Biden Administration Lets Travel Ban on L-1 and H-1B Admission Expire

Dallas immigration lawyers – Rabinowitz & Rabinowitz, P.C.

Dallas, TX (Law Firm Newswire) June 28, 2021 – The Biden Administration allowed Presidential Proclamation 10052 issued by the Trump Administration to expire as expected on March 31, 2021. The Proclamation temporarily suspended the issuance of certain nonimmigrant or temporary work visas to foreign nationals across several categories. The U.S. Department of State (DOS) confirmed that it would not be renewed.
 
“Finally, a harmful ban on L-1 and H-1B admissions imposed by the prior Administration has come to an end,” commented Stewart Rabinowitz of the Dallas and Frisco law firm of Rabinowitz & Rabinowitz, P.C. “U.S. employers can now gain the benefit of highly talented foreign national employees it has paid so dearly in U.S. immigration filing fees and other fees to obtain.”
 
The Trump Administration had implemented the Proclamation in June 2020 to prevent certain H-1B, H-2B, J and L visa applicants from entering the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The purported reason for the ban was to protect the U.S. workforce and economy. 
 
DOS announced that the processing of work visas previously banned under the Proclamation would resume. The visa applications of individuals awaiting interviews will be prioritized and processed in line with official rules guiding the phased resumption of visa services. Visa applicants who previously faced refusals due to the ban can reapply with a new application and fee.
 
DOS also advised that U.S. embassies and consulates around the world remain operating at limited capacity due to logistical challenges and lockdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, applicants may face difficulties in securing visa appointments as availability is restricted in certain locations and may need to request emergency appointments to obtain visas for applicants with pressing needs when available. 
 
While this Proclamation has expired, other COVID-19-related travel restrictions still limit the actual benefit of the expiration of the Proclamation. Foreign nationals may be barred from entering the United States if they have been present in certain countries.