Immigrant Visa

Announcement: DOS Continues to Encourage Medical Professionals with Approved Petitions to Seek an Emergency Visa Appointment

April 13, 2020

The U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) has reiterated its earlier announcement that despite the worldwide suspension of routine visa appointments, U.S. embassies and consulates will continue to provide emergency and critical visa services. Healthcare professionals with an approved non-immigrant or immigrant petition such as an I-129 Petition for Nonimmigrant Workers

The Effect of Breaks in Continuity of Residence on Eligibility for Naturalization

April 7, 2020

Are you a lawful permanent resident (“LPR”) of the United States and want to become a U.S. citizen? If you have been a resident for at least 5 years, or 3 years if you obtained your LPR status through marriage to a U.S. citizen, then you may be eligible for

Announcement: USCIS Extends In-Person Services Suspension through May 3

April 6, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) will extend in-person services suspension at Field Offices, Asylum Offices and Application Support Centers (“ACS”) through May 3 unless otherwise announced. While the extended closure covers interviews, naturalization ceremonies, and biometric collections, USCIS will continue to provide emergency and essential services that do not

Announcement: Medical Professionals with Approved Petitions Encouraged to Seek an Expedited Visa Interview

April 2, 2020

The U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) is encouraging medical professionals with an approved immigrant or non-immigrant petition (Form I-129, Form I-140) or a certificate of eligibility in an approved exchange program to request for an expedited appointment at their nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Although DOS has instructed consular services

Announcement: Extended deadlines to respond to RFEs and NOIDs

April 1, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has announced that it is extending the deadline to reply to requests for evidence (“RFE”) and notices of intent to deny (“NOID”) in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. For applicants and petitioners who receive an RFE or NOID dated between March 1st and

Announcement: USCIS Extends In-Person Services Suspension Through April 7, 2020

March 27, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) will extend the suspension of in-person services at field offices, asylum offices and application support centers through April 7, 2020. The USCIS had originally cancelled in-person operations on March 18th and was expected to recommence on April 1st in an effort to help contain

My Immigrant Visa Expires and I am Unable to Travel Due to Coronavirus Travel Restrictions

March 25, 2020

On March 19, 2020, the Department of State suspended all routine immigrant and nonimmigrant visa interview appointments as a response to the growing Coronavirus pandemic. International travel restrictions have been put in place around the world in an attempt to control the spread of the virus. With no predetermined expiration

Announcement: USCIS Temporarily Accepts Electronic Reproduced Signature on All Forms

March 22, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that it will accept benefit forms and documents with reproduced original signatures for submissions dated March 21, 2020 and thereafter. The policy change was made in response to the Coronavirus National Emergency declared by President Donald Trump on March 13, 2020. While USCIS

Announcement: USCIS Suspends Form I-129 and I-140 Premium Processing

March 21, 2020

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has temporarily suspended its premium processing option for all Form I-129 and I-140 petitions until further notice due to the ongoing efforts to contain the spread of the Coronavirus. Petitions using a Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing accepted prior to March 20, 2020

Announcement: USCIS Suspending In-Person Services from March 18 through April 1, 2020

March 20, 2020

As of March 18th, all United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) in-person services at all field offices, asylum offices and Application Support Centers (“ASC”) are suspended in an effort to contain the spread of the Coronavirus. In-person services are scheduled to resume on April 1st. USCIS field offices will

Chinese and Indian EB-5 Investor Priority Dates Retrogress on the October Visa Bulletin; Vietnamese Remains Current

September 30, 2022

The U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) has published the October 2022 Visa Bulletin and the “Final Action Date” Priority Dates for Chinese and Indian EB-5 investors under the “5th Unreserved” visa category has retrogressed (moved backward in time). What is the Priority Date? Following the return of the Regional Center

What is a Priority Date in U.S. Immigration?

September 28, 2022

For most people who are immigrating to the United States there two main categories of immigrant visas: family immigration visas and employment and investment immigration visas. These are the Immediate Relative (“IR”) category, the Family-Based Preference (“FB”) category and Employment-Based Preference (“EB”) category. For the FB and EB categories, there

Important Information for All Vietnam Visa Applicants Beginning October 3, 2022

September 15, 2022

Beginning October 3, 2022, all Vietnamese immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants whose passports were issued starting July 1, 2022 must include a Vietnam government endorsement page that states the place of birth. Visa applicants who do not have an endorsement page will not be permitted to attend their visa interviews

Enterline files Form I-526E and Enters the New Era of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program

September 13, 2022

September 8, 2022 began a new era for Enterline and Partners in the EB-5 immigrant Investor Program as Managing Partner David Enterline filed a Form I-526E “Immigrant Petition by Regional Center Investor” for an EB-5 immigrant investor seeking lawful permanent residence under the EB-5 immigrant visa category. The investor, a

Settlement Agreement Confirms EB-5 Regional Center Program and Investors Can Move Forward

August 31, 2022

On August 25, 2022 a settlement was reached in two cases between multiple plaintiffs against the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) that re-authorized previously approved regional centers which USCIS had deauthorized following the enactment of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act in March 2022. The settlement agrees to

USCIS Makes COVID Policy on Copies of Signatures Permanent

August 25, 2022

On March 20, 2020, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) implemented temporary changes, announcing that it would accept all benefit forms and documents with reproduced original signatures for submissions starting March 21, 2020. Up to that time, USCIS accepted many petitions,

USCIS Alert Regarding Fee Payments for Concurrent EB-5 Forms I-526 Petition and I-485 Applications

August 8, 2022

The USCIS has posted an Alert regarding fee payments for concurrent EB-5 Form I-526 Petition and Form I-485 Adjustment of Status Applications on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”), EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program webpage. “ALERT: Beginning Sept. 1, 2022, we will no longer accept a single, combined fee payment

USCIS Extends Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests Into October 2022

July 27, 2022

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) is extending certain COVID-19-related flexibilities to respond to agency requests through October 23, 2022. The flexibility, which has been previously extended applies if the issuance date listed on the request, notice or decision was issued between March 1, 2020, and October 23, 2022,

USCIS Releases New Forms for Immigrant Investor Program

July 15, 2022

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) announced new Forms I-526 and I-526E to be used by EB-5 immigrant investors seeking permanent residence via the EB-5. Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur is to be used by standalone immigrant investors who are not seeking to pool their investment

U.S. Citizens Overseas No Longer Allowed to Enter the United States on Expired Passports

July 11, 2022

Effective immediately, U.S. citizens abroad will no longer be able to travel to the United States on expired passports. Previously, the United States Customs and Border Protection Agency (“CBP”) allowed U.S. citizens to enter the United States on expired passports and CBP extended policy through March 2022. U.S. citizens abroad

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