USCIS Updates Policy Manual on Family-Based Immigrant Visa Approvals

May 27, 2024

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has issued an updated policy guidance on Form I-130 Petition for Alien Relative (“Petition”) explaining how the agency handles family-based immigrant visa petition approvals regarding correcting approval notice errors, requests for consular processing or adjustment of status, and routing procedures for approved

What Is A U.S. Visa, Visa Stamp And Visa Foil And What Are These Used For?

May 22, 2024

In U.S. immigration matters, a visa is a document that allows a foreign national to enter the United States for a specific purpose, such as tourism, work, study, family visits (a nonimmigrant visa) or to immigrate (an immigrant visa). It is typically a stamp or sticker placed in the foreign

What is the PERM Process for U.S. Immigration Through Employment?

May 20, 2024

The U.S. labor certification process, also known as the PERM (Program Electronic Review Management) process, is a crucial step in obtaining certain employment-based immigrant visas and lawful permanent residence in the United States. Here’s an overview of the process. Obtaining a Job Offer: Prospective applicants for a job in the

What is the Difference Between a Visa Backlog and Retrogression?

May 2, 2024

Under U.S. immigration law there are several types of immigrant visas. We can generally break these into family based immigrant visas and employment and investment based immigrant visas. Under the family based immigrant visas, there are two subcategories. Immigrant visas for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouses, parents and unmarried

United States And Vietnam Sign A Memorandum Of Cooperation On Culture And People-To-People Ties

April 17, 2024

The U.S. Department of State has announced a signing a Memorandum of Cooperation on Culture and People-to-People Ties between the United States and Vietnam. See the post on the USDOS website here. “Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Liz Allen and Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield met

Philippines Ambassador to the U.S. Urges Undocumented Philippines Citizens to Leave Voluntarily

November 29, 2024

Philippines Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez said it would be better for undocumented Philippines citizens to voluntarily leave the U.S. rather than be deported. Ambassador Romualdez made these comments following Donald Trump being elected as the 47th President of the United States and Trump’s appointment of Thomas

What is a Joint Sponsor for a Form I-864 Affidavit of Support?

November 26, 2024

A Joint Sponsor for Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, is an individual who agrees to share the financial responsibility for sponsoring an immigrant when the primary sponsor (the Petitioner) does not meet the minimum income requirements. The joint sponsor must meet certain eligibility criteria and file their own Form I-864

President-Elect Trump’s Mass Deportation Begins to Take Hold

November 20, 2024

During the 2024 campaign, former president and candidate Donald J. Trump promised mass deportation for millions on undocumented migrants in the United States. It appears that the campaign pledges are beginning to take hold. Last week, President-elect Trump named Thomas Homan as the “Border Tsar.” Homan, a former police officer

Federal Judge Strikes Down Parole-in-Place Program

November 13, 2024

A U.S. Federal Court Judge has struck down Parole-in-Place following an earlier decision granting the State of Texas and fifteen (15) other states an administrative stay two months ago. Judge J. Campbell Barker of the Eastern District of Texas ruled that the program, which would fast-track permanent residency to certain

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

Can I send my Absentee Ballot to a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for the Upcoming Presidential Election?

November 1, 2024

We have previously discussed who is eligible to vote in U.S. elections and how American citizens abroad (i.e. Vietnam, the Philippines, and Taiwan) can send their ballots by mail or use designated dropboxes to vote for their presidential and state and local candidates. U.S. citizens who are unable to physically

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