Tiffney Johnson

Tiffney Johnson

Attorney · University of Arizona College of Law

Tiffney Johnson served as a consular officer with the U.S. Department of State for 15 years. Her postings include Honduras, Australia, Cuba, Juarez, Mexico, New York, and Washington D.C. After a domestic tour in the Visa Office Legal Directorate in Washington, D.C., her first assignment abroad was to Juarez, Mexico, where she also served as the Deputy Fraud Prevention Chief. In Havana, Cuba, she served as the Immigrant Visa Chief and implemented the Cuban Family Reunification Program. In Sydney, Australia, she served as Deputy Consular Section Chief, started the first fraud prevention unit, and interviewed applicants from almost every country. She also served as Deputy Consular General in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. In her last tour, Tiffney was the Assistant Director of the New York Passport Agency; the largest passport agency in the U.S., where up to 400 emergency same-day passports are processed. In her career, she interviewed over 150,000 immigrant and non-immigrant visa applicants, completed the Advanced Consular Course, and trained over 60 junior Foreign Service officers.  

Tiffney has significant experience in the field of consular "crimmigration" (visa eligibility consequences of criminal convictions), complex citizenship issues, and visa and passport policy. She also focuses her practice on O visas for performing artists and procuring national interest waivers for self-employed professionals applying for immigrant visas. 

Tiffney graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and has a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin. She is a fluent Spanish speaker and currently works as an immigration attorney and freelance legal writer in Tucson, Arizona. Find her at tiffneyjohnsonlaw.com.

Articles By Tiffney Johnson

Proving U.S. Citizenship for a Child Born Outside of a Hospital
Every year, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) initially denies thousands of U.S. passport applications because the applicant has a “non-institutional birth,” despite the fact that the applicant has a valid U.S. birth certificate.
How to Increase Your Chances of Getting a U.S. Visitor Visa
For foreign nationals seeking to increase the chances of getting a visitor visa to the United States, the single most important factor convincing a U.S. consular officer that they will use the visa for its intended purpose, most likely tourism, business, or medical treatment.
How Foreign-Born Children of American Citizens Can Prove or Obtain U.S. Nationality
There are several instances where someone might need proof of U.S. citizenship – such as to apply for a U.S. passport or a job with the federal government. Here's how children of U.S. citizens can obtain this.
What Happens Between I-130 Approval and Consular Interview
Gathering documents, paying fees, and other steps in preparation for your family-immigrant or diversity-visa interview at a U.S. consulate.
Strategies for Applying for Marriage-Based Visa If Couple Lives Abroad
Steps you will need to take if you are a U.S. citizen living abroad (or you are a U.S. green card holder traveling abroad for an extended period of time), and you are married to a foreign citizen who wishes to receive a U.S. green card based on your marriage.
Renewing Your F-1 or M-1 Student Visa at a U.S. Consulate
The F-1 or M-1 student visa that is stamped in your passport does not represent the date you must leave the U.S.; only the dates through which you can use your visa to ENTER the United States.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and U.S. Immigration
Although HIV was removed from the list of inadmissibility grounds in 2010, HIV positive applicants still face immigration challenges, especially when applying for a green card. Delays and inadmissibility due to lack of financial resources to pay for medical care are among the risks they face.
Will a Misdemeanor Conviction Prevent You From Receiving a U.S. Visa or Green Card?
Understanding when a seemingly minor crime can disqualify someone from eligibility for a U.S. visa or green card.
Obtaining Proof of U.S. Citizenship
If you believe you are a U.S. citizen, you'll want a document to prove it.
Will a Foreign Criminal Conviction Mean My U.S. Visa Will Be Denied?
Sometimes even a minor foreign criminal conviction leads to a denial of one’s visa application, whether it was for a nonimmigrant (temporary) visa such as B-2 visitor, F-1 student, or H-1B worker; or an immigrant visa, leading to a green card.