Demystifying Immigration Law
Over the past several months, the Department of State (DOS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have announced additional backlogs in the permanent residence (Green Card) quota system. These additional backlogs have...more
The final phase of the green card application involves an Adjustment of Status (AOS). While their AOS is pending, applicants cannot leave the US without permission, a document called Advance Parole....more
The public charge provisions in the Immigration Nationality Ac (INA) have been part of U.S. immigration law for decades. We recently reported that on December 23, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began using a...more
President Biden has proposed sweeping changes to U.S. immigration law, contained in the pending U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021. This piece of proposed legislation, as introduced into Congress by the bill’s lead sponsors, Sen....more
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced DHS to delay full enforcement of the REAL ID law from October 1, 2021, to May 3, 2023, the agency has announced. The REAL ID law requires every air traveler 18 years or older to show...more
For the last year, the fate of the Public Charge Rule, which expanded the ability of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to deny green cards to lower-income foreign nationals, has been uncertain. In addition to the...more
Updates to USCIS Policy on New Forms, Premium Processing, and Filing Fee Increases Take Effect on October 2, 2020 - As previously reported in Epstein Becker Green’s August 2020 Immigration Alert, U.S. Citizenship and...more
The US Supreme Court ruled on January 27 that the administration can begin to implement the public charge rule while the issue is still being litigated in the federal court system. ...more
Late on Friday, January 27, 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order immediately suspending the ability of citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen to enter the United Sates for a period of 90...more
On January 12, 2017, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced changes to the policies and regulations affecting Cuban nationals. DHS stated the “changes represent another important step in the normalization of...more
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed increasing the fees that United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) charges for certain immigration and naturalization filings. The proposal...more
On February 25, 2015, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that effective May 26, 2015, the agency will extend eligibility for employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director León Rodríguez announced earlier this week that, pursuant to a published regulation effective May 26, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is extending...more
In This Presentation: - Government Agencies Involved - Terms & Definitions - U.S. Citizens - Lawful Permanent Residents (Immigrants or “Green Card” Holders) - Paths to Permanent Residency -...more
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that, beginning February 1, 2013, the agency will collect a $165 Immigrant Visa Department of Homeland Security Domestic Processing Fee (USCIS Immigrant Fee)...more