the mandir’s pinnacle, was sanctified during the sacred Kalash Pujan. With joyous tears, the volunteers watched as their years of hard work and anticipation culminated in the pinnacle point of the mahamandir by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj. Senior swamis joined the auspic ..... Read More

Centre greenlights Startup Guidelines for Technical Textiles.

Mr. Rajeev Saxena, the Joint Secretary of Textiles, conducted a press conference to unveil significant updates regarding the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM). He shared that the Ministry of Textiles has approved the Startup Guidelines for Technical Textiles – Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT). This initiative extends grant-in-aid support of up to Rs. 50 lakh (US$ 60,533) for a maximum period ..... Read More

NITI Aayog & UNDP collaborate to fast-track SDGs through MoU.

Twitter : @NITIAayog NITI Aayog and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) India have solidified their cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a collaborative framework across various domains. These domains encompass Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) localization, data-driven monitoring, Aspirational Districts and Blocks, and more. The MoU underscores their shared dedication to expediting progress toward the attainment of Sust ..... Read More

Indian Americans praise ‘The Vaccine War’ for honoring Indian scientists.

Indian Americans have warmly received the film “The Vaccine War,” directed by award-winning filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri. They praised it as an enlightening portrayal of Indian scientists, particularly women, who played a pivotal role in helping India combat COVID-19 effectively amidst challenging circumstances. Agnihotri, currently on his “India for Humanity Tour, USA,” showcased the movie to select audiences across various cities, earning a stand ..... Read More