Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on March 30, 2020, USCIS announced that it would allow flexibility in responding to certain agency requests. USCIS has recently announced that they are extending this courtesy to cases in which notices were issued between March 1, 2020, and January 1, 2021. This flexibility applies to the following: Requests for […]
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B-1 “visitor” visas allow citizens of foreign countries to enter the United States to conduct business. The B-1 visa typically allows an initial period of stay of one to six months and may be extended up to six months depending on the business conducted. Employees engaging in sales activities on behalf of foreign corporations may […]
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The U.S.-Canada Border has been closed since March 21, 2020. Initially, the border was closed for 30 days, subject to reevaluation and further extension, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. On August 14, 2020, the closure was extended for the fifth time since March, leaving the border closed through September 21, 2020. What You Need […]
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A B-2 visa allows for a foreign national to travel to the U.S. for recreational purposes. Typically, the maximum period allowed for admission to the U.S. as a B-2 nonimmigrant is six months. However, in light of Covid-19, visitors on a B-2 visa may apply to extend their status in the U.S. The Covid-19 Impact […]
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Presidential Proclamations 10014 and 10052 suspended the entry of certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants to the United States through December 31, 2020. Both proclamations provide exceptions for individuals whose entry to the U.S. would be “in the national interest” according to the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designees; however, the proclamations provided […]
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On July 23, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it has reversed the ban on New York residents from applying for membership and renewal to Trusted Traveler Programs. The ban was first implemented over six months ago and impacted roughly 80,000 New Yorkers. Now, New Yorkers are no longer prohibited from applying […]
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In this video, Associate Attorney Zach Ahlstrom details our client’s successful humanitarian parole application presented to Customs and Border Protection at the Peace Bridge port of entry located in Buffalo, NY. Humanitarian parole is used when an individual is inadmissible to the United States and has an urgent need to enter. In this case, our […]
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In this video, Associate Attorney Zach Ahlstrom details his recent humanitarian parole case presented at the Peace Bridge port of entry here in Buffalo, NY. Humanitarian parole requests are a bit more rare than our TN or L-1 cases. A humanitarian parole request involves asking Customs and Border protection to admit an individual who would […]
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On July 6, 2020, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced modifications to temporary exemptions for international students taking online classes that it had enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic in March. The modifications asserted that students taking fully online course loads would be ineligible to receive visas or enter the U.S., and those already present […]
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In a mid-morning tweet posted on July 13, @Travel-Gov (Official Twitter for U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs) confirmed the following: “US embassies and consulates are beginning the phased resumption of routine visa services. The dates for each embassy or consulate will depend on local conditions. We are unable to provide details for […]
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