Immigration Law Review - UK and USA

  The H-1B Modernization Rule In late 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finalized a rule titled “Modernizing H-1B Requirements, Providing Flexibility in the F-1 Program, and Program Improvements Affecting Other Non-immigrant Workers.” It was published in the Federal Register on December 18, 2024, and took effect on January 17, 2025. This is commonly referred to as the H-1B Modernization Rule (or 2025 H-1B Final Rule). It is not a new law passed by Congress but a regulatory update by DHS/USCIS that revises existing H-1B program rules under the Immigration and Nationality Act. It aims to streamline processes, add flexibilities (especially for employers and certain workers like entrepreneurs and F-1 students), clarify definitions (e.g., “specialty occupation”), codify some prior policies (like deference to prior approvals), and strengthen program integrity and oversight. Key broader changes in the rule include: Updates to the definition and criteria ...

USCIS has announced that, starting in May 2026, it will require employment-based adjustment of status (Form I-485) filers to use the Final Action Dates chart (Chart A) rather than the more flexible Dates for Filing chart (Chart B) that was permitted in prior months (including April 2026). The Visa Bulletin The Department of State has released the May 2026 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin is a monthly official publication from the U.S. Department of State (DOS). It tells people waiting for certain green cards (immigrant visas) exactly when visas are available in each category and for each country. The U.S. sets annual limits on how many green cards it can give out in popular categories like employment-based (EB-1A, EB-2, EB-5, etc.) and family-based. Because more people apply than there are visas, everyone gets a “priority date” (your place in line). The Visa Bulletin shows which priority dates are “current” each month, meaning it’s your turn to actually move forward and get your ...

The TN (USMCA Professional) Status, often referred to as the “TN Visa”, is the most common and straightforward pathway for eligible Canadian professionals to work in the USA. It stems from the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (“USMCA”, formerly “NAFTA”). It is not available to all Canadian citizens, but only to those who: - Work in one of the specific professions listed in the USMCA (Appendix 1603.D.1) — examples include engineers, accountants, scientists, nurses, teachers, computer systems analysts, economists, lawyers, social workers, and many others (roughly 60 occupations total; most require at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent credentials/experience). - Have a prearranged full-time or part-time job offer from a US employer (or entity) in a role that requires someone in that professional capacity. - Meet the qualifications for the profession (education, licenses, experience, etc.). Key features of TN status: - Eligible Canadians can apply directly for TN non-immigrant st...

Mark Bullen, a 45-year-old British-born former police officer, has become the first British-born individual reported to have been stripped of UK citizenship on national security grounds linked to Russia. The decision was made by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in October 2025 under Section 40 of the British Nationality Act 1981 , which permits deprivation of citizenship if the Home Secretary deems it “conducive to the public good.” The exact evidence has not been disclosed publicly, citing national security. Background and Police Career Born and raised in Bracknell, Berkshire, Bullen developed a lifelong fascination with Russia and the Soviet Union from childhood, describing it as a “childhood love.” He is a self-taught Russian speaker who first visited Russia at age 17–18 (around 1998–1999) and briefly attempted to settle there before returning to the UK. He joined Hertfordshire Constabulary around 2003 (serving 11 years until 2014) as a police constable. During his service, he auth...

  Query:   A British citizen has a home in France. He goes there often, but after Brexit, he can't stay there for more than 3 months at a time. Europe’s new Entry/Exit System tracks every entry and exit biometrically, and the 90-day rule is enforced without any leniency. Would it be possible for this British citizen to obtain a long term residence visa that would allow his to stay in France for a longer period? How much would such a residence visa cost? What's the procedure to get one? Answer: The appropriate visa for this British citizen would be the VLS-TS (Visitor Category). The Visa de Long Séjour valant Titre de Séjour (VLS-TS) is a national visa that also acts as a temporary residence permit. It was introduced to simplify the process for those wishing to remain in France for longer than 90 days, up to a maximum of one year. Unlike a short-stay Schengen visa, the VLS-TS allows one to live in France without needing to apply for a separate residence permit upon arriv...

If you’re a business traveler who jets to the Netherlands multiple times a year for meetings, trade shows, client visits, or project oversight, you already know the frustration. Standard Schengen visa applications mean endless paperwork—flight bookings, hotel reservations, bank statements, invitation letters, and proof of ties—plus long appointment waits and unpredictable processing times. One incomplete file, and your trip could be derailed.   Enter the Orange Carpet Visa Facility (“OCVF”), the Netherlands’ business-friendly response. Think of it as the Dutch equivalent of rolling out the red carpet—but tailored exclusively for frequent corporate travelers rather than celebrities. Launched to strengthen trade and investment ties, this program offers a streamlined, faster, and more predictable Schengen visa process for eligible employees of qualifying companies. It’s available in a select group of countries with strong economic links to the Netherlands (including South Africa, the...

  Mr Nirav Deepak Modi is wanted by the Government of India (GoI) on three linked sets of criminal proceedings. The primary extradition request (made on July 27, 2018) concerns (i) CBI proceedings alleging a massive fraud on Punjab National Bank (losses exceeding £700 million / Rs 13,800 crore) and (ii) Enforcement Directorate proceedings alleging money-laundering of the proceeds. The second request (made on February 11, 2020) concerns alleged interference with evidence and witnesses in the CBI case. Mr Modi was arrested in the UK on 19 March 2019 and has remained in custody at HMP Wandsworth since 20 March 2019. After a contested extradition hearing before District Judge Goozée in 2020–2021, the District Judge found no bars to extradition and sent the case to the Secretary of State, who ordered extradition on 15 April 2021. Mr Modi appealed to the Divisional Court on two grounds: (1) Article 3 ECHR (real risk of torture or inhuman/degrading treatment) and (2) section 91 of the E...