A new policy brief published by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) analyzing USCIS processing times reveals that the agency has reached “crisis” level delays in processing immigrant and non-immigrant petitions. These delays have worsened during the Trump administration. According to the report the most vulnerable populations include immigrant families,…
A new report released by CBS news estimates that the immigration court system could face a staggering backlog of more than one million cases, if the government shutdown extends into February and March. According to the report, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky in particular will be the most affected, owing to…
You’ve filed your petition with USCIS and have received your receipt notice in the mail, now what? A receipt notice also known as a “Notice of Action” is sent by USCIS to an applicant/petitioner of an immigrant or non-immigrant benefit, to communicate information relating to receipt of the benefit requested,…
The government shutdown has now entered its 13th day with no agreement in sight between the President and lawmakers to settle government funding for the President’s wall along the U.S./Mexico border. Today, January 3, 2019, the President awoke to a newly convened House of Representatives, now controlled by the Democratic…
In this post, we discuss the different options available for foreign nurses to work in the United States. First, let’s discuss licensure requirements. Registered Nurse License Requirements by Examination Educated Outside the U.S. Educational Evaluation of Transcripts: All applicants who graduated from nursing schools outside the United States must have…
Good News for Adjustment of Status Applicants! The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is updating its policy, extending the validity of Form I-693 Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, submitted along with an application for an immigration benefit (such as an I-485 Application for Adjustment of Status).…
The Washington Post recently reported that President Trump is expected to deliver a scathing speech on immigration this upcoming Tuesday October 30, 2018. The President’s speech will come just a week before the highly contested midterm elections, where more than 425 House seats are up for re-election. Interestingly, the Post…
Photo by Thomas Hawk, Flickr Extension of TPS Designation for Yemen The Department of Homeland Security has announced an extension of the TPS designation of Yemen for a period of 18 months, from September 4, 2018 to March 3, 2020. Re-registration is limited to persons who have previously registered for…
On Saturday, September 22, 2018, the Department of Homeland Security announced a new proposed rule that may prevent non-citizens reliant, or likely to become reliant on public benefits, from gaining admission to the United States. The new proposal entitled, “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds,” has been signed by the Secretary…
In this post, we would like to keep our readers informed about Visa Bulletin projections for the coming months. Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division of the U.S. Department of State provides a monthly analysis of each month’s Visa Bulletin including discussion of current trends and…