The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Vermont Service Center (VSC) has reopened today, following a brief closure last week. The closure was the result of a possible case of COVID-19. However, the test fortunately came back as negative for the virus. Copyright © 2020, MURTHY...
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has received a number of reports from members that there was a possible COVID-19 exposure at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Vermont Service Center (VSC), forcing the center to temporarily close. According to the reports, the VSC...
Answer Ordinarily, a person admitted via ESTA is limited to 90 days in the U.S., without the ability to extend or change status. However, under these unprecedented circumstances, there are some options. First, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has advised that people admitted via ESTA...
Answer Generally speaking, from an immigration law perspective, having H1B petitions filed by two different employers is permissible. (09.Apr.2020)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information on our FREE online services, click here. Access more FAQs here. Copyright © 2020, MURTHY...
Answer A return ticket is not required to apply for a B-2 extension. It can be helpful in many circumstances; but, given the COVID-19 outbreak, it seems unlikely the USCIS will make an issue of this. (09.Apr.2020)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies...
The Congressional Research Service (CRS), which works exclusively for the United States Congress to provide nonpartisan policy and legal analysis, has released a report confirming that many nonimmigrants are eligible to receive recovery rebates (frequently referred to as stimulus checks) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief,...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has temporarily suspended offering in-person service at passport agencies during the COVID-19 epidemic. The only exception for this is if the applicant needs a U.S. passport due to a "qualified life-or-death emergency."U.S. citizens may still apply in person at...
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), asking the court to order the DHS to "toll any and all deadlines for initial applications, responses to any and all requests for evidence or other responses...
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) National Visa Center (NVC) has temporarily reduced its staff. This has hampered the ability of the NVC to respond to queries submitted via the Ask NVC form. Accordingly, the NVC is instructing stakeholders to...
Answer It actually is not entirely clear whether you will be eligible for the stimulus check. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which was signed into law last week, excludes "any nonresident alien individual …." Many news outlets have reported that this means...
