Latest news with #RFEs
India.com
24-04-2025
- Business
- India.com
Bad news for Indians as H-1B visa holders in US are being asked to reveal home address and...
Bad news for Indians as H-1B visa holders in US are being asked to reveal home address and... US H-1B Visa: People working on H-1B visa and other work visas in America are in trouble with the immigration officials starting to issue 'Request for Evidence' (RFEs), in which more information has been sought from the visa applicants. According to Forbes report, officials have asked visa applicants for their home address and biometric data. Immigration lawyers are also worried due to the new rules. They say that earlier USCIS had not asked for answers to such questions. Lawyers say they are getting RFEs in cases of job-related visas like H-1B and I-140. Getting an RFE means that the authorities need some more information from the visa holders. These notices mention potentially adverse information. This means that the authorities have found some information about the applicant that may go against them. The officials are asking the applicants for their new address so that they can go to their home and collect their biometric data. Biometrics are not needed: Experts 'This is very strange because biometrics are not usually required for these visas,' Vik Goel of Goel & Anderson told Forbes. He also added, 'The RFEs do not even state what the adverse information is. This leaves both the employer and the lawyer in the dark.' Immigration experts say this has never happened before. Usually, RFEs only ask questions about eligibility, not home addresses or biometric data. What did the RFEs say? In an RFE, USCIS said, 'We have received some information about the beneficiary that may be inconsistent with the identity of the beneficiary. In order to process your application or petition, we need the beneficiary's updated address so we can capture biometric data.' The beneficiary is the person who is receiving the visa. What do immigration lawyers recommend? Immigration lawyers are advising people to respond to RFEs with caution. 'I would recommend not responding directly to an RFE by providing the beneficiary's address or scheduling biometrics,' Goel told Forbes. Instead, he suggested citing 8 CFR 103.2(b)(16)(i). This rule says that USCIS must be told any information it is using to make a decision.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Are H-1B visa holders in trouble again? Things to know before facing US immigration officers
The US immigration authorities have sought home addresses and biometric data from applicants in connection with H-1B and other employment-based immigrant visa cases. This is being done by issuing Requests for Evidence (RFEs). For such petitions, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not sought such information in the past cases. Here is a look at five points to know about the latest move: 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Shooter Action MMO Crossout Play Now Undo What do H-1B visa holders need to know? In the US, H-1B program holds an annual federal cap of around 65,000 new visas, with industries such as finance and technology being among top users of the program, as per the USCIS. Individuals, who have a master's degree or higher in the US, get counted among the additional 20,000 petitions that remain exempted from the limit. Last year, big giants like Google and Meta as well as Elon Musk-owned Tesla hired thousands of workers with the help of this program, which has received support from US President Donald Trump as well. Live Events However, this comes as the federal administration in the US has revoked hundreds of visas, which are mostly students. Immigration attorneys express concern This looks like an unprecedented move as the USCIS has not made such a request earlier. As a result, the latest development has raised significant concerns among the immigration attorneys. This possibly adds on to 'Trump admin plans to identify and deport people here (in the US) lawfully," market research non-profit nfpResearch said. Vic Goel of Goel & Anderson firm told Forbes that it was a "highly unusual" move from the authorities as "biometrics are not typically required for these case types." Also Read : Earth Day 2025: Is today Earth Day? Date, theme, history, activities, celebrations What is a Request for Evidence? This formal notice gets issued by USCIS when it seeks more clarification for evaluating a petition, according to Newsweek. The report added that this is not a "denial", but remains a part of the process of making petitioners take care of inconsistencies in their respective applications. Official guidelines state that it should be mentioned clearly in the document what eligibility criteria has not been met and suggest what is required to meet the eligibility criteria. What do RFEs say? As per the Newsweek report, these RFEs are related to the agency's claim about possession of "adverse information" regarding some of the individuals. A USCIS adjudicator wrote that they have "encountered potentially adverse information related to the beneficiary." For the same, they have asked for an "updated address" to collect biometric data. What can H-1B holders expect? This comes amid a major crackdown by the Donald Trump administration to deport international students. Data from Inside Higher Education indicates that over 240 colleges and other educational institutions have reported that more than 1,550 international students as well as recent graduates got their legal status altered by the US State Department in recent times. FAQs Q1. What happens next after the RFEs? A1. The situation is being monitored by the immigration attorneys and advocates in the US. They have urged visa beneficiaries to respond to the RFEs promptly. Q2. How many H-1B visas are issued in the US in a year? A2. This program holds the annual federal cap of 65,000 new visas.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Time of India
US now demanding home addresses & biometrics from H-1B visa workers; raises concern
Immigration authorities in the United States have started issuing Requests for Evidence (RFEs) in H-1B and other employment-based immigrant visa cases, seeking home addresses and biometric data from applicants, according to a Forbes report. The new development, as per the report, has caused concern among immigration attorneys, as U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ( USCIS ) has not previously requested such information for these petition types, raising questions about the agency's intent and transparency. Sudden notice alarms attorneys Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Attorneys representing employers and foreign workers report receiving RFEs in cases involving H-1B and I-140 employment-based petitions. These notices refer to 'potentially adverse information' and seek updated residential addresses, with the stated intention of collecting biometric data. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) 'This is highly unusual because biometrics are not typically required for these case types,' Vic Goel of Goel & Anderson told Forbes. 'The RFEs also fail to explain the nature of the adverse information, leaving employers and attorneys in the dark.' Live Events MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT In one instance, an RFE issued by USCIS stated, 'We have encountered potentially adverse information related to the beneficiary. To continue processing your application or petition, we require an updated address for the beneficiary so that we may collect biometric data.' This move is unprecedented in the processing of employment-based visa cases, as per immigration professionals. Typically, RFEs are limited to questions about eligibility criteria, not personal addresses or biometric collection. Immigration officials' advice Immigration attorneys advise caution in responding to the new RFEs. 'I recommend not responding directly to the RFE by providing the beneficiary's address or scheduling biometrics,' Goel told Forbes. Instead, he suggests citing 8 CFR 103.2(b)(16)(i), which requires USCIS to disclose any derogatory information used in making a decision. Rising concerns among employers & universities The timing of these RFEs coincides with heightened enforcement actions by the Trump administration, including deportations of international students for minor infractions and social media posts. As of April 18, over 240 U.S. colleges and universities have reported more than 1,550 international students and recent graduates facing changes to their legal status. According to Forbes, the low annual H-1B visa cap and backlogs in green card processing already place significant pressure on employers. A study from the National Foundation for American Policy found that a European teenager is four times more likely to get a seasonal work visa than a foreign graduate student is to receive an H-1B to work in artificial intelligence.
