USCIS backlogs have become a nightmare for many during the last few years. But now the government is holding the agency accountable for its inadequacies. As part of the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2022, USCIS was required to inform the government regarding how exactly it is planning to ramp up…
Articles Posted in Policies
GREEN CARD FILERS: USCIS to Start Sending Separate EAD and AP Approvals, Discontinuing EAD/AP Combo Card
We are happy to start this week with interesting new developments in the world of immigration law. As some of our readers may be aware, all green card applicants filing Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, are given the opportunity to file the Form I-765 Application…
BREAKING NEWS: Secretary Mayorkas Designates Ukrainians in the United States to Receive Temporary Protected Status for 18 Months
We have some breaking news for Ukrainian nationals. In a swift and unprecedented move, the Department of Homeland Security, today announced the designation of Ukraine to receive Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for an 18-month period. What is Temporary Protected Status? Established by the U.S. Congress in 1990, temporary protected status…
CBP Issuing Work-Authorized I-94s for E and L Spouses Effective January 31, 2022
In this blog post, we share great news for E and L dependent spouses! As we previously reported on our blog, pursuant to a new USCIS policy, E and L nonimmigrant dependent spouses are now considered employment authorized “incident to their status.” This means that upon admission and issuance of…
DHS Releases Travel Restrictions for Certain Unvaccinated Non-citizens at Land Ports of Entry Between the U.S. border with Canada and Mexico
With a new year comes new travel restrictions. In this blog post, we share with you a recent announcement published in the Federal Register by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. CBP has just released a notice of action informing the public of a brand-new temporary travel restriction that will…
Department of State/AILA Liaison Committee Meeting Q&A Highlights: What is DOS doing to eliminate the Visa Backlogs? What is the status of processing at missions in China? & More!
In today’s blog post, we share some interesting Question and Answer responses recently provided by the Department of State’s Office of the Assistant Legal Adviser for Consular Affairs (L/CA), in a meeting with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). The responses below provide some important insight into current immigration policies…
F/M/J Visa Applicants who are Residents of Russia can now apply at U.S. Missions Kazakhstan, Belgrade, and Yerevan
Happy Monday! Welcome back to Visalawyerblog! In this blog post we share some great news for Russian nationals seeking F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa interviews. On January 21, 2022, the Department of State announced that the agency has now designated several posts overseas to process these nonimmigrant visa applications…
DHS Issues Federal Notice Updating STEM Designated Degrees for Post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) Eligibility
More immigration news is coming your way. This week important updates have been released for F-1 students seeking post-completion Optional Practical Training in certain STEM-related fields of study. DHS Issues Advance Copy of STEM Designated Degree Program List for post-completion Optional Practical Training If you are an international student studying…
What’s Happening in Immigration: Diversity Visa Reassignment Procedures for Kabul and Baghdad
We are happy for you to join us today. In this blog post we share some new updates in the world of immigration law for Diversity Visa Program selectees. The Department of State has just released important procedures for Diversity Visa Applicants selected in the 2022 DV program with cases…
DOS Proposed Rule to Raise Several Consular Service Fees including E Visas, B1/B2, J-1 Waivers, BCC, and More
It’s the start of a brand-new year! On behalf of the Law Offices of Jacob J. Sapochnick we would like to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy New Year. It has been a challenging time in the world of immigration law but we at the Law Office…