Today U.S. President Donald Trump signed his threatened Executive Order (‘EO”) as the “Proclamation Suspending Entry of Immigrants Who Present Risk to the U.S. Labor Market During the Economic Recovery Following the Covid-19 Outbreak.” The proclamation becomes effective on Thursday, April 23, 2020 at 11:59 PM (ET), and suspends the
Citizens of many countries qualify for the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (“VWP”) which allows for visa-free entry upon approval of an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (“ESTA”). The maximum period of stay allowed for a VWP individual is 90 days. For foreigners in the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program
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
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
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
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
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
The Employment Based Second Preference Immigrant Visa Category (EB-2) Advanced Degree Holder and Person of Exceptional Ability with National Interest Waivers. Previously we wrote about the qualifications for an Employment Based Second Preference (EB-2) Immigrant Visa which is for persons who have an advanced degree or persons with exceptional ability
On June 27, 2019, the Office of Management and Budget completed review of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization final regulation. The most significant proposed change for intending EB-5 investors is an increase of the minimum investment amount in a Targeted Employment Area from the current minimum investment of US$500,000
Beginning July 1, USCIS will no longer accept Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status at international field offices by mail or in person. Individuals who wish to voluntarily record abandonment of their lawful permanent resident (LPR) status must submit Form I-407 via mail to: USCIS Eastern
A U.S. federal grand jury in Houston, Texas issued a 206 count indictment involving a massive marriage fraud scheme on April 30, 2019. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a total of 96 individuals were involved in a suspected criminal enterprise designed to create sham marriages between individuals
Quick Answer Summary Question Answer Can you extend a U.S. visa? Partially — you cannot extend the visa stamp in your passport, but you can extend your authorized stay What are you actually extending? Your authorized period of stay as recorded on your I-94 record What form is needed? Form
On April 8, 2019, USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna sent a letter to Senator Grassley (R-IA) and Senator Leahy (D-VT) regarding the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization Rule (RIN 1615-AC07). Among other things, Director Cissna indicated in the letter that “DHS is dedicated to ensuring expeditious implementation of the rule,
One key requirement to qualify for the K-1 non-immigrant visa for when a United States Citizen, the petitioner, wants to sponsor a foreign partner to immigrate to the U.S., is that the citizen and foreign spouse must physically meet within 2 years prior to filing the I-129 Petition with the
While this recent op-ed (opinion-editorial) article in the Los Angeles Times, focuses on President Trump and his ongoing war with the U.S. and Mexico border and its illegal immigration issues, the article points out that the Trump administration has, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), radically slowed the
Ryan Barshop, Esq. interviewed by Philippines cable news on the upcoming closure of the USCIS Manila Field Office.
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently published on its website that applicants filing for a Form I-131 Travel Document will not have their applications considered abandoned if they travel abroad with an approved advance parole document while a second one is pending provided that the first approved advance
On October 30, 2018, USCIS announced plans to expand the InfoPass pilot program, known as the Information Services Modernization Program, to additional USCIS field offices throughout the United States. The Information Services Modernization Program ends self-scheduling of InfoPass appointments and instead encourages applicants to use USCIS online information resources to
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