United States President Donald Trump tweeted late in the evening on April 20th that he intends to sign an Executive Order (“EO”) temporarily suspending immigration to the U.S. as it battles the Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting mass unemployment. While concerning for many, Enterline and Partners would like to calm
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) recently announced it would change the way it will processes I-526 Petitions (“petitions”) for EB-5 investors. Called a Visa Availability Approach, (“VAA”) this process will apply to all petitions filed after March 31, 2020. During a March 13, 2020 public stakeholders meeting, USCIS
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
The U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) has announced that all receipts for payment of Machine-Readable Visa (“MRV”) fees issued before October 1, 2022 will expire September 30, 2023. There will be no extensions of fee validity. Applicants must schedule an appointment or submit an interview waiver application before September 30,
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) recently launched a new online form allowing individuals, attorneys, and accredited representatives to request an in-person meeting at their local field offices without having to call the USCIS Contact Center. The new online appointment request form enables both individuals and their legal
The family-based third preference immigrant visa category (“F3”) is a type of visa available to U.S. citizens who are looking to bring their married children to the United States. This immigrant visa category is in high demand and there are yearly quotas for visas. As a result, the waiting period
A Lawful Permanent Resident (“LPR”) or “Green Card Holder” can become a U.S. citizen through naturalization if they generally meet certain requirements. LPR Status/ Green Card Holder Status. You must be an LPR/ Green Card Holder at the time of filing for naturalization. You must have also maintained their LPR/
For many people who are immigrating to the United States, the Department of State (“DOS”) Visa Bulletin is the most important document to watch each month. The Visa Bulletin helps immigrant visa applicants understand their place in line for a visa. Although checking the Visa Bulletin is an essential step
Family-based immigration is an important aspect of the United States immigration system, which allows citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor their immediate relatives to immigrate to the United States. One of the family-based immigrant visa categories is the Family-Based Second Preference immigrant visa category, commonly abbreviated as F2A and
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has issued policy guidance for rescheduling biometric appointments at Application Support Centers (“ACS”). The new policy highlights include the following: Rescheduling requests must be made online through myUSCIS or by calling the USCIS Contact Center. The USCIS will not accept rescheduling requests
A B-1 visa for domestic employees, also known as a B-1 Domestic Employee Visa, allows foreign nationals who are employed by U.S. citizens or nonimmigrant visa holders living abroad to travel to the United States to provide household services. The primary purpose of this visa is to enable employers to
The United States immigration system is designed to ensure that individuals seeking to enter the country do so lawfully and with genuine intentions. As part of this effort, one factor that U.S. immigration law considers is the concept of “preconceived intent”: the intention of individuals to engage in activities that
As of April 2022, the United States Customs and Border Protection Agency (“CBP”) implemented its “Simplified Arrival” program at all Ports of Entry inclusive of 238 airports, 34 seaports, and land ports. As part of that program, in August 2022 CBP implemented a pilot program called “Stampless Entry” to eliminate
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