Canadians have unique procedural options to apply for admission in a status that authorizes employment. The different procedural options primarily are for L‐1 intracompany transferees and TN professional workers. Intracompany Transferees L1 Visa: Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), citizens of Canada are authorized to present a petition…
Do you want to become a US Citizen? Foreign nationals who wish to become citizens of the United States may do so through the naturalization process. Citizenship confers many advantages — the right to vote, protection from the government, access to certain jobs and benefits, and the option to hold…
Just a week ago, on November 30, 2012, USCIS adopted new filing policies and procedures regarding the exceptions for permitting filing Form I-601 (Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility) and any associated Form I-212 (Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission into the United States After Deportation or Removal)…
On December 3, 2012, USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas held a public engagement on the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. Director Mayorkas provided updates on creation of the separate office for administration of EB-5 Immigrant Investor program. The EB-5 program has spurred the creation of tens of thousands of new jobs and…
Clients and our Blog visitors often ask me about Waivers. What is a waiver, is it a form of punishment, will it cure any Immigration violation? Certain violations of Immigration Law will make the applicant eligible for a waiver. The most common violation is unlawful presence, and there is a…
In the first post-election effort to reform U.S. immigration policy, the House on Friday approved a Republican-sponsored measure, STEM Jobs Act, by a margin of 245 to 139. The bill eliminates the diversity visa program and reallocates up to 55,000 new green cards – the document that establishes legal permanent…
We have been waiting anxiously for updates on the processing of the E2 Treaty for Israeli Nationals, so far no news from the Israeli side. Recently the Law firm of Mintz Levin inquired with the US Embassy in Tel Aviv and here is a report from their end: Recently, Mintz…
With recent Deferred Action cases getting approved by USCIS, those who are able to get work authorization will also need a social security number. Once work authorization has been approved, a person who has been granted Deferred Action should apply for a social security number directly with their Social Security…
When the Obama administration announced in August a plan to grant two-year deportation deferrals to young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, it sparked anger among some critics who said it was little more than a free pass. Those critics can rest a bit easier now, as…
Currently there is a major difference between US Citizens sponsoring foreign spouses to residency, and Permanent Residents (Green Card holders), that are filing for their spouses. Green card holders married to non-U.S. citizens are able to legally bring their spouses and minor children to join them in the USA, but…