The White House just announced that it will lift COVID related travel restrictions effective November. Although a specific date has not been given, it is anticipated that it will be in early November. While this is good news for those who have valid visas, it does not change the waiting times to obtain visas at […]
The CDC recently set forth new “Requirements for Immigrant Medical Examinations: COVID-19 Technical Instructions for Civil Surgeons.” Beginning October 1, 2021 persons applying for permanent residence will be required to provide proof that they have been vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus at the time of their medical exam or receive the vaccinations before the medical […]
There appears to be a rumor that the U.S. government has made it easier for pilots to obtain a green card through the NIW process. As respected leaders in helping pilots obtain green cards, we have been getting several inquiries from pilots and even other immigration attorneys inquiring about how pilots can obtain a green […]
We are seeing improvement in NIW processing times. NIW cases at the Nebraska Service Center have not been too seriously affected by the pandemic. NIW cases are still being adjudicated at the NSC in approximately 8 months. The Texas Service Center was struggling before the pandemic and became even worse. The NIW processing times posted […]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. consulates and embassies in many countries around the world are still not operating at full capacity. 33 countries still require that non U.S. citizens or permanent residents obtain a National Interest Exception (NIE) before they can enter the U.S. from the affected countries. Embassy shopping has been pretty much […]
USCIS in furtherance of President Biden’s executive order, “Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans” has issued a new policy guidance which restored the 2004 guidance giving USCIS officers deference. The 2004 guidance was rescinded in 2017 by the Trump Administration, in their efforts to curtail […]
Effective immediately the I-944 is no longer required. On March 10, USCIS posted an update to the Public Charge Rule. It sated that As of March 9, 2021, “applicants for for adjustment of status should not provide the Form I-944, Declaration of Self-Sufficiency, or any evidence or documentation required on that form with their Form […]
On March 9, 2021, DHS issued a litigation statement announcing that it would no longer continue its attempts to enforce the public charge rule. Later in the day, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued a follow-up statement announcing that DHS had withdrawn from all public charge related litigation. The DHS has dismissed the appeals that were […]
On Wednesday February 24, 2021 President Biden revoked, with limited exceptions, the ban on immigrant visas, at consulates and embassies overseas. However, the ban on the issuance of nonimmigrant work visas such as H-1B, H-2B, L and certain J visas was not revoked. The nonimmigrant visa ban is set to expire on March 31, 2021 […]
Today, Wednesday February 2, 2021, President Biden signed an executive order titled “Executive Order on Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans”. In Section 4 of the Order, titled “Immediate Review of Agency Actions on Public Charge Inadmissibility,” President Biden is requiring the State Department, the […]
