All Immigrant Visa Appointments in Countries Affected by Trump Executive Order Are Canceled for Now
Anyone in the process of obtaining an immigrant visa from Syria, Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, or Yemen will have to await further instructions.
Visa Revoked Due to Trump Order, Then Reinstated: What Do I Say on Future Immigration Applications?
Visas that were mistakenly revoked after Trump executive order need not be later reported as revoked.
Trump Tries Again: March 6 Executive Order Banning Travel From Certain Countries
Second Executive Order bans travel from select countries.
Broadening of federal and state enforcement against any non-citizen suspected or convicted of a crime.
Prosecutorial Discretion All But Dead as Immigration Remedy, Owing to Trump Order
Undocumented immigrants have little chance at persuading ICE to stay deportation under current Trump policy.
Abused spouses of foreign nationals holding A, E-3, G, and H visas may apply for work permits.
Trump's Border Security Order May End Parole in Place Program for Military Families
Executive order undermines use of parole as a means of attaining a temporary right to be in the U.S.
Got TPS From El Salvador? Your Work Permit Is Now Good Through September 9, 2017
Automatic extension of EADs for El Salvadorans Who Hold Temporary Protected Status.
Filing Form I-90 Via Mail Probably Safer Than Online Filing
Online filing of Form I-90 may lead to USCIS errors.
USCIS will continue to process applications and petitions filed for or on behalf of people in the U.S., regardless of nationality.
Asylum Interview Delays: Beware the Dreaded Asterisk
Many asylum applicants are stuck in an unmoving backlog.
Immigrants or non-citizens of the United States have long faced a double problem when arrested for a crime: their own criminal defense attorneys rarely understand U.S. immigration law.
"Two-Copy" Rule No Longer Applies When Sending I-589 Application for Asylum—One Copy Enough
For many years, part of the process of filing for asylum in the United States was to submit not only an original Form I-589 Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal with supporting documents, but two copies of the entire application.
DHS Eases Employment Authorization and Extension Rules for Highly Skilled Workers
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued new regulations that go into effect February 16, 2016 for H-1B1, principal E-3, and CW-1 workers.
TPS Extended for South Sudan and Sudan
Temporary Protected Status can now be applied for through 2017 for citizens of South Sudan and Sudan.
Libya, Somalia, and Yemen Added to the List of Countries With New VWP Restrictions
Libya, Somalia, and Yemen have been added to the U.S. list of "countries of concern," thus limiting use of the Visa Waiver Program for travelers who have been to these countries.
How much a U.S. petitioner needs to show in income or assets in order to sponsor someone for a green card has been revised slightly upward.
USCIS Says Specialist Doctors Entitled to EB-2 National Interest Waivers
USCIS has now officially adopted the reasoning of the AAO and is instructing its adjudicators to give NIWs to otherwise qualified medical specialists, as well as to primary care physicians.
F-1 Students in STEM Fields Can Extend Optional Practical Training Period by 24 Months
STEM graduates can now work a total of 36 months in the U.S.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Extended for Citizens of Guinea
Guinea was originally designated for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) on November 21, 2014, based on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) epidemic that struck West Africa.
TPS Extended for Citizens of El Salvador Living in the U.S.
In the U.S. with TPS? The expiration date on your right to remain has changed.
The campaign is called "Act now. Come get your birth certificate."
Filing an I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence? USCIS Address May Have Changed
Residents of Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas must now send I-751 to California Service Center.
Waiting for a Removal Hearing? You May Wait Until 2019
Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) rescheduling cases to make room for hearings for unaccompanied minors.
HIV+ Visa Applicants May Face Longer Wait for U.S. Entry, Due to CDC Tuberculosis Policy
Centers for Disease Control Require Sputum Test of HIV+ Visa Applicants
U Visa Maximum Reached for Fiscal Year 2015 -- 10,000 U Visas granted for 6th Year Straight
Limitations on the numbers of U visas allotted each year can create long delays for applicants, but eventually they should qualify for U status.
Hold Off on Plans to Apply for Expanded DACA or DAPA
Due to a federal court decision, USCIS will wait to accept applications for Deferred Action under Obama Executive Orders.
USCIS Doesn't Tell NVC About Address Changes -- You Must Advise It Directly!
If you have an immigrant visa case in process, there's a good chance that your file will, at some point, be handled by the National Visa Center (NVC).
After much waiting and anticipation, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on February 24, 2015 that certain H-4 dependent spouses can apply for work authorization beginning May 26, 2015.
H-1B Limit Reached for 2015 – But Some Can Still Apply for H-1B Visas
The annual 65,000 limit has been met.
Before DAPA Program Begins, Deportation Should Be Less of a Concern for Those Who Qualify
U.S. authorities will informally apply prosecutorial discretion to parents eligible for DAPA program before it officially opens.
Citizens of Five Additional Countries May Now Qualify for H-2A or H-2B Visas to U.S.
In December of 2014, the U.S. government added five ountries to the list of those whose nationals qualify for H-2A visas (for temporary agricultural workers invited by a U.S. employer) and H-2B visas (for temporary nonagricultural workers invited by a U.S. employer).