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 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. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) released an updated policy memorandum advising the Department of States (“DOS”) on adjudicating Form I-130 Petitions for Alien Relatives at U.S. Embassies and Consulates through Direct Consular Filing (“DCF.”) The policy memorandum clarifies that USCIS will no longer accept and adjudicate routine I-130 Petitions
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced it is changing the way it will process Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Investor, moving from a first-in, first-out basis to a visa availability approach. The Form I-526 Petition is filed by someone wanting to immigrate to the U.S. via the EB-5
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) is scheduled to increase its filing and processing fees for business visas in 2020. Below are examples of the proposed increased fees by visa category: L-1 and H-1B Visas: L-1 visa petitions (for temporary workers, non-immigrant) are scheduled to increase by 77 percent
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has proposed to increase its filing fees for family-based immigrant visas and naturalization applications in 2020. Below are examples of the proposed fee increases. Spouse and Family-Based Immigrant Visas: Filing fees are scheduled to increase a nominal 3.74 percent from US$535 to US$550.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has increased its premium processing fees for Forms I-129 Petition for Nonimmigrant Workers andI-140 Petition for Immigrant Workers on December 2, 2019. The slight increase, from US$1410 to US$1440 was previously reported at USCIS to Increase Premium Processing Filing Fees for Forms
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
A Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relatives, is filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) to establish a qualifying family relationship between a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (Green Card Holder) and a foreign national immediate relative (“Beneficiary”) . Submitting the Form I-130 is the first step
The United States Department of State (“DOS”) has temporarily expanded the ability of consular officers to waive in-person interviews for individuals applying for non-immigrant visas in the same visa classification. Previously, only those applicants whose non-immigrant visas had expired within the previous 12 months were eligible for an interview waiver.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has posted for public inspection an advanced copy of a final rule that will significantly alter many fees the USCIS charges for services, including adding new fees, establishing multiple fees for nonimmigrant worker petitions, and limiting the number of beneficiaries for certain
Enterline and Partners recently represented a newlywed couple living in the Philippines in an expedited I-130 Petition for Alien Relative at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. The couple, a U.S. citizen and a Philippines citizen, were married in the United States and living in Manila. The expedited filing, which was
EB-5 investors and projects continue to contend with lengthy delays in the processing of I-526 Petitions. Average processing times have steadily increased over the past few years, in stark contrast to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) new Investor Program Office (“IPO”) statements that it would reverse the trend
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) is scheduled to resume Form I-907 Request for Premium Processing Service for Form I-129 Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker and Form I-140 Petition for Alien Workers in phases throughout the month of June. Premium processing was temporarily suspended on March 20th due to
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) is scheduled to resume non-emergency in-person services on June 4th. On March 18, USCIS suspended routine in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and application support centers in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As USCIS services recommence, offices will reduce the number
Individuals in the United States admitted under the Visa Waiver Program (“VWP”) are not allowed to file for an extension of status; moreover, the maximum period of admission is three months. However, those admitted under the VWP who are unable to depart before their approved period of admission because of
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