On September 1, 2023, the U.S. Department of States (DOS) issued a reminder to visa applicants that all machine-readable visa fee receipts issued prior to October 1, 2022, will expire on September 30, 2023, unless immediate action is taken. If an affected individual does not...
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) updated the guidance for how consular officers should determine whether a misrepresentation made by a foreign national is to be considered "material." Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, if a foreign national makes a misrepresentation regarding...
[Read Part 1 of this article.]This is the second in our two-part InfoArticle on the selection of one's own attorney for immigration matters. Part 1 of this article addressed this topic in the immigrant (green card) context. Here, the selection of an attorney for a...
The visa category known as B-1 in lieu of H1B is a lesser-known and frequently misunderstood option. This category is intended to permit foreign companies to send their employees to the United States temporarily, for the purpose of performing duties related to their foreign employment....
No matter how carefully important documents are guarded, many passports are lost or stolen each year. If one loses a passport that has a U.S. visa foil (often referred to as a "stamp"), there are special procedures that should be followed. Report Loss to Police Upon discovering...
On July 15, 2023, the official U.S. Department of State (DOS) Visa Appointment Service website for India will move to a new system for U.S. visa services. The DOS has asked that a U.S. visa applicant take certain steps to better ensure the appointment and...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has provided a possible mechanism for certain laid off nonimmigrant workers who have pending B-1 or B-2 (B-1/B-2) applications to regain work visa status. More specifically, if the nonimmigrant worker has a pending application to change status to...
When an individual applies for an F-1, H1B, or other nonimmigrant visa at the U.S. consulate abroad, it can be fairly common to be refused initially under Section 221(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This broad section applies to a wide variety of...
For people not accustomed to the open displays of merchandise typical in the United States, the opportunity to pick up a few small items could prove tempting. Many newcomers to this country do not realize that seemingly minor crimes can have very serious immigration, as...
Legalization or decriminalization of marijuana at the state level can mislead noncitizens into thinking using marijuana in accordance with state law is legal. Marijuana, however, is a controlled substance under federal law. Therefore, the use, sale, purchase, or even the mere possession of marijuana, in...
