Category: Green Cards

In this post, Berardi Immigration Law attorney Zach Ahlstrom talks about the public charge rule changes that went into effect on February 24, 2020. Please note that this blog posts covers the same content as the video below. The U.S. immigration system is grounded in the concept of self-sufficiency. It has long been understood that […]

On February 24, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began implementing the “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds” final rule nationwide.  USCIS will apply this final rule to all applications and petitions postmarked (or, in applicable, submitted electronically) on or after that date.  USCIS will reject any affected applications or petition that does not adhere to the […]

Every fiscal year, approximately 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas are made available to qualified applicants under the provisions of US immigration law. Employment based immigrant visas are divided into five preference categories. These five preference categories include priority workers and persons with extraordinary ability, professionals holding advanced degrees and persons of exceptional ability, skilled workers, professionals, […]

USCIS has recently published a final regulation changing the EB-5 Program that awards permanent resident status to certain investors who create at least ten new jobs for U.S. workers. This new EB-5 rule will be effective for I-526 filings arriving at USCIS on or after November 21, 2019. The new EB-5 investments must be at least $900,000...

On November 14, 2019, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a proposed regulation, which would substantially increase the filing fees for many types of immigration benefits. The agency’s notice of proposed rulemaking, which is published in the Federal Register, explains that the proposed regulation would increase costs for most petitioners and applicants...

President Trump’s October 4th Proclamation has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge.  If allowed, it would require those seeking U.S. visas to obtain approved health insurance within 30 days of entry if they are not able to cover their own healthcare expenses. Judge Michael Simon, a Federal District Judge in Portland, Oregon, issued a nationwide temporary […]

On October 4, 2019, President Trump issued a proclamation that will require legal immigrants to gain approved health insurance coverage within 30 days of their entry to the U.S, unless they can prove that they are in a financial position that allows them to cover their own foreseeable medical expenses...

On October 11, 2019, three federal courts prevented the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) from implementing the new DHS Public Charge final rule. The rulings came from...

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the final public charge rule last month, and it will go into effect this coming Tuesday, October 15, 2019. With this new change, individuals who are likely to rely on public benefits while in the U.S. could be denied either admission to the country or an adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident...

The United States in one of 30 countries around the world that offers birthright citizenship to any person born on U.S. soil. Birth in the United States is the most straightforward way one can acquire U.S. citizenship, but it is not the only way...