Pro skateboarder Leticia Bufoni recently took the oath to become a U.S. citizen and will be competing in this summer’s olympics. Bufoni will make double history this summer - not only will she compete at the Olympics, she will be among the first pro skateboarders to be an Olympian. Read our latest blog to learn about Bufoni and how dual citizens choose to represent a country at the Olympics!
As a society we have updated our language many times as modern understanding progresses. Many words that were previously used to describe groups of people are now considered offensive, and it is important for governments to be aware of that in documents, publications, and public speech. That is the viewpoint that the Biden administration is promoting in its recent decision to remove the term “alien” from the USCIS policy manual, in an effort to use more humanizing language. Read our latest blog about what this change is affecting.
Puede bajar el documento aqui: Yo soy Venezolano (a). Califico para el TPS? En términos generales, para calificar para TPS debe: Ser nacional de Venezuela (o no ciudadano sin nacionalidad que reside habitualmente en Venezuela por última vez); Haber residido continuamente en los Esta...
In one of its most recent decisions, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stopped applying the Public Charge Final Rule to all pending applications and petitions, beginning March 9, 2021. Read our latest blog to learn about this decision's impact.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, government processing times were already reaching all-time highs. The pandemic has worsened government delays. With these delays our clients often ask, is there any way to speed up the process? Read our latest blog to find out if you qualify for an expedited application process!
Venezuelans living in the United States have a big reason to celebrate - after years of discussions, rumors and speculation, they have been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS). USCIS is accepting TPS applications under this program now. Read our latest blog to learn what this means for Venezuelans and how to apply for TPS.
We are used to hearing “innocent until proven guilty” suggesting that the government has the burden of proving a defendant’s guilt. This is in the criminal context. However, this is not always the case in deportation proceedings which are considered civil proceedings. At least, that’s what the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) communicated this last week when it decided in Pereida v. Wilkinson that an undocumented immigrant has the burden to prove that a criminal conviction does not make him ineligible to have his deportation canceled. Read our latest blog to learn about the ruling and its impact.
USCIS under President Biden’s administration recently announced that starting March 1, 2021, it is reverting back to the 2008 version of the naturalization civics exam. Read our latest blog to learn what this means for you and your naturalization petition!
The proposed new U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 was recently introduced by Representative Linda Sánchez (D - CA) and Senator Bob Melendez (D - NJ) as bicameral legislation - meaning it was simultaneously introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Such sweeping immigration reform hasn’t been passed for decades - and a path to citizenship for undocumented individuals has not been voted into law since President Reagan’s amnesty act in 1986. Read our latest blog to learn about what this new Act will do if passed.
In President Biden’s three weeks in office so far, he has signed 30 executive orders, on topics ranging from climate change, gender discrimination, health, and incarceration. A few weeks ago we wrote about the six immigration executive orders that Biden signed on his first day in office, and today we want to update you on four new executive orders that will have a substantial impact on immigration in the months to come.
Can you believe that 2001 was 20 years ago?? Few are aware that the DREAM Act has been around for that long. The first iteration of the proposed DREAM Act was introduced in the House in April of 2001. Since then at least 10 versions of the DREAM Act have been introduced in Congress, but none have become law. Read our latest blog to learn about the new bipartisan DREAM Act of 2021 that was introduced on February 4, 2021.
On Trump’s last day in office he published a Memoranda, deferring the removal of any Venezuelan in the United States, while also re-stating the U.S.’s recognition of Juan Guaidó as the interim president of Venezuela. This designation also allows Venezuelan nationals who have continuously resided in the U.S. since January 20, 2021 to apply for employment authorization. A few days later, on January 25, 2021, a bi-partisan group of Senators introduced legislation to give Venezuelans Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which would replace Trump’s Executive Order. Read our latest blog to learn more about the new designation and proposed legislation.
President Biden has hit the ground running with regard to immigration policy. On his first day in office, newly-inaugurated President Joe Biden signed multiple executive orders on issues he felt of paramount importance to protect. Out of the 17 orders he signed on January 20, 2021, six of them had to do with immigration. Read our latest blog for our explanation of each of the orders that were signed and their impact on immigration.
Are you needing to renew your Green Card (lawful permanent resident card) soon? On January 12, 2021, USCIS released an Alert notifying LPRs that their Form I-797 receipt notice, together with the expired card, will serve as an extension of one’s lawful permanent residence. Read our latest blog to learn more about this new process.
USCIS offices all over the country are struggling with the backlog that was created by nearly four months of the agency closure. Biometrics appointments are usually held at application support centers (ASCs), which are located all over the country. Between March and June nearly 300,000 ASC appointments were canceled, and today there are 1.3 million people who are waiting for their biometric appointments. Even now, approximately six months after re-opening its centers, ASC operations are only functioning at 65% of their pre-COVID levels. Read our latest blog to see our answers to some common questions about the wait in biometrics appointments.
Para apoyar a nuestra comunidad hemos traducido el documento DMV 309 que explica los documentos que se necesita para aplicar para la licencia en Virginia conocida como la tarjeta de privilegio de conducir. Para bajar el documento traducido oprima aqui.
Under the new bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill signed into law, U.S. citizens and green-card holders will be able to receive the latest stimulus check, even if they jointly filed taxes last year with their undocumented spouse.
Christmas has come early for TPS holders from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal. The TPS designations of El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua, Sudan, Honduras, and Nepal were set to expire on January 4, 2021. Instead, TPS for those designations is now extended through October 4, 2021. Read our latest blog to learn what this means for TPS holders from those countries.
What if your immigration status was dependent on a justice system that made inconsistent decisions every couple months? For many in our country, that is the case. Even though the government began to accept new DACA applications due to a recent court order, the future of DACA at this point in time remains uncertain and largely in the hands of the courts. Read our latest blog to learn more about this situation.
We are overjoyed to announce to you that USCIS is now accepting new DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) applications after years of uncertainty and waiting. Read our latest blog to learn more about the announcement.
In early October the Department of Labor and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued two new rules regarding H1-B visas, both of which were issued without the public notice and comment typically required when new rules like that are put in place. That effort will now be blocked, as U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White informed the government it was mistaken and misleading in its attempts to issue these rules without following the proper procedure. Read our latest blog to learn more about this ruling regarding H1-B Visas.
Read our latest blog to learn about the steps USCIS is taking to comply with a federal court order regarding employment authorization for asylum applicants.
The path to citizenship in the United States appears to be getting a bit more difficult. On December 1, 2020, an updated civics test will be implemented - meaning those who want to naturalize as citizens will have even more information to study about the U.S. than before. Read our latest blog to learn about the new naturalization exam.
President-Elect Joe Biden has publicly promised that he will immediately reinstate DACA upon his inauguration. We hope so. The last four years have been stressful for Dreamers - the issue of DACA has repeatedly been in courts across the country, and the future of the DACA program has seemed to sit in limbo for months, or even years, at a time. On November 2, Biden tweeted, “Dreamers are Americans - and it’s time we make it official.” We will be waiting in expectation Mr. Biden.
Being located in the Virginia Beach area surrounded by several military installations, many veterans now call our area home. On November 11th our nation celebrates Veterans Day - a day to honor all those who have served in the branches of the United States military. We want to say to all our veterans, “Thank you for your service.” Today we want to shine a light on deported veterans and the struggles they are facing because they are often overlooked. Read our latest blog to find out how to reach out to your senators to tell them you care about these veterans being able to return home to the United States.
