Citizenship
Interpreter for Visa Interview at a U.S. Embassy in India
Attending a visa interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in India can be a challenging experience, especially if you are not comfortable with English or the language spoken by the consular officer. In such cases, requesting an interpreter can help ensure clear communication and a smoother interview process. In this blog, we will guide…
Read MoreUSCIS Extends COVID-19-related Flexibilities – perhaps a Final Extension
Certain COVID-19-related flexibilities are being extended by US Citizenship and Immigration Services until March 23, 2023. Under these flexibilities, if the request or notice was issued between March 1, 2020, and March 23, 2023, inclusive, USCIS considers a response received within 60 calendar days of the due date in the following requests or notices before…
Read MoreCBP Discontinues Passport Stamps for Travelers Entering US
Traditionally, a foreign nationals entering the United States by air or sea used to receive a passport entrance stamp or a Form I-94 (record of admission) following a document inspection at the Port of Entry (POE). Once CBP switched from using paper copies of I-94 to electronic ones, the only physical record provided to the…
Read MoreUSCIS Proposes Fee Increase and Imposition of New Fees
The proposed rule by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to increase fees for most immigration benefit requests is likely to have a significant impact on employers in the United States. If implemented, employers will pay significantly more for most nonimmigrant and immigrant filings. One of the key takeaways for employers from the…
Read MoreLegal Separation after Green Card: Affect on Naturalization
Filing for naturalization, or becoming a U.S. citizen, is a process that many green card holders go through in order to gain the rights and privileges of being a U.S. citizen. However, the process can be more complicated for green card holder who are divorced or legally separated from their U.S. citizen spouse. In this…
Read MoreMedical Waiver for Applicants with Disabilities
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced an updated policy regarding medical certification for disability exceptions (form N-648) aka Medical Waiver to make the naturalization process more accessible for applicants with disabilities by providing more streamlined and efficient process and reducing the burden on the applicants and medical professionals. The process of naturalizing…
Read MoreNaturalization Test (Modified) Trial Run by USCIS
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is conducting a nationwide trial of updates to the naturalization test, which is taken by individuals seeking to become U.S. citizens. This trial is being conducted in response to an executive order issued by President Biden in February 2021, which directed the agency to promote and improve the…
Read MoreGreen Card Extension for Certain Naturalization Applicants
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently updated its policy manual to allow a receipt for an application for naturalization (form N-400) to serve as a 24-month extension of the applicant’s green card (I-551). This change took effect on December 12, 2022, and applies to any N-400 application filed on or after that…
Read MoreUSCIS & DHS Takedown Immigration Fraud Scheme Directed at Families
In Florida, federal prosecutors and the United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announced indictment charges for Erika Paola Intriago, of Tampa, Florida. Intriago stands accused of four counts of wire fraud and three counts of wrongfully using government seals. Allegedly, Intriago posed as an immigration attorney through social media, manipulating immigrants and immigrant families from…
Read MoreUSCIS on Marijuana (Naturalization)
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) updated policies related to conditional bars to naturalization due to substance abuse violations. The policy memo notes that regardless of state law, controlled substance related activity will create a conditional bar to establish good moral character for naturalization. Despite legalization in several states, Marijuana use may put…
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