The United States Department of State (“DOS”) has extended DOS consular officers’ authority to waive in-person interviews for certain nonimmigrant visa categories through December 31, 2023. The announcement made on December 23, 2022 replaces the previous policy extending nonimmigrant visa waivers through December 31, 2022 and allows DOS consular officers
Many persons who are lawfully present in the U.S. in valid nonimmigrant visa status are eligible to file a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (“I-485 Application”) and “adjust” their status from nonimmigrant status to lawful permanent resident status if they qualify for an immigrant visa
Effective October 2022, the U.S. Embassy in Manila will be expanding all routine nonimmigrant visa interviews across all nonimmigrant visa categories in order to reduce interview wait times and accommodate the increasing number of applicants. Nonimmigrant visa applicants who have paid an MRV application fee but have been unable to
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
Following the Department of State’s amended regulations addressing birth tourism in January 2020, questions continue to be raised whether a pregnant woman may travel to the U.S. on a valid B-1/B-2 Visitor Visa for the sole purpose of giving birth regardless of whether she was issued the B-1/B-2 Visitor Visa
A nonimmigrant visa is for persons wanting to enter the U.S. for a temporary visit for a specific purpose, and who will return to their home country or country of residence when the purpose of their visit is finished. In most nonimmigrant visa categories, the person establishes and maintains what
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) has ended the requirement that all air passengers, 2 years or older, traveling to the United States from a foreign country must present a negative COVID-19 test result from a sample taken no more than one day before departure, or provide
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has updated guidance in its USCIS Policy Manual to address the documentation that E and L nonimmigrant spouses may use as evidence of employment authorization based on their nonimmigrant status. On November 12, 2021, the USCIS issued a policy announcement to clarify that it
It is often misunderstood that those who enter the United States on a B-1/B-2 Visitor Visa and granted a 6 month stay are allowed to leave the United States, re-enter and be granted another 6 months upon re-arrival. While there may be reasons why this is acceptable, and many visitors
The doctrine of consular nonreviewability refers to visa decisions decided by consular officers at U.S. Embassies and Consulates cannot be appealed to courts within the United States. The doctrine applies very broadly to decisions made by consular officers whether they apply to foreign nationals who have been refused an immigrant
As an additional measure aimed at reducing visa application backlogs and freeing up available resources at U.S. Embassies and Consulates, the United States Department of State (“DOS”) will allow consular officers to waive in-person interviews for F, M, and J academic visas. The new DOS policy, which will run until
Individuals who are required to obtain a visa to enter the United States must apply at a U.S. consulate abroad. A critical part of the application process involves an in-person interview at the consulate to verify information in the application and ask questions about eligibility for the visa. If the visa
Enterline and Partners is pleased to share it has obtained an approval for a complex I-130 Petition for Alien Relative (“I-130 Petition) for one of our Vietnamese clients. Our client, a U.S. citizen (Joe) and his Vietnamese wife (Jane), consulted with us following Jane’s multiple non-immigrant and immigrant visa refusals.
Our client, a U.S. citizen (Jack) and his Vietnamese wife (Jill) wanted to return to the United States. After the Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative was approved in about two (2) months, the case was forwarded to the National Visa Center (“NVC”). While at the NVC, the adjudicator questioned
The United States Department of State (“DOS”) has announced a third extension authorizing consular officers to waive in-person interview requirements for individuals applying for a non-immigrant visa within the same category. The first extension, which expired on December 31, 2020, was further extended to March 31, 2021 and allowed for
A Form I-129F is a Petition for Alien Fiance filed through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”). The form can only be filed by a U.S. citizen over the age of 21. Non-US citizens including Lawful Permanent Residents (i.e. Green Card Holders) are not able to petition their
One key requirement for an I-129F Petition approval and proceeding K-1 non-immigrant visa is that the U.S. citizen and foreign fiance must have physically met within 2 years prior to filing the I-129 Petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). Those who have not satisfied the two
United States President Joseph Biden has revoked former President Donald Trump’s Executive Order (“EO”) restricting certain immigrant and non-immigrant applicants from visa processing. Intended to protect U.S. jobs at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump issued an EO on April 23, 2020 suspending selected immigrant visa applicants which
United States President Donald Trump has extended an earlier Presidential Proclamation restricting certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories from consular processing in response to the growing COVID-19 pandemic. The Executive Order (“EO”), which was first issued in April 2020, restricted certain immigrant visa applicants from receiving their visas for at
The United States Department of State (“DOS”) has temporarily expanded the ability of DOS consular officers to waive in-person interview requirements for individuals applying for an expired nonimmigrant visa within the same category. Previously, in-person interview requirements were eligible for a waiver if the nonimmigrant visa applicant, such as a
Copyright 2018 – 2025 Enterline and Partners Consulting | All Rights Reserved
