Category: News

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 […]

The U.S. Consulate in Toronto recently held a Zoom video conference to address recent changes and updates to the processing of E visas. The E visa category includes treaty traders and investors who come to the U.S. under a treaty of commerce and navigation between the U.S. and the country of which they are a […]

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 […]

On July 28, 2020, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Chad Wolf, issued a policy memorandum (“Wolf Memorandum”) making changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. A full breakdown of the changes to the DACA under the Wolf Memorandum can be found here. USCIS released guidance on how it will implement the Wolf Memorandum’s changes on August 24, […]

Last week, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) re-opened the H-1B cap lottery selection process. USCIS reopened the selection process because the number of petitions filed did not meet the annual cap. What is New Notifications have now gone out to applicants or their representatives notifying them that their H-1B registrations have been selected for the […]

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 […]

On July 31, 2020, USCIS announced a final rule adjusting many of the fees for immigration and naturalization benefit requests. In addition to the fee adjustments, the final rule also changed the premium processing timeline.  What is Premium Processing? The premium processing service provides guaranteed expedited processing of Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, and Form I-140, […]

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 […]

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 […]

On July 28, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security announced changes to the DACA policy while it fully reconsiders the policy. The changes and reconsideration of DACA follow the Supreme Court’s June 18, 2020 decision, which invalidated 2017 and 2018 memoranda that fully rescinded the DACA policy. Changes to the DACA Policy In the July […]