U.S. District Court Rules to Overturn EB-5 Regulations; Investment Amount Reduced to $500,000 – for Now.

June 25, 2021

On June 22, 2021, Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley of the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California issued an order granting summary judgment in favor of the plaintiff, Behring Regional Center, in the lawsuit Behring filed against the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”). The order was given in the matter of Behring

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

Announcement: CDC Issues One Month Extension on Immigrant Visa Medical Evaluations

July 29, 2020

The United States Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) has approved a one-month extension on medical evaluations conducted for immigrant visa applications between January 1, 2020 and June 30, 2020. Immigrant visa applicants who obtained medical clearances as well as those who had their immigrant visas issued but were unable to

Hong Kong Born Nationals Facing Long Wait Times for Immigrant Visas

July 28, 2020

On July 14, 2020 President Trump signed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act of 2020 and at the same time signed The President’s Executive Order on Hong Kong Normalization. The intent of this Executive Order (“EO”) is to suspend or eliminate different and preferential treatment for Hong Kong, including the treatment

Congratulations to David Enterline – 25 years as an American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”) Member

July 27, 2020

Congratulations to David Enterline who has reached 25 years as an American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”) member. AILA is the 15,000+ association of U.S. and international lawyers who practice U.S. immigration law. During his membership, David has been active as a member in the Asia-Pacific Chapter serving in various roles of

Has Trump Finally Overstepped His Abuse of Executive Authority?

July 22, 2020

Editor’s Note: this article was written after the lawsuit discussed herein but not published before the DHS indicated to the Federal Court judge on July 14th that it would rescind the policy. In a recent American Immigration Lawyers Association (“AILA”) webinar, the esteemed Ira Kurzban, unquestionably regarded as the godfather

Announcement: Hong Kong and Taiwan Consulates to Resume Visa Application Services on July 15, 2020

July 17, 2020

The U.S. Consulate General for Hong Kong and Macau and the American Institute in Taiwan (“AIT”) resumed routine visa services on July 15, 2020. The AIT will resume routine visa services but will prioritize F, M, and J visa applications, which is understandable as students will need to obtain visas

Announcement: Trump Administration Rescinds Policy on Foreign Students

July 15, 2020

The Trump Administration is rescinding its policy which would require foreign students to depart the United States if they are only taking classes online. The policy reversal came because of heavy criticism from both Republicans and Democrats who argued that the new rule would be disruptive to students and undermine

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