On July 24, 2019, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published the long-awaited final version of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization Regulation in the Federal Register. The regulation was proposed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) back in January 2017 in an effort to amend its regulations governing the EB-5 immigrant investor classification, and was reviewed by The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) last month.
After years of planning, months of searching, and weeks of negotiation you have it – a signed LOI for your new commercial space. You got the rent rate you wanted, the right number of years, and the Landlord even agreed to throw some cash into the deal to help you with the construction.
Anyone who has applied for a U.S. visa before at the U.S. Consulate already knows how stringent the requirements are. Now, it gets tougher. Starting from this month, the U.S. Department of State requires visa applicants to disclose five years of social media and contact history when applying for a U.S. visa.
“Shouldn’t we trademark our brand name?” This very common question is something we get asked all the time. Our answer is almost always yes. However, the timing of when this question is asked is extremely important.
Read MoreOn 05/17/2019, USCIS announced that it has completed initial data entry of all FY 2020 H-1B cap cases selected in the lotteries, including those selected under the U.S. advanced degree exceptions. Troglia Kaplan’s first FY 2020 H-1B cap receipt notice was received on 04/29/2019 with a Notice Date of 04/20/2019. Receipting could continue for several more days now that data entry is finished. USCIS will soon begin to return unselected cases and fee checks to employers, but has not identified a time frame for returns.
Read MoreUntil just a few years ago, visitors and residents of Chicago looking to enjoy happy hour specials at their favorite bar or restaurant would have been disappointed. Prior to July 2015, Illinois establishments serving alcohol were not allowed to offer drinks at reduced prices for a portion of the day. The statewide ban, which was enacted in 1989, was the result of a push to reduce the amount of drunken driving in the state.
Read MoreU.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) recently issued a policy memorandum, effective immediately, providing clarification on how it will calculate qualifying employment abroad when adjudicating a foreign national’s eligibility for an L-1 nonimmigrant visa petition.
Read MoreOn December 1st, 2018, Chicago began offering a new business license aptly called a “Pop-Up License”. A Pop-Up License allows restauranteurs and entrepreneurs to test their concepts without the burden, and risk, of signing a long-term lease or acquiring a license. The license is broken down into two categories; Pop-Up Users and Pop-Up Hosts. The Pop-Up Users are those who wish to test their business ideas in different locations around the city while the Pop-Up Hosts are those who are allowed to host Pop-Up Users.
Read MoreIllinois is finally with the times – we are “going green”. No, I’m not talking about the upcoming approval of recreational marijuana – although that will help with the budget issues. No, today we are talking about another initiative taken up by other states, successfully, that has boosted state economies – P.A.C.E. Standing for Property Assessed Clean Energy
Read MoreIllinois recently passed two significant changes to its liquor laws – HB 4897, allowing taprooms (retail outlets of a brewery) to serve beer and cider from outside producers, and SB 246, a modification of the prohibition on retail liquor sales within 100 feet of certain establishments such as a church, school, or hospital.
Read MoreAs attorneys for many new ventures, our determination for the type of entity is usually brief. Between the additional bookkeeping, statutory requirements, and double taxation inherent with C-corps, most new ventures are best suited as limited liability companies.
Read MoreI’m sorry (again) for the lack of posts over the last several months (make that years). The truth is that we have been too busy working and have let our attention to this important outlet lapse. Instead of promising to write more, we want to make sure
Read More
