U.S. State Department Stiffens the Bar on Immigrant Visas for Communist Party Members

September 12, 2025

This article is posted here in English and translated into Vietnamese and posted courtesy of the author, Gary Chodorow of Chodorow Law Offices. You can find the original article on Gary’s website at: https://lawandborder.com/u-s-state-department-stiffens-the-bar-on-immigrant-visas-for-communist-party-members/ Introduction The U.S. State Department has updated its Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) to toughen the statutory

Increased Investment Amounts Of The RIA

September 11, 2025

The Increased Investment Amounts section of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (“RIA”) raises the minimum investment thresholds to adjust for inflation and ensure the continued effectiveness of the program in promoting economic growth and job creation in the United States. Under the updated rules, the standard investment

Everything You Need to Know About the U.S. Immigration Medical Exam

September 9, 2025

All immigrant visa applicants (i.e. those applying for a Green Card) are required to complete a medical exam at a designated clinic by a panel physician as part of the process. The purpose of the exam is to ensure that applicants are not carriers of any serious infectious diseases or

DOS Will Now Require Immigrant Visa Applicants to Interview in Place of Residence or Country of Nationality

September 5, 2025

The United States Department of State (“DOS”) is now requiring immigrant visa applicants to apply for immigrant visas in the consular district designated for their place of residence or in their country of nationality. Effective immediately, if an immigrant visa applicant would like to transfer his or her pending immigrant

AILA – The Non-Immigrant Visa Interview Waiver Process

June 21, 2021

Individuals who are required to obtain a visa to enter the United States must apply at a U.S. consulate abroad. A critical part of the application process involves an in-person interview at the consulate to verify information in the application and ask questions about eligibility for the visa. If the visa

USCIS Announces New Policy Highlights for Expedited Processing

June 15, 2021

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has released a new policy update pertaining to expedited processing. Under the updated criteria, USCIS provides further guidance as to whether expedited processing may be warranted. The new policy highlights include the following: Clarifies criteria and circumstances under which USCIS will generally

What is a Proxy Marriage and Can it Be Filed with USCIS?

June 14, 2021

The term proxy marriage refers to the ceremony performed where one or both members of the party to the marriage are not physically present at the ceremony. Although unrecognized in most U.S. jurisdictions, some jurisdictions not only recognize online marriages but they have streamlined the process making it easy for

U.S. Citizens May Return to the United States on Expired Passports

June 2, 2021

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (“CBP”) and the Department of State (“DOS”) have announced that beginning May 21, 2021, U.S. citizens will be able to return to the United States on an expired U.S. passport until December 31, 2021, if they: are a U.S. citizen. are currently abroad seeking

Presidential Proclamation Requiring Incoming Immigrants To Have Health Insurance Revoked

May 27, 2021

The October 2019 Presidential Proclamation requiring incoming immigrants to have health insurance has been revoked by the White House. The Executive Order (“EO”) signed by then President Donald Trump required incoming immigrants to demonstrate that they will have health insurance within 30 days of their arrival in the United States.

Announcement – Rescheduling USCIS Biometric Services Appointments by Phone

May 19, 2021

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that applicants, petitioners, and beneficiaries may now call the USCIS Contact Center (1-800-375-5283) to reschedule their biometric services appointments that were scheduled at a USCIS Application Support Center (“ACS”). Previously, applicants had to submit requests in writing to reschedule biometrics appointments. This

News & Resources

CATEGORY

U.S. State Department Stiffens the Bar on Immigrant Visas for Communist Party Members

Increased Investment Amounts Of The RIA

Everything You Need to Know About the U.S. Immigration Medical Exam

DOS Will Now Require Immigrant Visa Applicants to Interview in Place of Residence or Country of Nationality

News & Resources

CATEGORY

U.S. State Department Stiffens the Bar on Immigrant Visas for Communist Party Members

Increased Investment Amounts Of The RIA

Everything You Need to Know About the U.S. Immigration Medical Exam

DOS Will Now Require Immigrant Visa Applicants to Interview in Place of Residence or Country of Nationality

Who Can You Sponsor As A U.S. Citizen? Understanding Sponsorship Ineligibility for United States Family Visas