Treaty Investor Program Open to Israel: E-2 Visa Program
The United States Embassy in Israel announced a new agreement permitting Israeli citizens to apply to the E-2 visa starting this month. Through the treaty, Israel follows 80 other countries listed under treaty investor status. E-2 Program The E-2 treaty investor program permits any national of a country with a treaty of commerce and navigation…
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…
Read MoreI-94 Format Change: Arrival/Departure Form Number
The United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) updated guidance for I-94 and I-94W Arrival and Departure forms. Beginning May 2019, I-94 records will be alphanumeric, a change from the strictly numeric 11 digit system. Depletion of Numeric-Only I-94s Codes The record numbers for form I-94s are essential in any immigration application. While these record…
Read MoreChild Marriage Guidance from USCIS
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced new guidance for adjudicating officers processing a Form I-130 spousal petition involving a minor party. Now, those petitions involving a minor party will require an initial interview as a part of the early stages of the Form I-130 adjudication. Impacted Applications From April 12th, 2019 on,…
Read MoreGreen Card Fraud Business Taken Down
Green card fraud through marriage is a serious issue in immigration law. Some individuals may enter into sham marriages solely for the purpose of obtaining a green card or permanent residency in the United States. This type of fraud not only violates immigration laws but also undermines the integrity of the entire immigration system. In…
Read MoreDOL Investigations Yields Order for H-1B Backpay
A United States Department of Labor (DOL) investigation has resulted in a federal order for a Minnesota technology company to pay an engineer back wages to the amount of $43,336. A federal judge ruled against the company, citing violations to H-1B wage regulations. The Case The DOL Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) and its…
Read MoreStudent Groups Speak Out: New Foreign Student Requirements
According to Forbes, students in graduate programs across the country are urging law makers to immigration policies affecting international students. In a letter to members of congress, the graduate student associations of five of Texas’ top university urged lawmakers to reconsider recent policy changes to student visas. The student group, which represents graduate students both…
Read MoreThe $5 Billion Behind H-1B: NFAP Report
Several media sources, and employers across the nation, were surprised when the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), a non-partisan research group, released aggregated data from the last two decades of H-1B filings. Since Fiscal Year 1999, H-1B fees payed by employers totaled nearly $5 billion. The report, released early April, highlights many of ways…
Read MoreTrump Administration to Close All International Immigration Field Offices (USCIS)
The director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), L. Francis Cissna has reportedly announced the end to the International Division of USCIS. This change would bring about the end of two dozen international branches of USCIS. The end of the USCIS international field office program would occur by the end of 2019,…
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