Berardi Blog

The State Department is anticipating a surge in passport demand this year and officials hope to avoid delays for Americans who may not get their passports renewed in time for upcoming travel. The department is expecting more than 17 million new passports and renewals this year, about 1.5 million more than 2015. The Department plans […]

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services have released draft guidance on how it will consider evidence supporting O-1 immigration applicants, which cover people with extraordinary abilities in science, education, business, athletics, and the arts, by clarifying how it will weigh supporting information for an application. The new guidelines should eliminate some ambiguity on O-1 applications by […]

The Visa Waiver Program (“VWP”), created to allow individuals of certain pre-approved countries to enter the U.S. without first obtaining a visitor visa, was amended by Congress on December 18, 2015 as a part of the overall omnibus spending bill, H.R.2029. In response to the November 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, a portion of the […]

Yvonne Grist currently holds the position of Visa Services Coordinator with Berardi Immigration Law.  She originally joined the firm in 2010 as Administrative Assistant, and was quickly promoted to Office Administrator.  Her attention to detail and the individual needs of our clients made her an obvious choice to fill this quickly growing area of our […]

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to hear an argument on President Obama’s recent executive action on immigration. Twenty-six states secured a preliminary injunction against the President’s initiatives from a Texas judge in November, putting a halt on the program. The Obama administration then appealed, petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court on November 20th for […]

Maintaining a public access file is an integral part of complying with H-1B laws. The purpose of a public access file is to create a singular file in the employer’s place of business that contains documents that prove the employer is satisfying the minimum legal H-1B requirements. Once a public access file compliance system is […]

In the hopes of drawing people to the country for the 2016 Summer Olympics, Brazil is temporarily waiving visa requirements for certain travelers from June 1 to September 18. U.S. tourists, as well as Japanese, Australian, and Canadian passport holders, will be allowed to enter the country for up to 90 days without a visa. […]

“H-1B” is a term you’ll be hearing frequently in the coming months. If you’re a novice on the H-1B, we hope that we can provide you with some helpful tips on this complicated nonimmigrant visa category. Foreign workers may enter the United States through several different kinds of nonimmigrant (temporary) employment-based visas. If a foreign […]

If you work in the entertainment business, take note of the following HIFA visa pilot program in Hawaii.  There are stringent requirement rules, but if those requirements are met, participants will be able to be admitted to the U.S. on ESTA (Electronic System from Travel Authorization) instead of by filing an O petition.  The application […]

Immigration law is always a hot topic here at Berardi Immigration Law, and it was an especially hot topic in 2015 in regard to new developments in the business immigration field. We’ve been keeping track on our blog; as 2016 begins, here’s a look back at some of the highlights: USCIS Issues Final H-1B Simeio […]

As a result of the fiscal year 2016 omnibus appropriations bill passed on December 18, 2015, the supplemental fees for L-1 and H-1B petitions are increasing for companies that employ 50 or more employees in the United States and have more than 50 percent of the U.S. workforce in H-1B, L-1A, or L-1B nonimmigrant status. […]

Following an eventful summer, Berardi Immigration Law has continued to successfully present clients’ cases before Customs & Border Protection (CBP) at the Peace Bridge port of entry. Since September 1, our team has entered an impressive 64 border appearances, each of which was quickly approved. While most of these appearances involved TN and L-1 applications, […]

Being in a crowded airport during the holidays can make even the most holly and jolly among us feel like Ebenezer Scrooge. The best way to lessen the stress involved with hectic holiday travel is to be prepared. Will you be flying to visit family and friends this holiday season? Fret not! Read the following […]

It has been said that “True love knows no boundaries even though it crosses many.” Here’s the scenario: a U.S. citizen and a foreign national fall head over heels for each other and decide they want to tie the knot. The foreign national fiancé does not have a nonimmigrant visa allowing him or her to […]

Have a question for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services? “Emma” can help. Emma, a virtual assistant recently launched on uscis.gov, is named after Emma Lazarus. Her poem, “The New Colossus,” is inscribed at the base of the Statue of Liberty. Ms. Lazarus was a writer who was also involved in charitable work for refugees. On […]

In an effort to reinforce national security, the House of Representatives has passed a bill that would place restrictions on visa-free travel to the United States. This legislation was passed three days after President Barack Obama’s Oval Office speech on terrorism, during which he “ordered the Departments of State and Homeland Security to review the […]

Danielle Blahowicz is a Paralegal at Berardi Immigration Law. She prepares and files Adjustment of Status applications, Waivers, NAFTA applications (TNs and Ls), nonimmigrant visas, immigrant visas, naturalization applications, and work and travel authorization applications. Ms. Blahowicz handles many of our marriage-based green card cases. “Every case is different so it’s always interesting,” Ms. Blahowicz […]

Jet-setters, take note: the U.S. Department of State has made a change to its passport policy. Starting January 1, 2016, the DOS will no longer add visa page inserts into U.S. passports. Those who need to obtain additional pages in their valid passports will have to get a new passport by mail. Currently, U.S. passport […]

“Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness” is a joint initiative between the United States and Canada to enhance security and expedite trade and travel in order to benefit both nations. From the declaration by President Obama and Prime Minister Harper released on February 4, 2011: “The United States and […]

Are you planning on driving a car during your upcoming trip to the U.S.? If so, come prepared. Here’s a checklist for visitors driving in the United States: Check with the motor vehicle department of each state you plan to drive in to find out the requirements for international drivers. (Canadians are exempt.) In addition […]