USCIS Announces Reopening of an International Field Office in Havana, Cuba
After almost 5 years since closing the field office in Cuba, USCIS announced it will reopen an international field office in Havana, Cuba. The new office will assist with U.S. immigration casework and benefits, including interviews and processing of pending Cuban Family Reunification Parole cases and Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition. The USCIS Havana Field […]
USCIS Updates L-1 Receipts Issued under Blanket Petition
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on August 3, 2023 changes to the way we issue receipts for L-1 nonimmigrant intracompany transferees (executives, managers, or specialized knowledge professionals) under a previously approved blanket L petition. When filing Form I-129S, Nonimmigrant Petition Based on Blanket L Petition, together with Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant […]
United States v. Samuel Tominiyi Fasakin
The Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO) published a precedential final decision and order in United States v. Samuel Tominiyi Fasakin, 14 OCAHO no. 1375l (2023), a case arising under the document fraud provisions of 8 U.S.C. § 1324c. On remand from the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) resolved the remaining […]
EOIR OCAHO Decision United States v. Koy Chinese & Sushi Restaurant
The Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO) published a precedent decision in United States v. Koy Chinese & Sushi Restaurant, 16 OCAHO no. 1416d (2023), a case arising under the employer sanctions provisions of 8 U.S.C. § 1324a. The Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (CAHO) issued a Notification of Administrative Review of the Administrative Law […]
USCIS Announces Revised I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Form
On Aug. 1, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will publish a revised version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Among the improvements to the form is a checkbox employers enrolled in E-Verify can use to indicate they remotely examined identity and employment authorization documents under an alternative procedure authorized by the Department of Homeland Security […]
USCIS/DHS Implements new FRP Processes for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras
The Department of State’s National Visa Center (NVC) will begin issuing invitations under the family reunification parole (FRP) processes for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras on July 31, 2023. On July 7, 2023, DHS announced implementation of new FRP processes for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The FRP processes are available by invitation only to certain petitioners […]
USCIS Updates Visa Availability Approach for I-526
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on July 18th, 2023 it would update its visa availability approach for managing the inventory of Form I-526, Immigrant Petition by Alien Investor, to promote greater efficiency and reduce backlogs. USCIS indicated the updated approach will group petitions with filing dates on or before Nov. 30, 2019, by […]
Get the Most Out of Working with An Attorney (Series – Post 10 – Duty to a Client)
DUTY TO A CLIENT In conjunction with being a licensed attorney, there are certain obligations and responsibilities attorneys have to their clients, while each state is a little different, the majority follow what is called the Model Rules of Professional Conduct at least in part. If an attorney fails to meet the requirements as outlined […]
Get the Most Out of Working with An Attorney (Series – Post 9 – Communication, Honesty, & Total Transparency)
COMMUNICATION, HONESTY, & TOTAL TRANSPARENCY Communication, honesty, and total transparency are NON-NEGOTIABLES when working with an attorney. If either your attorney or you fail to operate from this perspective you are setting yourselves up for serious issues, frustration, and unnecessary complications. It is fairly safe to say attorneys expect certain things from her/his clients in […]
Get the Most Out of Working with An Attorney (Series – Post 8 – Respecting the Boundaries of an Attorney-Client Relationship)
RESPECTING THE BOUNDARIES OF AN ATTORNEY-CLIENT RELATIONSHIP I understand that the costs of hiring an attorney may leave you as a client feeling somewhat entitled because it is usually a fairly decent sum of money. However, you are paying for a service or knowledge that an attorney has spent many years in school obtaining, taking exams […]
USCIS Expands myProgress to Form I-765 and Form I-131
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced July 12th, 2023 that they are expanding myProgress (formerly known as personalized processing times) to Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. myProgress provides applicants with access, in their online account, to personalized estimates of their wait time for major milestones on their case, including […]
Get the Most Out of Working with An Attorney (Series – Post 7 – Representation Agreement)
REPRESENTATION AGREEMENTS Representation Agreements are what outlines the terms of hiring your attorney, and what is expected from you and your attorney. It should also give you information about attorney fees, payments, other fees and who is responsible for paying them, and contact information for your attorney and/or support staff. If you do not […]
USCIS Provides Guidance on Employment Authorization Documents Based on Compelling Circumstances
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released policy guidance on June 14th, 2023 on the eligibility criteria for initial and renewal applications for employment authorization documents (EADs) in compelling circumstances based on existing regulatory requirements at 8 CFR 204.5(p), as follows: For an applicant to be eligible for an initial EAD based on compelling circumstances, they […]
Get the Most Out of Working with An Attorney (Series – Post 5 – Communication with Your Attorney)
COMMUNICATION WITH YOUR ATTORNEY You will communicate with your Attorney a wide range of ways during your Attorney-Client Relationship. You may initiate and communicate with your attorney in person, on calls, with texts, emails, and you will also be replying to your attorney-initiated texts and emails. Communication is in my opinion one of the single […]
Get the Most Out of Working with An Attorney (Series – Post 4 – Understanding the Financial Responsibility You Are Undertaking)
UNDERSTANDING THE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY YOU ARE UNDERTAKING Attorneys can charge for their services in several different ways. The most popular fee arrangements include hourly fees, flat fees, and contingent fees. Hourly fees mean your attorney will charge you by the hour, there is usually a minimum billable time. It is fairly standard to bill see an […]
Get the Most Out of Working with An Attorney (Series – Post 3 – Consultations)
CONSULTATIONS I do not recommend hiring an attorney without a consultation. You need to speak with the attorney and find out if you and this attorney “vibe well” and how this attorney works to see if it matches, or at least can complement, your style of work. Consultations can be held in person, on the […]
USCIS Changes to I-693 Validity Periods
USCIS has made some updates to the validity period and signing requirements for the I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record due to backlogs and issues raised as ineffective and delaying case processing as follows: USCIS temporarily extended the validity period for I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record from two years to […]
USCIS Extends Green Card Validity for Conditional Permanent Residents with a Pending Form I-751 or Form I-829
Due to the backlog and to accommodate current processing times for Forms Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions and I-829, Petition by Investor to Remove Conditions on Permanent Resident Status, which has steadily increased USCIS is extending validity of Lawful Permanent Resident Cards (aka Green Cards) as follows: Effective January11, 2023, USCIS extended the validity […]
Get the Most Out of Working with An Attorney (Series – Post 2 – Hiring an Attorney)
HIRING AN ATTORNEY Even as an attorney myself when I need to hire an attorney I cringe immediately thinking about all the stresses of working with an attorney, and how there is such a potential for it all go so wrong so fast when someone does not operate at the standard I expect, and give […]
Get the Most Out of Working with An Attorney (Series – Post 6 – Completing Intakes/Questionnaires for Your Attorney))
COMPLETING INTAKES/QUESTIONNAIRES FOR YOUR ATTORNEY I don’t know any attorneys that do not use some form of intakes or questionnaires to facilitate representation. In my field, I rely on them very heavily due to the intricate nature of immigration work, and the need to be very accurate and consistent at all times. I always recommend […]
