The American Citizen Services (“ACS”) at the U.S. Embassy in Manila will resume limited in-person passport service operations on September 1st by appointment only. Other routine ACS operations such as notarial services, affidavits in lieu of legal capacity to marry and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad will remain suspended. Prior
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.
On Saturday, August 22, the United States House of Representatives unanimously passed The Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act (H.R. 8089). The legislation seeks to temporarily prevent planned furloughs by the United States Immigration and Citizenship Services (“USCIS”) by immediately increasing USCIS premium processing revenues. In May 2020, USCIS notified Congress
DOS Provides Update on Public Charge Inadmissibility Following Temporary Injunction Following a nationwide injunction issued by a federal judge temporarily blocking Public Charge inadmissibility from being enforced due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Department of State (“DOS”) will be updating its guidance to consular officers on how to
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
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has removed the biometrics $85 biometrics fee requirement for petitioners filing Form I-526E, Immigrant Petition by Regional Center Investor. Petitioners no longer need to submit the fee for biometrics services with their Form I-526E. The USCIS has determined that universal biometrics collection
The U.S. Center for Disease Control (“CDC”) has rescinded a policy that air passengers boarding flights to the United States originating from the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau have a negative COVID-19 test or documentation of recovery. The policy, which
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) COVID-19 related flexibilities will expire on March 23, 2023. The USCIS, which has extended COVID-19 related flexibilities multiple times including March 2022, October 2022 and January 2023 are not expected to be further extended. The extensions have been in place to assist
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has announced that lawful permanent residents may receive temporary evidence of their lawful permanent resident status by mail rather than having to physically visit a field office to receive an Alien Documentation, Identification and Telecommunication (“ADIT”) stamp (also known as an I-551
Family-based immigration is an important aspect of the United States immigration system, which allows citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor their close relatives. One of the family-based immigrant visa categories is the first preference category, which is for unmarried adult children (21 years or older) of U.S. citizens; often
Enterline and Partners recently obtained an approval for a Philippine client based on his investment of US$70,000 into a new business in the United States. This is a relatively small investment for an E-2 Treaty Investor visa and demonstrates that a “totality of the evidence and the business” is very
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