BIDEN REOPENS THE CENTRAL AMERICAN MINORS INITIATIVE
The Biden administration has announced that it would begin accepting new applications for the Central American Minors (CAM) initiative, an Obama-era immigration policy that aims to offer a safe and legal way for migrant children to reach the southern border. Upon announcing that new petitions will be accepted, the departments of State and Homeland Security…
Read MoreUnderstanding Diversity Visas
The Diversity Visa was established in 1990 to increase the number of immigrants from nations who have not, historically, sent as many people to the United States. How many diversity visas are there? The US government issues roughly 50,000 diversity visas every year. Who is eligible for a diversity visa? Prospective immigrants from countries who…
Read MoreWhat Would the LIKE Act Do?
On July 26, 2021, US Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren of California introduced H.R. 4681, also known as the Let Immigrants Kickstart Employment (LIKE) Act. The bill rewards immigrants who want to establish and develop venture-capital backed start-up companies in the United States in the hopes that this will lead to economic growth and create jobs for…
Read MoreWhat Happens to Your LPR Status if you Get a Divorce?
You might be surprised to learn that marriage fraud is big business. For example, in 2020 a California resident by the name of Chang Yu “Andy” He was arrested for coordinating sham marriages between Chinese nationals and U.S. citizens in exchange for cash. How much cash? $10,000 up front, then $25,000 when the Chinese national…
Read MoreWhat You Need to Know About US Visitor’s Visas
Visitor’s visas are called “B” visas, and they’re the most common type of visa that USCIS issues. They come in two forms: the B-1 visa for business visitors and the B-2 visa for people who are coming to the United States either to visit family members, or as tourists. A B visa lets you be…
Read MoreUSCIS to Hold Second H-1B Lottery
USCIS announced that the original lottery conducted earlier this year did not result in sufficient numbers of selections to reach the yearly numerical cap. They will be conducting a second lottery among those who filed their registration to fill the cap. Selectees will be notified via their online USCIS account if they are chosen in…
Read MoreCan the Government Take Away Your US Citizenship?
Once you successfully complete the process to become a United States Citizen it is very difficult to take your citizenship away from you. However, there are a limited number of circumstances in which it is possible to revoke your United States citizenship. Here’s what you need to know. You can have your citizenship revoked if…
Read MoreHow Much Does it Cost to Hire an Immigration Attorney?
Many clients hesitate to hire an immigration attorney because they fear the costs involved. Yet the costs of not having an attorney can be much, much higher. In many cases there is not much margin for error on these applications. If you make too many mistakes, you may not be able to immigrate at all.…
Read More4 Things to Know About Family Immigration
Many people who have successfully obtained green cards or who have successfully become lawful permanent residents have family members that they would like to bring over to live with them in the United States. In addition, there are many US Citizens who fall in love with and marry foreign partners who would like to ensure…
Read MoreUSCIS Extends Employment Authorization Validity for Adjustment of Status Applicants
USCIS has updated its policy for Employment Authorizations granted to Applicants for Adjustment of Status to Permanent Residence. Because they are taking over a year to issue decisions on Adjustment of Status applications, they will now issue initial Employment Authorizations which are valid for 2 years instead of 1 year. This change will only affect…
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