Tag: DOS

On April 21st, President Biden announced a new program known as “Uniting for Ukraine” in order to create a more streamlined and efficient process for Ukrainian refugees seeking safety in the United States. The program kicks off today, Monday, April 25, 2022.  The program has a goal of welcoming as many as 100,000 Ukrainian refugees […]

A US federal judge has declared it unlawful for the State Department to use travel bans issued to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as a reason to stop processing visas for otherwise eligible travelers. Find our more here. Senior Associate Attorney Gabriella Agostinelli tells us what this means for your travel plans to the United […]

On October 5, 2021, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia granted a group of non-citizens summary judgment in their suit against the U.S. Department of State (the “Department”), finding the Department acted improperly in suspending visa issuance pursuant to the Regional Ban Proclamations.  Background In response to the ongoing pandemic, both Former-President […]

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 March 1, 2021, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) shared a briefing with Consular Affairs Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Visa Services, Julie M. Stufft, regarding the status of immigrant visa processing at embassies and consulates around the world. This briefing was conducted in light of the recent recission of Presidential Proclamation 10014, which lifted […]

On October 21, 2020 the Department of State (DOS) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking on visas for temporary visitors for business or pleasure. The proposed change would amend the regulation governing the B-1 nonimmigrant visa classification, which provides temporary visas for visitors entering the U.S. for business activities that are necessary and incidental to their regular […]

On June 22, President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation 10052 (PP 10052) suspending certain nonimmigrant visas until December 31, 2020. Effective June 24, the proclamation prohibits foreign nationals, and any foreign nationals accompanying or following to join them, from entering the U.S. under the H-1B, H-2B, J, or L nonimmigrant visa classifications. Lawsuit Challenging the Proclamation’s Legal […]

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 […]

In PERM green card cases, you might often hear the term “priority date.”  So what exactly is that, and how does it relate to the Visa Bulletin? Well, the number of employment-based green cards issued each year is limited to a statutory threshold. Since there are more people who apply than the number of immigrant visas […]