Parole in Place Aids Military Families

On November 15, 2013, the Department of Homeland Security issued a Policy Memorandum binding all U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) employees to allow for a reprieve for undocumented immigrants with close relatives who are active military members.  The new policy allows undocumented spouses, children, and parents of active duty members to process their paperwork […]

Temporary Protected Status Extended for Somalis

On November 6, 2013, Ronald Beers, the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, announced that Somalis would be able to re-register for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States between November 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013.  This TPS extension will be valid from March 18, 2014 through September 17, 2015.  Somalis who re-register during […]

Employer Options In Lieu of H-1B

Although it may seem far off, the H-1B lottery opens up April 1, 2014 and employers should begin considering their options for potential H-1B workers or those currently in H-1B status in the United States.  In the lottery which opened on April 1, 2013 (Fiscal Year 2014), the cap was met within the first five […]

USCIS Settles Law Suit Over Asylum Work Authorization

Today, the Northwest Immigration Justice project along with volunteer attorneys settled a nationwide class action lawsuit that will now allow individuals seeking asylum in the US to receive employment authorization within the 6 month period required by law. Under the flawed system that existed prior to this settlement individuals with cases pending were often found […]

Preparing to Remove Conditions on your Marriage-based Green Card

For conditional permanent residents (CPRs) who have just been received a “green card” based on marriage to a U.S. citizen it is not too early to start preparing for the next step, the Petition to Remove Conditions (Form I-751).  Beginning three months before the expiration of a Conditional Permanent Resident Card the cardholder can apply […]

Immigration BacklogsLos pedidos pendientes de Inmigración

Despite the high processing fees and large amounts of government resources devoted to the immigration system, there are still lengthy backlogs. For example, the current posted processing times for the I-526 stage of the EB-5 program indicate USCIS is working on cases filed on March 16, 2012. That is 19 months! These are wealthy individuals […]

How The Government Shutdown Affects Immigration Services

On October 1, 2013, the U.S. Government shut down many of its non-essential services due to the lack of consensus on the government’s spending.  Most immigration services will not be affected by the shutdown.  All USCIS offices worldwide are open and are continuing operations during the shutdown.  This means that cases can continue to be […]

I’ve Been Granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – Now What?

For people who have had their applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals approved – congratulations!  After years of living in the United States as undocumented you now have valid work authorization and the ability to remain in the United States throughout your DACA time, barring any unforeseen complications.  You may think that you are […]

Permanent residents may file for spouses Permanent residency

Are you a permanent resident anxious to immigrate your spouse but have “heard” it is faster to wait for you to become a U.S. citizen.  For most people this advice is wrong.  Remember everyone’s case is not the same and there is no substitute for legal advice on your case but here are some general […]

H-1B Visa AlternativesAlternativas de H-1B

Didn’t get selected in the H-1b lottery? Missed the H-1b filing deadline? Wondering what to do now? Here are some possible options that could work for you: O-1 Visa: The O-1 visa is for foreign nationals of extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, or business. The standard is generally quite high as the individual must […]