Tag: visit_usa

Effective January 24, 2020, the Department of State (DOS) amended its regulation governing the issuance of visas in the “B” nonimmigrant classification for temporary visitors for pleasure.  This new rule establishes that travel to the United States with the primary purpose of obtaining U.S. citizenship for a child by giving birth in the U.S. is an […]

In general, when a citizen of a foreign country wishes to enter the United States, the foreign national must first obtain a visa. The visa allows a foreign national to travel to a U.S. port of entry and request permission of a U.S. immigration official to enter the United States. While Canadian Citizens are required to present a valid passport at the port of entry, they typically do not need a visa to enter the United States directly from Canada for the purposes of visiting or studying...

On May 22, 2019, the DHS has reported that the fees charged by SEVP (the Student and Exchange Visitor Program) to international students, exchange visitors and SEVP- certified schools will be increased beginning June 24, 2019. SEVP does not receive any funding from Congress and solely relies on fees to continue operations; therefore, the increase […]

The I-94 is the Arrival/Departure Record Card that the United States government uses to keep track of the arrivals and departures of foreign nationals. Beginning May 2019, CBP is no longer using the 11-digit long number for the I-94 and is instead switching to alphanumeric I-94 numbers. The number will remain 11 characters, but will […]

If you are applying for your nonimmigrant or immigrant U.S. visa abroad, you will likely notice a new question on the DS-160 and DS-260 applications. This new question asks for the applicant’s username and handle for any social media or online presence within the last five years. It specifically requests the information for more than […]

After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Congress passed the REAL ID Act to establish minimum security standards for state-issued IDs and driver’s licenses. The provisions of this act have been phased in over time but will be fully enforced beginning Oct. 1, 2020. For New York residents, this means that starting October 1, 2020, a […]

What is commonly referred to as the “travel ban” or “Muslim ban” is the product of three executive orders signed by President Donald Trump in 2017 and 2018. Each executive order met a number of legal challenges in the federal court system, but ultimately, the third version of the order was upheld by the United […]

Lawful status, period of authorized stay, and unlawful presence are all terms that in the immigration context, refer to related, yet unique concepts. It is crucial to understand these concepts as they can have a major impact on the success of one’s immigration case or petition.  Lawful Status All U.S. citizens and U.S. nationals have […]

On April 1, 2019, the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, which spans the international border between Canada and the United States in Niagara Falls, will be temporarily closing. The closure is necessitated by the upcoming removal of the 1,700-foot Niagara Scenic Parkway viaduct above the bridge and customs plaza. The removal of the viaduct is part of […]

On June 12, 2018, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a document titled the DHS Northern Border Strategy. This document published findings of the assessment DHS conducted in 2017 regarding security issues and concerns at the U.S. border with Canada.  While DHS concluded that the Northern Border faced more limited threats compared to the […]