Author: Jeff MacArthur

As part of President Obama’s Executive Orders on Immigration, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson has released a policy memorandum to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The memorandum is broken into five policies aimed to support U.S. high-skilled businesses and workers. The new policies outlined in the memorandum will be good for both U.S. businesses and […]

An estimated five million lives may be impacted today when President Obama signs a series of comprehensive immigration-based executive orders into effect. As you will read below, these executive orders will create significant amendments to our current immigration system. Regardless of one’s stance on these measures, it is important to understand how executive orders operate […]

In the spirit of Buffalo’s recent extreme weather conditions, we’d like to provide information about a special program offered through the Department of State (DOS) that warns travelers about potentially dangerous conditions in their upcoming travel destinations, among other things. The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service that allows U.S. citizens and […]

USCIS recently unveiled their new and improved website, featuring a cleaner look and more efficient tools. The updated web page now provides easy-to-navigate sections on news, outreach events, educational webinars and more, while still offering the practical icons and tabs that users are familiar with. The biggest change involved the Case Status Tool, a feature […]

On Nov. 12, the U.S. and China began increasing the length of short-term business and tourist visas as well as student and exchange visas issued to each others’ citizens. Chinese applicants who qualify for the B visa may now be issued multiple-entry visas for up to 10 years for business and tourist travel. This is […]

Each year on Nov. 11, we honor those who have risked their lives to serve in the United States Armed Forces. Veterans Day is a federal holiday and is often celebrated with nationwide parades and events. This year, USCIS will celebrate Veterans Day by hosting nearly 40 naturalization ceremonies throughout the week. USCIS will highlight […]

Per U.S. immigration regulations, any child born in the United States is automatically granted U.S. citizenship. This means that, regardless of their immigration status, the parents do not have to file any special immigration-related forms or follow any special immigration-related procedures in order to obtain status for their newborn. But what happens when a child […]

With the busy holiday travel season right around the corner, the U.S. Department of State is encouraging U.S. citizens to apply for or renew their U.S. passports now if making plans for winter travel. The DOS is currently experiencing lower average passport processing times than it will once the winter season arrives. Applicants traveling in […]

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a new policy on Oct. 28, 2014, that has altered the definitions of “mother” and “parent” so that gestational mothers using assisted reproductive technology (ART) may be able to transfer their U.S. citizenship to their children. An example of such ART would be a woman who became […]

After serving more than 33 years as an immigration inspector, it comes as no surprise that our NAFTA paralegal, Samuel Tiranno, has a vast understanding of employment-based visa categories. Mr. Tiranno first began his career in immigration in 1973 with the Buffalo District Office of Immigration & Naturalization Services (INS). He then went on to […]