Considerations for Adjustment of Status following admission to the U.S. on the B Visa.[1] The B visa requires “non-immigrant” intent. Therefore, it is important to consider possible application of the rules interpreting pre-conceived intent and misrepresentation when applying for an Adjustment of Status – AOS (an immigrant application) after entering the US on a B-2…
By Radhika Balaji, Associate Attorney As part of the Day 1 Executive Actions signed by President Biden, a memorandum for a regulatory freeze on federal agency actions has been issued to ensure that the new and pending rules that were issued by the Trump administration have been reviewed by President Biden’s new appointees and designees.…
On his first day in office, President Biden signed seventeen (17) executive orders and proclamations; 6 of which relate to immigration. These are mainly aimed at reversing some of the most restrictive immigration measures by former president Trump. Here is our brief summary: President Biden Revokes Muslim and African Travel Bans. In 2017 the Trump…
By Radhika Balaji, Associate Attorney. It is close to a year since the first lockdowns and travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic was issued. Although there had been a remarkable pace in which the COVID-19 vaccines have been developed, there is still long way before everyone can receive it! With a climbing surge in…
By Radhika Balaji, Associate Attorney. On January 12, 2021, USCIS announced that it will issue a revised Form I-797, Notice of Action for Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Cards to extend the validity of the Permanent Resident Card, commonly known as “Green Card”, if it has expired or is about to expire. This…
By Radhika Balaji, Associate Attorney The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedent amount of uncertainty—several proclamations, travel restrictions, and government lock downs have prevented many from freely traveling back to the US. Unfortunately, amidst the pandemic, the USCIS has not provided relief to Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) of the US who are stuck out…
By Radhika Balaji, Associate Attorney On August 3, 2020, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (EO 13940) on “Aligning Federal Contracting and Hiring Practices With the Interests of American Workers.”[1] This EO directs heads of federal agencies to review federal contracts and assess any negative impact on U.S. workers stemming from the use of…
USCIS Offices Reopening – Updates – Q&A By Radhika Balaji, Associate Attorney After Shelter-in Place Orders began being lifted across the country, USCIS began reopening its offices in the beginning of June. Since then, reopening of the USCIS ImmiCore Law has received several questions related to interview and biometrics appointments as well as case processing.…
On July 6, 2020, the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced certain adjustments to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) online study policy for nonimmigrant students for Fall 2020. A Temporary Final Rule is anticipated to be published in the Federal Register by the Department of Homeland Security soon. Spring/Summer and Fall 2020 Semesters…
By Kalpana V. Peddibhotla and Desire Lance. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected immigration into the U.S. on a number of fronts. Due to economic uncertainty, companies are less willing to initiate the transfer or hire of foreign nationals. As travel restrictions linger and U.S. Consulate services are suspended, it is difficult for foreign nationals to…