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Family-Based Immigration Law

20 01, 2009

Waiting for Comprehensive Immigration Reform – What Actions Can the Overstay/Undocumented Take in the Meantime?

By |2009-01-20T11:40:37-06:00January 20th, 2009|Categories: Amnesty for Immigrants in the U.S., Asylum in the United States, Employment-Based Immigration Law, Family-Based Immigration Law, Green Cards, Immigrant Health Care Workers in the U.S., Immigrant Visas for Spouse / Fiancee / Child Visas, Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S., Removal / Deportation Proceedings and Court Hearings, U.S. Immigration Law and Legislation, Undocumented Immigrants and Workers in the U.S., United States Embassies Abroad|

Waiting for Comprehensive Immigration Reform – What Actions Can the Overstay/Undocumented Take in the Meantime? Published: January 20, 2009 So, you have made the decision that being in the U.S. without legal status is better than being in your home country with all the legal status in the world. And you continue to hope that President Obama can advance his goal of comprehensive immigration reform and that your particular circumstances will be covered by some prospective legislation. While we await such legislation, are there measures the overstay / undocumented foreign national can take to “legalize” their status and obtain U.S. lawful […]

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6 01, 2009

Amidst Fear of Terrorism, US CIS Sets Goals for Screening Fraudulent Green Card Applications

By |2009-01-06T07:51:04-06:00January 6th, 2009|Categories: DHS / Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Employment-Based Immigration Law, Family-Based Immigration Law, Green Cards, Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S.|

Amidst Fear of Terrorism, US CIS Sets Goals for Screening Fraudulent Green Card Applications Published January 6, 2009 Recently, the U.S. Congressional Committee on Homeland Security commissioned a study of fraud among immigrant Adjustment of Status applications, after a 2004 warning from the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (the 9/11 Commission) that members of terrorist organizations could easily “embed” themselves in the U.S. by becoming Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs). Last month, the findings were presented to the Congressional Committee, along with recommendations of ways that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) might apply more scrutiny to each […]

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25 09, 2008

The New Visa Lottery (DV-2010)

By |2008-09-25T13:22:31-05:00September 25th, 2008|Categories: Employment-Based Immigration Law, Family-Based Immigration Law, Green Cards, Immigrant Visas for Spouse / Fiancee / Child Visas, U.S. Immigration Law and Legislation, Visa Lottery and Diversity Visas to the U.S.|

The New Visa Lottery (DV-2010) Published September 25, 2008 As in years past, millions of people from all over world will submit entries to have a chance at one of 55,000 diversity immigrant visas and obtain “green card” status in the U.S. Excluded from eligibility are natives of Brazil (new to the list), Canada, China (mainland born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru (new to the list), Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and Vietnam. That is because these are considered to be “high admission” nations, and the basis of Congress establishing […]

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15 08, 2008

New Medical Forms, New Vaccine Requirements, and One Small Detail

By |2008-08-15T13:38:25-05:00August 15th, 2008|Categories: Employment-Based Immigration Law, Family-Based Immigration Law, Green Cards, Immigrant Visas for Spouse / Fiancee / Child Visas|

New Medical Forms, New Vaccine Requirements, and One Small Detail Published August 15, 2008 This summer US Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) has issued a new list of required vaccinations and a new medical form for applicants for permanent residence (I-485). Applicants for Adjustment of Status will need to show that they’ve had the following vaccinations: – rotavirus – hepatitis A – meningococcal – human papillomavirus – zoster (for applicants age 60 and older) The new medical exam form (I-693) was published on uscis.gov on June 5, 2008 and the new requirements went into effect on August 1. So if an […]

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13 03, 2008

Proof of Immigration Status Cannot be Required When Applying for A Marriage License

By |2008-03-13T14:00:36-05:00March 13th, 2008|Categories: Family-Based Immigration Law, Undocumented Immigrants and Workers in the U.S.|

Proof of Immigration Status Cannot be Required When Applying for A Marriage License March 13, 2008 Although it does not appear to be a problem anywhere in the State of Illinois, marriage license applicants in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania have run up against a local requirement that they submit proof of their immigration status in order to be issued a marriage license. Pursuant to a recent federal court order settling a lawsuit filed against the county last year, the county will stop the practice, publicize the change and pay $10,000.00 damages to the couple that brought the lawsuit. The lawsuit was originally […]

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15 02, 2008

New Poverty Guidelines In Effect For Sponsors Completing Affidavits Of Support

By |2008-02-15T14:00:36-06:00February 15th, 2008|Categories: DHS / Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Family-Based Immigration Law|

New Poverty Guidelines In Effect For Sponsors Completing Affidavits Of Support February 15, 2008 Before any intending family-based immigrant is issued their visa, or approved for adjustment of status, the petitioning U.S. family member or their joint co-sponsor will have to submit an I-864 Affidavit of Support and most of the time, satisfy certain income requirements (exceptions exist for those proving their financial health via assets owned such as bank/brokerage accounts, real property, etc). The income requirements (125% of the poverty level) for sponsors residing in the lower 48 contiguous states in the U.S. are set forth below: 2008 Poverty Guidelines […]

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18 11, 2007

Applying for a Social Security Number

By |2007-11-18T14:00:36-06:00November 18th, 2007|Categories: Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Employment-Based Immigration Law, Family-Based Immigration Law, Non-Immigrant Visas for Temporary Workers / H-1B, Undocumented Immigrants and Workers in the U.S.|

Applying for a Social Security Number November 18, 2007 One of the requirements for legal employment in the United States is a valid Social Security Number (SSN) issued by the Social Security Administration (SSA). For most people born in the U.S., their parents take care of obtaining this number when providing information for the birth certificate. For those non-U.S. citizens who complete their immigrant visa processing at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad and indicated that they would like to receive a SSN on their Form DS-230, the SSA will mail them their new Social Security card shortly after their admission to […]

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10 08, 2007

New Immigration Filing Fees, Fee Waivers

By |2007-08-10T14:00:36-05:00August 10th, 2007|Categories: Citizenship / Naturalization and the N-400 Application, DHS / Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., Employment-Based Immigration Law, Family-Based Immigration Law, Green Cards, Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S.|

New Immigration Filing Fees, Fee Waivers August 10, 2007 As you may be aware, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a new fee schedule which went into effect July 30, 2007. The fee increases are significant, to say the least, with some application costs increasing by 300 percent. There is no doubt that this change will cause hardship to many foreign nationals applying for immigration benefits in the United States, such as U.S. citizenship or permanent residence. In light of this, it is important to know that for some applications, USCIS offers applicants an opportunity to be considered for a […]

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2 05, 2007

The Immigration Components of the Adam Walsh Act

By |2007-05-02T14:00:36-05:00May 2nd, 2007|Categories: Family-Based Immigration Law, Immigrant Visas for Spouse / Fiancee / Child Visas, U.S. Immigration Law and Legislation|

The Immigration Components of the Adam Walsh Act May 2, 2007 In recent years, outrage over crimes against children has led many states to enforce a variety of laws aimed at protecting children from child predators. One such law, the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act (“Adam Walsh Act”) was signed into effect in the past year and several of its immigration provisions have been implemented in the field in recent months. The law is aimed to provide further protection to children from sexual exploitation, violent crimes, child abuse, child pornography and to further promote internet safety. The law not […]

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29 03, 2007

The New Bi-Partisan Immigration Proposal: The Strive Act

By |2007-03-29T14:00:36-05:00March 29th, 2007|Categories: Amnesty for Immigrants in the U.S., Customs and Border Patrol / Travel to and from the U.S., DHS / Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), DHS / Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Employment-Based Immigration Law, Family-Based Immigration Law, Immigration and Criminal Law / Detainees, Non-Immigrant Visas for Temporary Workers / H-1B, U.S. Immigration Law and Legislation, Undocumented Immigrants and Workers in the U.S.|

The New Bi-Partisan Immigration Proposal: The Strive Act March 29, 2007 Our President, along with many U.S. politicians – including a few of our presidential candidates, think we should enact comprehensive immigration reform and find a way to legalize the undocumented population of the U.S. Other presidential candidates and politicians are vehemently opposed to any measure that would reward our undocumented population with an immigration benefit allowing for the right to legally remain in the U.S. So, within this setting, on March 22, 2007, U.S. Representatives Luis V. Gutierrez (D-IL) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) introduced a comprehensive, bipartisan, immigration reform bill […]

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