Answer Automatic visa revalidation (AVR), otherwise known as the contiguous territory rule, allows a foreign national who has made a brief trip to Canada or Mexico to request readmission to the U.S. based on the existing I-94, without the need for a valid visa “stamp.” To...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) recently announced that U.S. consular posts soon will resume scheduling visa appointments for F, M, and J nonimmigrant visa applicants. The resumption comes alongside the implementation of expanded screening and vetting procedures that will include comprehensive review of applicants'...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated its Policy Manual regarding how and when the agency may disclose derogatory information to benefit requestors before making adverse decisions. The new guidance does not represent a significant shift in policy. Rather, it mainly serves to...
Starting 18.Jun.2025, the U.S. Department of State will resume processing student visas but now requires applicants to set their social media accounts to public for enhanced vetting. [More on Politico.]...
Answer In marriage-based green card cases, the petitioner and beneficiary typically are interviewed together. However, if marriage fraud is suspected, the officer has the discretion to interview each spouse separately. (17.Jun.2025)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our...
Answer Requesting retention of a priority date does not void or otherwise invalidate the original I-140 application. If Company A chooses not to withdraw the I-140, it continues to remain valid for immigration purposes, even if that priority date is retained and applied to another case....
Answer If a student attends a school on a quarter or trimester calendar, they may take one vacation per year during any one of the quarters or trimesters, as long as they have completed the equivalent of an academic year prior to taking the vacation. (17.Jun.2025)Sheela...
A U.S. State Department memo reportedly states that an additional 36 countries may face full or partial suspension of entry if they do not meet established benchmarks and requirements within 60 days....
A finding of willful misrepresentation or fraud at a U.S. consulate can have serious immigration consequences that may not be easily overcome. This brief presentation by an experienced senior attorney at the Murthy Law Firm helps listeners in this situation. The MP3 is available here and...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced a change in the validity period of the report of medical examination and vaccination record (form I-693). Per the updated policy, an I-693 signed by a Civil Surgeon after 01.Nov.2023 will remain valid only for the...
