Yearly Archives: 2018
COMMON R-1 VISA QUESTIONS
What is an R-1 visa? The R-1 Religious Worker and Minister visa allows religious workers and qualified ministers to enter the United States in order to perform religious duties for a qualified religious organization or congregation. The R-1 does not apply to secular members of a church or lay-persons (janitors, cooks, fundraisers, electricians, accountants,… Read More »
Changes to H1B Extension Rules
Changes to H-1B Extension Rules The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reportedly considering new regulations that would limit the ability of H1B workers who are in the lawful permanent residence (LPR) process to obtain an extension of their H-1B status beyond the usual six-year limit of authorized stay. The reported proposal, which arises… Read More »
What If Your Spouse’s Immigrant Visa is Denied?
If you are married to a non-citizen of the United States, and your husband or wife was refused an immigrant visa or green card that you and your spouse had applied for based on that marriage, you are probably shocked and upset. The sad truth of the matter is, however, that marriage to a… Read More »
I-751 Waiver
I-751 Waiver After Divorce: The conditional resident normally files jointly with the spouse. Once approved, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) grants the conditional resident status as a lawful permanent resident and provides a 10-year green card. But what if the conditional resident gets a divorce or annulment before the two-year period ends? Or… Read More »
Immigration Asylum Laws: What is Gender Identity Persecution?
Gender identity persecution occurs when someone is harmed because they are transsexual, transgender or do not conform to traditional gender stereotypes. Persecution can include threats, attacks, beatings, sexual assault and abuse, mental abuse, and severe economic harm. What Is Asylum? Asylum is a U.S. legal mechanism for protecting immigrants who have been persecuted or… Read More »
Entrepreneur Parole Program: Advanced Immigration Law
On December 14, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would start accepting applications for parole under the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER). This grant of parole is commonly referred to as Entrepreneur Parole. However, it is important to bear in mind that the program may be short-lived. DHS must comply with… Read More »
Can I File for A Provisional Waiver (I-212 and I-601A) If I Have an Order?
For the past year, the Office of Chief Counsel has virtually instituted a blanket policy of refusing to join in motions to reopen, or if a case is already pending, refusing to consent to administrative closure so that the respondent can pursue a provisional waiver. In practical terms, this posture has critically impaired the… Read More »
H-1B Application Accepted: Now What?
H-1B cap season is here. On April 2, USCIS began accepting applications for the H-1B visa lottery, and if last year is any indication of the time it will take to close, it should be around five days. While waiting to have an H-1B application accepted, you may be wondering what to expect. When… Read More »
Questions & Answers: Asylum Interviews
Q: What Should I Bring with Me to the Asylum Interview? A: You should bring the following to the interview: A form of identification, including: any passport(s) you may have other travel or identification documents the Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record, if you received one at the time of your arrival in the United States… Read More »
H1B1
An H1B1 visa (sub-classification) is a temporary work visa specifically for citizens of Chile and Singapore with a job offer in a specialty occupation in the US. The Chile & Singapore Free Trade Agreement requires the USCIS to exempt 6,800 H1B visas from the H1B visa cap and be reserved for eligible citizens of… Read More »