U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced yesterday that it is changing its rules on the validity period for medical exams. The new guidelines take effect almost immediately on November 1, 2018. The announcement changes how long a medical exam - completed…
A lot of our clients are finding themselves in a frustrating situation. They filed an adjustment of status application (Form I-485) and were issued a 12-month temporary work authorization (EAD). So far, so good, except that the EAD is about…
*This article is now outdated* After this article was published, USCIS formally announced new rules for public charge determinations. Find an updated article about those changes here. USCIS is considering major changes to how it makes "public charge" determinations…
For couples just beginning to research the immigration process, they often ask themselves if they have a choice between pursuing a visa (whether fiancée or marriage bases) and adjustment of status. In fact, the decision is usually not theirs to…
The mandatory USCIS filing fees must accompany an application or petition at the time it is filed. If you do not include the filing fee than the case will simply be returned to you and not filed. Here are some…
A TN visa authorizes an individual to live and work temporarily in the United States. But it is common for TN visa holders to become interested in pursuing lawful permanent resident (LPR) status while they are in the United States…
Marriage visa / spouse visa. It is very common for a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (“U.S. spouse”) to initiate the immigration process for a foreign spouse living abroad. This is commonly referred to in the immigration law community as…
Marriage Greencards (adjustment of status) Certain foreign nationals who are physically present in the U.S. may be able to complete the marriage-based immigration process without leaving the country. This process is referred to as adjustment of status (i.e., adjusting to…
In the past year, the processing times for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) have become quite long. A recent stakeholder call with the Ombudsman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) sheds some light on how bad the situation has become…
You are someone who follows the rules. You have no criminal record and pay your taxes on time. You also happen to be married to someone from another country, and you want him/her to be able to move to the…