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

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 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

Announcement: All Routine U.S. Visa Interviews in Vietnam Cancelled

March 19, 2020

The U.S. Embassy in Hanoi and the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City has announced that all routine visa interviews will be cancelled as of March 19th in an effort to impede the spread of the Coronavirus. Applicants with an urgent travel matter may request an expedited appointment which

Announcement: All Visa Interviews at the U.S. Embassy in Manila are Cancelled

March 16, 2020

In light of the Philippines government decision to impose a city-wide lockdown around Metro Manila to contain the Coronavirus, the U.S. Embassy has announced that all immigrant and non-immigrant visa interviews have been cancelled as of March 16, 2020. Visa interviews will resume as soon as possible. More information can

Will K-1 Visa Applicants Be Required to Provide a DS-5540 Public Charge Questionnaire?

March 9, 2020

The new public charge rule requires immigrant and non-immigrant visa applicants to provide a detailed DS-5540 public charge questionnaire in order to determine whether they are likely to become a public charge at any time in the future. While a K-1 visa is officially a non-immigrant visa allowing for single

USCIS to Implement Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds as of February 24, 2020

February 26, 2020

On February 24, 2020, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will implement the agency’s new rules for inadmissibility on public charge grounds. The final rule outlines some of the criteria on how the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) will determine whether a foreign national is inadmissible to adjust status from

U.S. State Department 2019 Novel Coronavirus Has Not Changed Visa Adjudication

February 13, 2020

The U.S. Department of State (“DOS”) which oversees the visa adjudication process at U.S. Embassies and Consulates has not released any formal statement indicating that the 2019 Novel Coronavirus has resulted in the suspension of consular operations. A recent social media posting purported to be an official statement from the

Know Your Rights: What to Do if You Are Detained at a U.S. Port of Entry (for Lawful Permanent Residents)

April 24, 2026

Updated for 2025: Heightened Enforcement at Ports of Entry Like all international travelers, lawful permanent residents (LPRs)—also known as Green Card holders—are subject to inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) when arriving at an airport or land port of entry. While LPRs enjoy greater rights than nonimmigrants when

Visa Retrogression Explained: Differences Between Retrogression and Backlogs

March 19, 2026

Visa retrogression is a situation where the Department of State (“DOS”) adjusts the Final Action Date and Dates For Filing backwards on the DOS monthly Visa Bulletin. This occurs when the demand for immigrant visas in a specific visa category exceeds the estimated supply, causing applicants who were previously eligible

Do You Need an Immigration Lawyer to File a K-1 Visa for Your Vietnamese Fiancé?

March 13, 2026

A common question asked by potential clients is: “Do I need an immigration lawyer to file a K-1 visa for my Vietnamese fiancé/fiancée?” While the short answer is no, having an immigration lawyer represent you and your fiancé through the K-1 visa process has significant advantages. The Benefit of a

What is a B-1 Domestic Employee Visa and How Does it Work?

March 6, 2026

A B-1 domestic employee visa permits certain foreign domestic workers to temporarily accompany their employer to the United States to manage household or other domestic services. The visa is narrowly defined and carefully regulated. It applies only when there is an established employment relationship and when the employer’s stay in

Vietnamese Names Listed Incorrectly on U.S. Visas and Green Cards

February 18, 2026

United States government posts have frequently listed Vietnamese citizens’names on government documents incorrectly such as on visas and Form I-551 (“Green Cards”.) This often happens because Vietnamese passports list names in the order of last name (or “family name” or “surname”) followed by the middle name and then the first

Are K-1 Fiancé(e) Visas Affected by Trump’s 2025 Immigration Policies?

December 13, 2025

With the return of the Trump administration in 2025, many couples are asking the critical question: “Are K-1 Fiancé(e) visas (hereinafter “fianc(é)”) affected by Trump’s new immigration policies?” While there is currently no outright ban on K-1 fianc(é) visas, applicants should be prepared for significant changes in processing, increased

What Does A 214(b) Refusal Mean in U.S. Immigration Law?

October 14, 2025

A 214(b) refusal in U.S. immigration law refers to a specific section of the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) that is often cited when a U.S. consular officer denies a nonimmigrant visa application. This section is often seen with individuals applying for B-1/ B-2 Visitor Visas but it is applicable

Nonimmigrant Visa Dropbox Renewal Eligibility Reverts Back to Pre-COVID Standards

February 18, 2025

Effective immediately, the United States Department of State (“DOS”) has revised the requirements for interview waiver eligibility (commonly referred to as dropbox eligibility) to applicants renewing a nonimmigrant visa in the classification that expired within the past twelve (“12”) months. Previously, some nonimmigrant visa applicants were eligible to renew through

What is a K-3 Nonimmigrant visa?

November 7, 2024

A K-3 visa is a nonimmigrant visa that allows a foreign spouse of a U.S. citizen to enter the United States while their Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative (“I-130 Petition”) is undergoing adjudication with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”). The goal of a K-3 is to

USCIS Updates Guidance for F and M Nonimmigrant Visa Classification

October 1, 2024

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has updated its guidance effective immediately regarding when students who are in either F or M nonimmigrant visa classification may be eligible for Optional Practical Training (“OPT”) extensions for Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (“STEM”) field. The updated guidance, which is found

Non-immigrant Visa

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