Category: Live In The US

On September 9, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced there will be an automatic extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and the validity of TPS-related documentation for beneficiaries under the designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan. Notably, the automatic extension of TPS-related documentation includes Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), which […]

On August 12, 2021, USCIS announced that it is temporarily extending the validity period of Form I-693, Report of Medical Examinations and Vaccination Record, to four years. The form was previously valid for only two years.  Under the newly released guidance, USCIS may consider a completed Form I-693 valid if:  The civil surgeon’s signature is dated no […]

On June 7, 2021, the Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling and stated that certain individuals who have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) may not qualify for Lawful Permanent Residence (LPR). In Sanchez v. Mayorkas, the Court concluded that individuals who entered the US illegally and subsequently gained legal status through the TPS program are not […]

The United States offers several different processes for people to legally change their name. There are different procedures that must be followed based on your citizenship or immigration status. In addition, many states have different rules governing name changes. For example, some US states do not even require native US citizens to file with the government […]

On April 30, 2021, U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced U.S. embassies and consulates are using a tiered approach to triage immigrant visa applications as DOS works to reduce the backlog of such applications resulting from travel restrictions and operational constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The tiered approach focuses on family reunification, prioritizing immediate relative […]

On May 3, 2021, Acting Associate Director of Service Center Operations (SCOPS) for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Connie Nolan signed a Declaration announcing the biometrics requirement will be suspended for H-4, L-2 and certain E Applications.  USCIS has the authority to require and collect biometrics, which include fingerprints, photographs, and digital […]

When he took office in January, President Biden pledged to take several actions within his first 100 days in office to expand, improve, and transform U.S. Immigration policy and law. Specifically, he promised to roll back his predecessor’s hard-line agenda, legalize undocumented immigrants, expand legal immigration, and reassert America’s commitment to refugees. Now that the […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented and deterred many individuals from traveling, including U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs). As such, many LPRs who traveled abroad before last March may find that their status as a LPR has expired or that they have “abandoned” their residency from being out of the U.S. for too long. This has […]

You’re approaching your fifth year as a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) and decide it may be time to apply for U.S. citizenship, but to your dismay, you realize your Green Card is expired, lost or stolen, or even expired and lost.  You are now wondering if you are still eligible to naturalize or if you […]

Anyone waiting to receive an employment-based or family-based green card is likely already familiar with the visa bulletin. The visa bulletin is published by the U.S. Department of State each month and serves as a waiting list for foreign nationals whose immigrant visas are subject to a yearly quota. Because the number of green card […]