The F4 visa allows U.S. citizens 21 or older to sponsor their brothers and sisters for a U.S. green card. Because annual visa numbers are capped and demand is high, F4 has the longest waiting times in the family-based immigration system. As of October 2026, most countries face approximately 15
Effective March 30, 2026, all K-1 fiancé(e) visa applicants will be subjected to the Department of State (“DOS”) online vetting process. As part of the interview process at the Embassy or Consulate, those applying for a K-1 visa will be required to adjust their social media settings to “public” or
The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (“RIA”) reauthorized and reformed the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, a U.S. immigration program that offers foreign nationals a pathway to U.S. permanent residency through investment in American businesses that create jobs. A significant component of this program is the EB-5 Immigrant Investor
United States government posts have frequently listed Vietnamese citizens’ names on government documents in a different order such as on visas and Form I-551 (“Green Cards”.) This often happens because Vietnamese passports list names in the order of last name (or “family name” or “surname”) followed by the middle name
Visa retrogression is a situation where the Department of State (“DOS”) adjusts the Final Action Date and Dates For Filing backwards on the DOS monthly Visa Bulletin. This occurs when the demand for immigrant visas in a specific visa category exceeds the estimated supply, causing applicants who were previously eligible
The United States Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) has introduced a rule that would hold immigrant sponsors accountable for failing to meet contractual obligations that they enter when sponsoring a foreign national for an immigrant visa. The new rule comes after the United States Court of Appeals for the Second
Update: Between the writing and publication of this article, a federal judge granted a motion for a preliminary injunction against the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fee rule discussed herein. As long as this preliminary injunction is in place, the existing fees remain as before. Effective October 2, 2020,
The United States Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) has announced a proposed rule that would require a fixed period of stay for international students on F student visas and exchange visitors on J visas. Under the proposed rule, the DHS framework that currently allows foreign nationals on F and J
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (“CBP”) has not announced any special relief to a lawful permanent resident (“LPR’) who has remained outside the United States for more than one year because of COVID-19 travel and movement restrictions. Currently, a LPR who was remained outside the United States irrespective
Due to significant travel and movement restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lawful Permanent Residents (“LPR”’) have found themselves stranded abroad and thus unable to travel to the United States despite not having the intention of abandoning their LPR status. All permanent residents receive an identification called a Form I-551
There are many reasons why a lawful permanent resident (“LPR”) would remain outside the United States for more than 180 days. However, staying outside the U.S. for a long period could result in the U.S. government taking the position that an LPR has abandoned his or her intent to live
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