New Homeland Security Measure to Lead to Reorganization of Immigration Agency November 21, 2002 The U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service – also known as “the INS”, the federal executive agency charged with the implementation and enforcement of our country’s immigration laws, will cease to exist under a new plan that... Read more →
Family Based Immigrant Visa Availability – Rapid Progress Expected in the Coming Months November 7, 2002 By federal statute, roughly 500,000 family-based immigrant visas and 140,000 employment based immigrant visas become available each fiscal year, which begins on October 1 and runs through September 30. This number does not include the... Read more →
The Misadventures of a Skokie “Immigration Consultant” October 17, 2002 As long as there are sign-makers to manufacture signs, individuals are free to purchase their services, create a sign, and call themselves whatever they like. Whether it be a witch doctor, cat psychologist or immigration consultant, the sign purchaser tries to tell... Read more →
Exceptional and Extremely Unusual Hardship: BIA Reverses Immigration Judge Ruling on an Undocumented Family of 6 September 26, 2002 When it comes to deportation proceedings, now known as removal proceedings, the options available for individuals to put up a defense have become more and more scarce over the years. One defense option that remains is... Read more →
INS Processing Times in Chicago and Lincoln, Nebraska September 11, 2002 UPDATE For the most recent processing times, visit CIS ( INS ) Processing Times. Nebraska Service Center, Lincoln, Nebraska Form I-129 – Petition for a Non-Immigrant Worker (which includes professionals/specialty occupation workers (H-1B visa, etc), intracompany... Read more →
“Aging Out” Children to Benefit from Child Status Protection Act August 22, 2002 On August 7, 2002, President Bush signed into law the Child Status Protection Act. Although many aspects of this new piece of legislation remain unclear, the general aim of this law is to protect the immigration benefits of children under petition by [...] Read more →
Significant New Benefits For Employment-Based Green Card Applicants August 2, 2002 For qualifying applicants in the U.S. seeking U.S. lawful permanent residence (“green card”) by way of a job offer, the process has just gotten quicker. Essentially, what used to be a 3 step process, has recently been reduced to a 2 step process –... Read more →
INS Chicago Implements New Advance Parole Procedures July 18, 2002 In the past month INS Chicago announced new procedures for the processing of requests for advance parole travel documents, with the major change being a 30 day processing time, rather than the previous 1 day, walk up service. Firstly, what is an advance parole travel [...] Read more →
Foreign Nationals Graduating High School in U.S. May Become Eligible for New Immigration Benefits June 27, 2002 With bi-partisan support, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has given the green light to an “amnesty” type legislative proposal that could potentially benefit large numbers of foreign nationals graduating from high school... Read more →