The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the expansion of the Global Entry Program (GEP). This program facilitates entry to the United States for qualified, trusted travelers. Background on Global Entry Program Details regarding the permanent creation of the...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) launched its Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIR) initiative through an information summit on February 22, 2012. The EIR initiative is an important component of President Barack Obama's efforts to facilitate immigration benefits for foreign national entrepreneurs who will help to create...
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a final rule that would establish a permanent global entry program (GEP), allowing faster clearance for certain pre-approved, low-risk travelers. This program will help streamline the processing of international visitors to the United States through selected international...
Many people have faced the disappointment of denial when requesting the B-1/B-2 visitors' visas. These difficulties are often faced by relatives trying to gain permission to come to the United States for a visit. Most denials are due to presumed immigrant intent. It is sometimes...
Since October 1, 1996, any person who has "overstayed" (remained in the U.S. past the expiration date on his/her latest I-94 card), even for a single day, has been no longer eligible to apply for the nonimmigrant (temporary) visa from a country other than her/his...
The terms visa and status are often used interchangeably, which creates confusion for many people. Here, the distinctions between visa and status are clarified for the benefit of our readers. Visa Issued by U.S. Consulate Abroad A visa is a document issued by the U.S. Department of...
Question 1. How do I apply for a visa at the U.S. Consulate in Madras / Chennai, India?Because each consulate is unique and requires its own comprehensive list of documents, we strongly recommend that you first visit the webpage of the consular post you are...
The U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security held a hearing in September 2011 to assess the status of current programs administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aimed at combating and preventing terrorist activity. The testimony presented...
The USCIS Office of Transformation Coordination (OTC) recently provided an overview of the current status of the USCIS Transformation. Transformation is a large scale USCIS program to upgrade from paper-based operations to electronic systems. One important part of this series of changes is the phasing...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued an interim policy memorandum that changes the timeframe for responding to various requests for evidence (RFEs). The interim memorandum became effective immediately for RFEs issued after July 7, 2011, the date of the memo. The purpose...
