On December 11, 2020, the Trump Administration finalized a regulation (rule, 85 FR 80274) that would have drastically changed the United States asylum system. The rule was to become effective on January 15, 2021,and would have created the following devastating…
On March 30, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) extended the deadline to respond to certain requests in an effort to assist applicants and petitioners in response to COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the ongoing pandemic, USCIS has since further…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued a policy memo requiring most petitioners to appear for an interview in connection with Form I-730 (Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition), regardless of location. USCIS will implement the expansion of in-person petitioner interviews in…
In a previous article (Pilot Program Requires Certain Visitor Visa (B-1/B-2) Applicants from Specified Countries to Post a Bond as Condition of Visa Issuance), we advised that the U.S. State Department (Department) put in place a temporary six-month visa bond…
The U.S. State Department has initiated a temporary six-month visa bond pilot program (Pilot Program), whereby consular officials may require certain B-1/B-2 visa applicants from specified countries to post a bond as a condition of visa issuance to travel to…
On November 18, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated the policy guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify the circumstances when they would find an applicant ineligible for naturalization because the applicant did not obtain legal permanent (LPR)…
In a previous article (Can I File Form N-400 While My I-751 Petition Remains Pending?) we discussed that the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), section 319(a) provides that the spouse of a U.S. citizen may file Form N-400 (Application for…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on November 13, 2020, that Naturalization applicants are now required to take a more difficult and longer test. Who Does the New Test Apply To? The new test will apply to any person…
In a previous article (Can I File Form N-400 While My I-751 Petition Remains Pending?) we discussed that Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Section 319(a) provides that the spouse of a U.S. citizen may file for naturalization after residing for…
In the family-based immigrant context, permanent resident status is conditional when it is based on a marriage that was less than two years old on the date the individual was granted permanent residence status. A conditional permanent resident receives a…