The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently updated its policies on awarding green cards (lawful permanent residency) and granting citizenship to green card holders. The updates to the policy manual also changed every instance of the phrase “foreign...
You don’t have to be a woman to get VAWA protection
Battered spouses, children or parents of U.S. citizens, along with spouses and children of lawful permanent residents, can all be eligible for immigration protections under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). VAWA is part of the Immigration and Naturalization Act....
USCIS increases premium processing fees for most visas
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides fast processing for Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. If your petitioner pays for premium processing, the USCIS guarantees that it will...
Administration announces significant changes to H-1B visa program
Every year, the U.S. government issues 85,000 H-1B visas by using a lottery system. These visas are heavily used in the tech sector to employ computer engineers and software developers. However, many others in “specialty occupations” are eligible for H-1B visas. Now,...
Schedule A offers a fast-track green card for physical therapists
If you are a physical therapist who is eligible for a license in the United States, you may be able to get a green card (lawful permanent residency) without the need for a PERM labor certification. This is because physical therapists are on Schedule A. The U.S....
Some US embassies, consulates now reopening for E-2 visa service
In March, the U.S. Department of State suspended routine visa services at U.S. embassies and consulates around the world. Now, some embassies and consulates are reopening in phases. As part of the phased reopening, the State Department is beginning to process E-2...
Furlough canceled at USCIS, for now
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is primarily funded by immigration fees. When costs rise but fees do not, the agency experiences shortfalls. The same thing happens when there is a sudden drop in fees collected. Both of those appear to be...
USCIS plans to hike naturalization fees, remove subsidies this fall
If the U.S. government is trying to make it harder to become a citizen, it appears to be working. The coronavirus has created havoc at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). It led to a sudden, dramatic loss of income. It will potentially put 70% of...
Judge certifies class action for asylum seekers turned back
Since President Trump took office in 2016, it has become much more complex for some immigrants to apply for asylum in the U.S. This is because Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began “metering” the number of people it would allow into ports of entry, especially...
Federal court: US must begin accepting new DACA applications
Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration’s efforts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2017 had been illegal. The program, therefore, remains in place. Does that mean that new applicants should be admitted?...