Berardi Blog

The Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs will be changing processing fees for border crossing cards, nonimmigrant visas, and immigrant visas at U.S. Embassies and Consulates globally.  Individuals with pending consular appointments should be prepared to pay these new fees. ]]>

Wellness programs are all the rage and could be the future of many employers’ benefit programs.  This is especially true given the skyrocketing costs of health care and prescription drugs, the uncertainly created due to health care reform (PPACA), and reported unhealthy behavior trends among adults in the United States. I receive calls every week […]

Recently, Berardi Immigration Law was retained by a high-level Norwegian executive working for an existing corporation who wanted to expand into the United States. Rosanna Berardi reviewed the facts and concluded that because there would be affiliated foreign and U.S. corporations, as well as other pertinent requirements being met, the business person qualified for L-1A, […]

Q.  Can I prepare an immigration petition by myself? A.  The CIS website contains a wealth of information regarding various nonimmigrant classifications, forms, fees, regulations and policies.  However, to the layperson, navigating and interpreting this information correctly can sometimes prove to be difficult.  In fact, U.S. Immigration regulations are one of the most complex areas […]

Are you planning to visit the U.S. for a vacation, to attend a seminar or to visit relatives? If so, there are specific immigration provisions you should be aware of. Qualifying for a Visa Applicants for visitor visas must show that they qualify under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The presumption in the […]

Many Canadians enter the U.S. for business reasons in B-1 status which allows for a wide range of business-related activities to be conducted.  However, some areas of permissible business activities are unclear. B-1 status which allows Canadian business people to enter the U.S. temporarily on an intermittent basis requires that the visitor maintain his or her Canadian […]

The U.S. Embassy in London is expecting to drastically limit their visa services this summer and is encouraging applicants to apply for their non-immigrant visas this spring and early summer in an effort to avoid delays. The summer months tend to be busy for all U.S. Embassies and Consulates and due to the Olympic Games, the U.S. […]

Earlier this month, CBP Officers encountered an individual traveling by car from Canada to Buffalo who presented a valid U.S. passport and claimed that he was a U.S. citizen.  Ultimately, it was determined that this person was using a false identity.

If you are traveling domestically within the United States, you will encounter Transportation and Security Administration or “TSA” Officers at one of the more than 450 airports located across the country.  There are approximately 43,000 TSA Officers who are responsible for facilitating travel while simultaneously providing frontline security and protecting the traveling public. TSA Officers […]

While the CIS website is comprehensive and contains information regarding applications, government fees, filing procedures and case status, individuals who are not familiar with  immigration regulations and practices or who have encountered difficulties with their case, may seek the advice of a CIS Information Officer.

If you will be applying for an immigration benefit such as a petition for nonimmigrant worker, application to adjust status to a permanent resident or U.S. citizenship, your petition or application will be reviewed by an Adjudications Officer. Adjudications Officers work from several large CIS service centers positioned in various geographic regions within the U.S. […]

Berardi Immigration Law would like to remind you that if you are planning a trip across the border for the Presidents Day/Family Day long weekend to plan for heavier than usual traffic and to ensure that you have the proper documents necessary for travel. Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), U.S. and Canadian citizens […]

CBP Agricultural Specialists have been busy inspecting hundreds of millions of imported flowers from South America to be sold to U.S. consumers for Valentines Day.  At ports of entry, CBP ensures that plant pests and diseases are detected and prevented from being introduced to the U.S. flower and agricultural industries. Last Valentines Day season, CBP […]

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) is the largest investigative agency in the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”).  ICE employs approximately 20,000 individuals in 400 offices across the United States and globally. ICE Agents conduct criminal and civil investigations involving national security threats, terrorism, drug smuggling, child exploitation, human trafficking, illegal arms export, financial crimes, […]

UCIS has verified an increase in worksite visits to H1B employers.  The site visit program began in July 2009, and includes a plan to conduct 25,000 such visits in fiscal year (FY) 2010. This is approximately five times the number of site visits that were conducted in FY2009. Conducted through the USCIS Office of Fraud […]

Are you interested in working in the U.S. as a professional? Do you have a job offer from a U.S. employer? If so, you may qualify for H-1B nonimmigrant status. The H-1B category is designated for temporary professionals to work in the U.S. in a “specialty occupation.” In general, “specialty occupation” is defined as a […]

Overview and Types of Visas (Classifications) The Immigration and Nationality Act provides several categories of nonimmigrant visas for a person who wishes to work temporarily in the United States. If you want to work in the U.S. temporarily, under immigration law, you need a specific visa based on the purpose of your travel and type […]

All employment-based visas are considered nonimmigrant visas. This means that foreign workers in one of these categories enter the U.S. for a temporary period of time and their activity is restricted based on the provisions of their respective nonimmigrant visas. Nonimmigrants must generally represent that they will only stay in the U.S. for a temporary […]

It can be difficult for foreign workers, who wish to come to the United States for business purposes, to understand when a B-1 Business Visitor Visa is sufficient and when Work Authorization is required. Working in the U.S. without the appropriate authorization can have life-long consequences. Therefore, a careful analysis of the work to be […]

The O-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa. It is for individuals who possess extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who have a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and who have been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements. To qualify for an O-1 visa, the beneficiary […]