U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is scheduled to increase premium processing filing fees from US$1410 to US$1440. The increase, which is scheduled to take effect on December 2, 2019, reflects the full amount of inflation from the implementation of premium processing fees in June 2001 through August 2019. The
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has started it’s online filing services for Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative. An I-130 is the first step to bring a spouse, child, parent(s), or siblings to the United States by a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. “Form I-130 is on the
The “Final Action Date” priority date for Vietnamese EB-5 investors moved forward one month in the Department of State November 2019 visa bulletin. The priority date indicates that any investors who filed their I-526 Petitions on or before November 15, 2016 now have visas available. If you are such an
Enterline and Partners recently represented a newlywed couple living in Vietnam in an expedited I-130 Petition for Alien Relative with the U.S. Consulate in Ho Chi Minh City. The couple, a U.S. citizen and a citizen from a South American country were married in Hong Kong and living in Vietnam.
USCIS has determined that applicants may use the Dates for Filing chart on the Department of State’s (“DOS”) October Visa Bulletin. For Family-Sponsored Filings: In the F2A category, there is a cutoff date on the Dates for Filing chart. However, the category is “current” on the Final Action Dates chart.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has announced that it will permanently close its Bangkok Field Office on December 31, 2019. The office will accept applications and petitions until October 18, 2019 after which the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok will assume responsibility for certain limited services previously provided by the
USCIS released a policy alert on 28 August 2019 which seeks to address statutory requirements in determining “residency” for U.S. citizens who are transmitting citizenship to their children through Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA). The policy alert, titled PA-2019-05 also rescinds previous guidelines regarding children of U.S. government employees
In rare bit of positive news from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), the agency has announced plans to maintain operations in seven international field offices in Beijing and Guangzhou, China; Nairobi, Kenya; New Delhi, India; Guatemala City, Guatemala; Mexico City, Mexico; and San Salvador, El Salvador. This is
All U.S. visa applicants applying for a non-immigrant visa are required to demonstrate to the consular officer’s individual satisfaction that they are eligible. Since outside documentation such as bank statements, property title deeds, vehicle registration, letters of recommendation, invitation letters, are normally not reviewed by the consular officer unless specifically requested,
Wednesday, July 31st, 2019, 10:00 am – Enterline and Partners Consulting Office, 1A Cong Truong Me Linh, District 1, HCMC As you know, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization regulation is scheduled to become effective on November 21, 2019. While some of the regulation is very clear, such as an
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization regulation was published in the Federal Register on July 24, 2019 and this final rule is scheduled to become effective on November 21, 2019. The most significant part of the final rule for investors is an increase to the minimum investment amount. The rule
We recently posted on Taiwan’s new same-sex marriage law and its limitations. In a related case, we recently assisted an U.S. citizen and his same-sex spouse, who were married in the U.S. but living in Asia, in an expedited filing (I-130) directly with the U.S. consulate in Hong Kong. See
I am often asked by my EB-5 clients “Can I receive back my investment after filing the Form I-829 Petition, or do I have to wait until my I-829 Petition is approved?” If investors submit and seek approval of their I-829 Petition, then under current law and policy they should
In exceptional circumstances, a U.S. citizen who is living abroad with his or her foreign spouse and would like to bring his or her foreign spouse to the United States on an immigrant visa may be able to avail of expedited processing. Exceptional circumstances may include the following: Military emergencies.
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
American visa validity depends on a person’s nationality. For example, Vietnamese citizens are given a maximum of a one-year multiple-entry visa. Other neighboring countries such as the Philippines and Thailand are eligible for a maximum of 10 years multiple-entry visas while Cambodian citizens receive up to three-months double entry validity.
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,
A common question asked by potential clients is do you need an immigration lawyer to file a K-1 visa for your Vietnamese fiance? The short answer is no, you do not need a lawyer. However, having a lawyer represent you and your fiance through the process has advantages. An immigration
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