USCIS Premium Processing Fees to Increase as of October 19
On October 19, 2020, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) premium processing fees will increase in accordance with the Continuing Appropriations Act signed into law on October 1, 2020.. USCIS premium processing allows a petitioner to receive a decision within 15 business days by submitting a Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing. The fee […]
DOS to Allow Certain Non-immigrant Visa Applicants to Proceed with Interviews
Following the United States Federal District Court for the Northern District of California issuing a narrow injunction against the United States Department of State, certain nonimmigrant visa applicants that were previously subjected to U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration ban executive order will no longer be subjected to the executive order. Specifically, the injunction stops entry […]
Department of Homeland Security Announces Proposed Rule Requiring Fixed Period of Stay for F and J Visa Holders
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 visas to remain in the […]
Department of States Expands Non-Immigrant Visa In-Person Interview Waivers
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. Now, DOS has expanded this […]
DOS Provides Update on Public Charge Inadmissibility Following Temporary Injunction
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 proceed while the injunction remains […]
Announcement: USCIS Filing Fee Changes to Become Effective on October 2, 2020
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 forms. Across all services, fees […]
Trump Extends Immigration Ban to Certain Non-Immigrant Visa Applicants
USCIS Scheduled to Increase Business Visa Application Filing Fees
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) is scheduled to increase its filing and processing fees for business visas in 2020. Below are examples of the proposed increased fees by visa category: L-1 and H-1B Visas: L-1 visa petitions (for temporary workers, non-immigrant) are scheduled to increase by 77 percent from US$460 to US$815, while […]
What Can I Do If I am Given a Section 214(b) Refusal for a U.S. Visa?
All U.S. visa applicants applying for a non-immigrant visa are required to demonstrate to the consular officer’s individual satisfaction that they are eligible. Since outside documentation such as bank statements, property title deeds, vehicle registration, letters of recommendation, invitation letters, are normally not reviewed by the consular officer unless specifically requested, applicants who are unable to […]
How Important is the DS-160 Online Application When Applying for a U.S. Visa?
For certain U.S. visas, specifically, a B-1/ B-2 visitor visa (commonly known as a tourist visa), the DS-160 online application is the most important part of the U.S. visa process. Not only does the DS-160 require important personal information needed for a consular officer to adjudicate the visa application, it is the only document that […]
