In the United States, Valentine's Day often brings with it an increase in marriage proposals. U.S. immigration law has long-valued the idea of family unity. And, to that end, a U.S. citizen (USC) wishing to bring a foreign national fiancé/e or spouse to the United...
Most petitions filed for an alien relative (form I-130) require the petitioner to also serve as a financial sponsor for the intending immigrant. Among the requirements to qualify as a sponsor, the individual must be domiciled in the United States or a U.S. territory. While...
In each permanent resident (“green card”) case, one must decide whether to request consular processing (CP) or adjustment of status (AOS). There are two possibilities for this last step in the green card process: adjustment of status within the United States or processing for an...
Answer While a U.S. citizen may sponsor a foreign national spouse as an immediate relative, the same does not hold true for a green card holder sponsoring a spouse. In this situation, the petition would fall under the family-based, second preference “A” (FB2A) category. After the...
On October 12, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) launched the new Enterprise Change of Address (E-COA) self-service tool for an individual to notify the USCIS of a change in address. The tool is intended to improve the speed and efficiency of updating...
Answer If you do not take care of your biometrics appointment, your case eventually will be denied. Fortunately, you may be able to reschedule. Call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283, be prepared to provide evidence of the emergency, and hopefully they will exercise discretion and...
Answer Once a person enters on an immigrant visa, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the U.S. port of entry should have placed an I-551 stamp in the visa / passport, which serves as temporary evidence as status as a green card holder...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated the USCIS Policy Manual with additional guidance that expands the extraordinary circumstances exception to the Child Status Protection Act's (CSPA) "sought to acquire" requirement. This update stems from a February 14, 2023, policy update that expanded...
Answer Generally speaking, a U.S. citizen living abroad may sponsor their spouse for a green card, as long as they plan to move to the U.S. once the immigrant visas are issued. (14.Sep.2023)Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law. For information...
Many foreign nationals hold some mistaken beliefs related to the employment authorization document (EAD). Laws and regulations that govern employment through the EAD may differ substantially from the rules that govern work authorization provided by nonimmigrant status, such as H1B. Foreign nationals must make efforts...
