13 Jun 2019

July 2019 Visa Bulletin: Significant Movement in Multiple Categories

The July 2019 Visa Bulletin has been released by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). There are some notable movements in family-based (FB) as well as employment-based (EB) categories. Most significantly, the F2A category becomes current for all countries of chargeability, as well as the...

04 Jun 2019

DS-160 and DS-260 Now Require Social Media Information

The U.S. State Department (DOS) has implemented changes to electronic forms DS-160, Application for a Nonimmigrant Visa, and DS-260, Application for an Immigrant Visa, that go into effect immediately. These applications will now request information about the social media username or handle used by an...

03 Jun 2019

USCIS Implements Stricter Expedite Request Criteria

On May 10, 2019, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated the Adjudicator's Field Manual (AFM) to reduce the circumstances under which the USCIS will consider granting a case expedited treatment. In general, the USCIS has the authority to grant an expedite request on...

03 Jun 2019

Can a person be the beneficiary of an employment-based immigrant petition and a family-based immigration petition at the same time?

Answer Yes, a person can be the beneficiary of both a family-based and employment-based immigrant petition at the same time. The petitions will not likely interfere with each other. Whichever priority date becomes current first can serve as the basis of your I-485 filing. You should...

15 Apr 2019

I am a U.S. citizen, and I filed an I-130 for my parents. However, they do not yet wish to apply for green cards. In the meantime, are they allowed to visit me on their B-2 visas?

Answer Someone who is the beneficiary of a pending or approved I-130 petition likely will be subject to a higher degree of scrutiny and questioning by CBP if they try to enter the U.S. as a visitor. (15.Apr.2019)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and...

01 Apr 2019

I was born in India, but moved to England at the age of 3 and became a British citizen. Is it possible to use my country of citizenship in applying for a green card?

Answer Generally, one is counted against the country of birth (or spouse's country of birth), not country of citizenship.There are limited circumstances in which one's country of citizenship can be used - typically, this occurs when the child is born in a country where neither parent...

11 Mar 2019

USCIS Revises Policy on Travel While AP is Pending

The policy regarding overseas travel, while an I-131 application for advance parole (AP) is pending, has been updated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Effective immediately, the USCIS will not deny a pending I-131 renewal based on overseas travel by the applicant, as...

07 Mar 2019

Proposed Bill Would Remove Per-Country Limits – Still Far from Becoming Law

A proposed bill, introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, would eliminate the per-country limits on employment-based (EB) immigrant visa categories, and lift the limit for family-based (FB) categories. If passed into law, it would transform the backlogs in the...