Berardi Blog
The Berardi Immigration Law blog – find all our posts here.
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Recapping Berardi Immigration Law’s Busy Week at the Border
Last week, Berardi Immigration Law accompanied seven clients to the border to present their cases before Customs & Border Protection (CBP) at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, N.Y. Once again, we were successful in having all of our clients’ petitions approved. Renewal of L-1A (1) and L-1B Status (2) Among our many cases, we assisted […]Read More -
CBP Addresses Many Interesting Points at AILA’s Annual Canada/U.S. Border Immigration Conference
Several associates from Berardi Immigration Law attended AILA’s sixth annual Canada/U.S. Border Immigration Fall Conference on Oct. 17. The conference focused on the intersection of U.S. and Canadian law and celebrated the 20th anniversary of NAFTA. In staying true to this focus, several CBP officers from the local Buffalo Peace Bridge served on a panel […]Read More -
Rosanna Berardi to Present at AILA’s 6th Annual Canada/U.S. Border Immigration Conference
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) will host the 6th annual Canada/U.S. Border Immigration Fall Conference in Buffalo, N.Y., on Oct. 17, and among this year’s presenters will be Berardi Immigration Law’s Managing Partner, Rosanna Berardi. The AILA conference gives leading immigration lawyers and other professionals the opportunity to discuss and analyze substantive and practical […]Read More -
Enhanced Ebola Screening to Commence in U.S. Airports
On Oct. 11, 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs & Border Protection (CBP) commenced screening for the Ebola virus at select U.S. airports. Starting with New York’s JFK Airport, all travelers from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone will now undergo enhanced entry screening in an […]Read More -
Diversity Visa Program Registration Now Open
Each year, the Department of State allows 50,000 immigrant visas to become available through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, a lottery program catered to foreign nationals from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. One can apply for a Diversity Visa electronically during an annual registration period. The 2016 Diversity Visa Program (DV-2016) […]Read More -
Phasing to ‘Next Generation’ NEXUS Kiosks has Begun
The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) has announced that they will begin to replace the current NEXUS kiosks with “next generation” kiosks. The new kiosks will be faster and more reliable, in addition to increasing the efficiency of services in air travel. For those unfamiliar with the program, under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, the […]Read More -
Vaccination Waivers Available on Medical or Moral Grounds
All foreign nationals seeking permanent residence in the U.S. are required by law to receive vaccinations to prevent diseases like Mumps, Measles, Rubella, and Hepatitis B. The vaccinations are typically administered during a medical examination by a “civil surgeon,” which is a medical professional specially designated by the USCIS. Occasionally, an applicant may disagree with […]Read More -
U.S. Military Announces Certain DACA Recipients May Now Serve Under MAVNI
The U.S. Department of Defense unveiled a new policy on Sept. 25, 2014, that will give a small number of undocumented immigrants an opportunity to join the military. The new rules will expand an existing program allowing recruiters to target foreign nationals with high demand skills such as foreign language expertise or specialized health care […]Read More -
Optimized Processing Available at Select U.S. Ports of Entry
Starting mid-September 2014, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began offering optimized processing for first-time Canadian TN visa and L visa applicants seeking entry into the U.S. under NAFTA. CBP has already designated 14 ports of entry that will ensure more efficient processing for the high quantity of TN and L applicants seeking admission. Among […]Read More -
Remembering the Jay Treaty on Native American Day
In the United States, we celebrate Native American Day on the fourth Friday of September. This is a day set aside to honor and celebrate Native Americans as the first to settle in the U.S., and people are encouraged to spend the day learning more about Native American history and culture. In honor of Native […]Read More -
Celebrating Constitution Day and Citizenship Day in the United States
Each year in the United States we celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. This is a federal observance that recognizes the adoption of the United States Constitution and those who have become U.S. citizens. We celebrate each year on Sept. 17, as this was the day the Founding Fathers signed the Constitution in Philadelphia in […]Read More -
Traveling Overseas With Fido? Quirky Rules May Have Pet Owners Growling
According to the U.S. Office of Travel and Tourism, Americans took more than 61 million trips overseas in the year 2013. With more than 68 percent of all U.S. households owning a pet, it’s no surprise that our furry friends are more frequently joining in on the family vacation. Rules and regulations on live imports […]Read More -
What You May Not Know About the Affidavit of Support
Any person seeking to immigrate to the United States pursuant to a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, must have a financial sponsor who signs and submits a Form I-864, Affidavit of Support to the Department of Homeland Security. With this Affidavit of Support, the sponsor agrees to financially support the intending immigrant at 125 […]Read More -
How a New Passport Validity Rule Could Ruin Your Vacation
A growing number of Americans have been shocked when their international travel plans were cut short due to a new passport validity rule enacted in many foreign countries. The new rule requires that a traveler’s passport must have six or more months of validity in order to travel to that country. This rule change has […]Read More -
Mandatory PERM Password Change Alert
Attention all employers with Permanent Case Management System (PERM) accounts. As of Aug. 25, 2014, all PERM users must now begin to comply with new password requirements for enhanced security. All PERM users will be required to change their existing passwords within the next 90 calendar days. As cyber threats are becoming increasingly aggressive, the new password […]Read More -
Don’t be Caught Off Guard by New Visa Fees
The Department of State has announced that effective Sept. 12, 2014, certain fees for both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories will change. DOS amends their visa fee schedule periodically in an effort to make the fees reflect the actual work that goes into various processes. DOS conducted a Cost of Service study that ran from April 2012 […]Read More -
What is the Visa Bulletin?
In several of our previous blogs, you may have noticed the term “visa bulletin.” This is a term that pops up quite frequently when discussing immigration matters. The visa bulletin is a monthly online publication issued by the United States Department of State containing detailed information on the availability of immigrant visa numbers. It is […]Read More -
CBP Announces New Mobile Passport Control App
U.S. Customs and Border Protection recently announced the launch of the first authorized app to expedite a traveler’s entry process into the U.S. The app, Mobile Passport Control, or MPC, will allow eligible travelers to submit their passport information and customs declaration form via a Smartphone or tablet prior to CBP inspection. The app was […]Read More -
Heed Immigration Rules When Hiring Foreign Employees
A recent influx of jobs into the Western New York marketplace has left Buffalo area businesses in an interesting position — trying to find enough qualified employees to fill those openings. As a result, a number of companies, especially those needing to fill high-tech positions, may expand their search beyond U.S. borders. That, however, can […]Read More -
U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs Releases Information Regarding CCD Performance Issues
The U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs has recently answered some questions regarding the worldwide Consular Consolidated Database (CCD) problems that have delayed many from receiving their U.S. passports and visas. Consular Affairs is reporting that significant progress has been made in addressing the problem and most of the backlogged nonimmigrant visas have been issued. However, […]Read More
Recent Blog Posts
- Recapping Berardi Immigration Law’s Busy Week at the Border
- CBP Addresses Many Interesting Points at AILA’s Annual Canada/U.S. Border Immigration Conference
- Rosanna Berardi to Present at AILA’s 6th Annual Canada/U.S. Border Immigration Conference
- Enhanced Ebola Screening to Commence in U.S. Airports
- Diversity Visa Program Registration Now Open
- Phasing to ‘Next Generation’ NEXUS Kiosks has Begun
- Vaccination Waivers Available on Medical or Moral Grounds
- U.S. Military Announces Certain DACA Recipients May Now Serve Under MAVNI
- Optimized Processing Available at Select U.S. Ports of Entry
- Remembering the Jay Treaty on Native American Day
- Celebrating Constitution Day and Citizenship Day in the United States
- Traveling Overseas With Fido? Quirky Rules May Have Pet Owners Growling
- What You May Not Know About the Affidavit of Support
- How a New Passport Validity Rule Could Ruin Your Vacation
- Mandatory PERM Password Change Alert
- Don’t be Caught Off Guard by New Visa Fees
- What is the Visa Bulletin?
- CBP Announces New Mobile Passport Control App
- Heed Immigration Rules When Hiring Foreign Employees
- U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs Releases Information Regarding CCD Performance Issues
