We have talked at length about the new public charge rule implemented by the Trump administration to put tighter restrictions on who is eligible for permanent residence. As of February this year, despite a number of legal challenges, the rule is now fully in effect. Definitions in the Final Rule The final rule defines “public Read more about The Public Charge Rule Is Now In Effect: How Applicants Can Prepare[…]
Once you are a lawful permanent resident, you can exit and enter the United States as you please, right? You may be surprised to find that is not quite the case. There are two travel scenarios that could actually jeopardize your permanent resident status: If you are absent from the United States for more than Read more about Everything You Need to Know About Reentry Permits[…]
If we had to characterize the handling of standard immigration-related applications during the Trump administration, we would have to say that it has been a boondoggle of delays, increased fees, and general uncertainty. Some of this may be intentional, because a system of immigration that patrons cannot trust ultimately discourages participation. Here are the issues Read more about USCIS Updates for 2020: Status of Processing Delays, New Forms for E-filing, Increased Fees[…]
Since we last discussed the 2020 presidential election, quite a few of the Democratic candidates (12 of 24) have dropped out of the race. This is probably a good thing, as it enables the electorate to focus on the candidates that actually have a chance to be elected. Here is an overview of the candidates Read more about Presidential Candidate Immigration Proposal Update[…]
The future of the DACA program has been uncertain even since the Trump administration attempted to rescind it on September 5th, 2017. At first, USCIS stopped accepting renewal applications, and many DACA participants were justifiably very worried about their future. Then, three separate federal courts issued orders in early 2018 for the program to continue Read more about What DACA Participants Should Do Now[…]
As with the previous two years of the Trump administration, 2019 was a tough year for immigration advocates. Between news of ICE raids across major United States cities, deplorable conditions at detention facilities on the border, and a number of large-scale policy battles, immigrants in this country could really use a break. This year saw Read more about 2019: Immigration Policy in Review & Our Hopes for 2020[…]
In our line of work, we answer a ton of immigration-related questions every month. Here are five questions we hear all the time, and their answers. What is conditional permanent residence? And how does it differ from legal permanent residence? Conditional residence mostly applies to marriage-based green cards. Because these marriages need to be tested Read more about FAQs for the Immigration Attorney: Our Answers[…]
For many permanent residents, the test for United States citizenship is one of the culminations of their life’s work. The test very rarely changes, and has been the same for the past decade. Last year, USCIS naturalized over 750,000 people, the highest number in five years, with an overall pass rate of 90% for the Read more about Updates to the U.S. Naturalization Test for 2020: What Applicants Can Expect[…]
The U-Visa program is one of the greatest achievements of our immigration program. It helps to protect those who have been victims of crimes, while also helping police effectively prosecute these crimes with the help of a committed witness. Technically, U-visas are for victims of certain crimes who “have suffered mental or physical abuse and Read more about Recent Updates to the U-Visa Qualification Process[…]
It is the show many love to hate. Over the past few years, TLC’s 90 Day Fiance has exposed a huge audience to the standard process for the K-1 fiance visa process. This process is used by a U.S.Citizen to bring the foreign national to the United States with the intention to marry them and Read more about 5 Things You Can Learn from “90 Day Fiance”[…]