The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a centralized traveler redress program intended to help individuals who have had problems during the travel screening process. The program, known as the DHS Traveler Redress Inquiry Program, or “DHS TRIP,” provides a single point of contact...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has signed a settlement agreement with a group of F-1 students affected by long delays in processing of optional practical training (OPT) and 24-month STEM OPT extension applications. The settlement agreement potentially benefits the entire class of OPT...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires foreign nationals to submit biometrics in-person at an application support center (ASC) before granting certain categories of immigration benefits. After the USCIS schedules the biometrics appointment, if the individual fails to attend and does not take any...
Today, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that foreign nationals applying for a change of status to F-1 are no longer required to maintain nonimmigrant status until within 30 days of the actual (i.e. deferred) program start date. Rather, the USCIS has reverted...
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, foreign nationals traveling to the United States from certain countries have been subject to travel restrictions based on several presidential proclamations. The presidential proclamations currently in effect suspend entry to the United States of certain individuals who were present in...
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has designated Burma (Myanmar) for temporary protected status (TPS) and provided flexibility for employment authorization to Burmese F-1 students based on severe economic hardship. These accommodations are due to the ongoing political crisis in Burma.The Burma designation for TPS...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reinstated its policy to defer to previously issued approvals when adjudicating petitions requesting extensions of nonimmigrant status if all the terms and conditions remain the same. This marks a return to the long-standing policy of deference to...
President Biden's Proclamation suspending travel from India, first announced on Friday, April 30, 2021, is now effective. The Proclamation bans the entry of nonimmigrants who were physically present in India during the last 14-days, and is effective until further notice.Importantly, this prohibition on entry has...
With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the availability of visa services at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad remains limited. The severity of backlogs in visa interviews varies based on epidemic control protocols of each country. U.S. embassies and consulates are taking the necessary precautions to protect...
Foreign nationals requesting admission to the United States and indeed, even U.S. citizens, may face additional scrutiny at the United States border. This includes the physical border itself or the functional equivalent of the border such as an international airport, port of entry, or border...
