Monthly Archives: November 2014

What Does President Obama’s Immigration Reform Mean to YOU?

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Immigration-reform-2014

President Obama’s immigration reform has created more immigration options for millions of undocumented individuals in the U.S. while promising to keep Americans safer.

  • Parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (of any age) who have been continuously present since 1/1/10, and who pass background checks and pay taxes, will be eligible to apply for deferred action, which will be granted for a 3-year period.
  • Parents of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients are not eligible for the above relief, however the DACA program itself will be expanded.  The program guidelines will be revised to eliminate the age cap, and to change the date that continuous presence must have started to 1/1/10.
  • Individuals with an approved employment-based immigrant petition who are caught in the quota backlogs to file for adjustment of status will be advanced to permit them to obtain the benefits of a pending adjustment.
  • New reforms also promise to aid job-creating entrepreneurs gain access legal means to enter and operate in the U.S
  • To make the best use of limited ICE resources, newly outlined enforcement priorities will focus on security measures to keep suspected terrorists, convicted felons (including aggravated felonies), convicted gang members, out of the United States.  Additionally, close attention will be paid to people apprehended at the border, people convicted of serious or multiple misdemeanors, and very recent entrants.

Stay Tuned! President Obama to Address the Nation on Immigration Reform!

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Pres Imm ref

Two years ago, President Obama set forth the guiding principles that should lead immigration reform.  Although the Senate passed a bipartisan bill more than 500 days ago, the country has been waiting, and waiting… and waiting…  for House Republicans to vote.  The time has come for the President to issue executive actions and address some of the problems plaguing the immigration system.

Tomorrow night, President Obama will present new immigration law reforms instituted by his executive actions.  There are high hopes that these executive actions will finally help fix our broken immigration system.

You can watch the President live tomorrow night at 8 p.m. ET at WhiteHouse.gov/Live.

Do you have a Biometric Appointment Notice?  Please check yours; some notices were issued in error!

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ASC notice whitened

Your Biometric Appointment is a very important part of your Green Card and Immigration Application Process.  Recently, USCIS erroneously scheduled some people for redundant Application Support Center (ASC) biometric appointment.  If you have received more than one biometric appointment notices, you should check yours.  The document is called “Form I-797C.”

You may have already attended an ASC biometric appointment, and then later received a second appointment notice for the same application type.  If so,  please call the National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 to confirm that you do not need to return to the ASC to have your biometrics collected again.  Please note that if you have not yet attended your ASC appointment and received more than one ASC appointment notice, you should attend just one appointment but take both ASC notices to that appointment.

Afghan Special Visa Program Benefits Are Still Available to Eligible Immigrants Until the End of 2014

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afghan-immigration

A new immigration law extended the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa Program through the end of calendar year 2014. The Afghan Allies Protection Act was initially enacted in 2009 to permit Afghan nationals, most of whom served as translators for the U.S. military, to be granted United States immigrant visas. After being plagued by extensive backlogs, the program has resulted in the issuance of thousands of visas over the past year. The new immigration law authorizes an additional 1,000 visas to supplement the 3,000 visas already issued in 2014.  The deadline to file is December 31, 2014.

Even if you are an immigrant , you still have LEGAL RIGHTS if you have been abused!

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stop DV mural

There are a number of helpful legal services available to abused immigrants.  Often, when the abuser is a U.S. citizen, he or she may try to use the victim’s immigration status against him or her.  Don’t let this happen to you if you are an immigrant who has been the victim of domestic violence or abuse!

We can offer you many types of assistance to aid you if you are being abused.  We can help you assess your circumstances and if possible, we will offer you help in changing your situation.  Our free initial consultation is confidential and private.  We are both friendly and supportive of individuals in need of assistance.  Don’t be afraid to call us today!

We can help you protect your safety:

  • Temporary & Permanent Restraining Orders
  • U visa for victims of crime (including domestic violence)
  • T visa for victims of extreme trafficking in persons
  • S visa for being of assistance to law enforcement

We can help you obtain a U.S. green card:

  • Abused Spouse Immigrant Visa Petitions (VAWA application)
  • Marriage-Based & Immediate Relative Immigrant Visas
  • Gender & domestic violence based Asylum
  • Substitution of Marriage-Based Immigrant Visa for Battered Spouse Immigrant visa to continue the adjustment of status (permanent residency application) process
  • Adjustment of Status Application (green card application)
  • Advance Parole filings (for travel outside the U.S.)
  • FOIA requests to get a complete copy of your immigration file from USCIS

You CAN obtain a green card for your child(ren) when you obtain a marriage based green card through your U.S. citizen spouse!

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Dance-Of-Life-Wood-Couple-with-Child

If your petitioning spouse is a U.S. citizen the children are full biological children or legal step-children, they may qualify for green cards as the U.S. petitioner’s immediate relatives.  The children must be unmarried and under 21, and if they are step-children, they must have been under 18 years of age when you married.   Immigration laws give a high priority to applicants who are immediate relatives.   Also, there are no annual limits on the number of green cards issued for immediate relatives, and waiting periods. Your Immigration Angel is available to help you with any of your immigration needs today!  Call or email for a free consultation.

Your child(ren) CAN accompany you to the United States on a K visa too!

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If you are a qualified K-3 nonimmigrant visa applicant, your child may be eligible for a K-4 visa.  USCIS will allow your child to accompany you if he or she is 21 years of age or under, and is unmarried.  Additionally, for the children of the non-citizen parent to be eligible for the K-4 U.S. visa, the parent’s marriage to the petitioning U.S. citizen spouse must have occurred before the child(ren) were 18 years of age.

Do You Know About the Benefits of Obtaining a U.S. Fiancé(e) Visa? Here is what the K-3 and K-4 Visas Can Offer You:

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engagement silhouette

There are a number of benefits associated with the K-3 visa or K-4 visa, also known as the fiancé(e) visa.

  • K-3 visa applicants may apply to adjust status to a permanent resident at any time after being admitted to the United States.
  • A K-4 nonimmigrants may file their application for adjustment of status concurrently upon admission to the United States.  The application may be filed with or at any time after a Petition for Alien Relative has been filed on his or her behalf by the U.S. citizen spouse petitioner.
  • K-3 and K-4 nonimmigrant visa holders may both obtain employment authorization upon admission to the United States. Evidence of eligibility to work legally in the United States may be obtained by filing an Application for Employment Authorization, or EAD.
  • K-3 and K-4 nonimmigrant visa holders may also apply for employment authorization after filing an application for adjustment of status, based on that pending application. This is possible even if the K-3 or K-4 nonimmigrant status expires.

If you would like assistance with your K-3 or K-4 visa, or need help with your adjustment of status or work authorization, feel free to call or email today!  We are available immediately to guide you on your immigration path!

USCIS Thanks Our Courageous Veterans and Service Members with U.S. Citizenship for Spouses and Children of Military Service Members

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thank you veterans

If you are the spouse of a U.S. citizen member of the U.S. armed forces, and your spouse is or will be deployed, you may be eligible for expedited naturalization or for overseas processing. Certain spouses may be eligible for expedited naturalization in the United States and may not be required to establish any prior period of residence or specified period of physical presence within the United States, as generally required for naturalization.  Children of U.S. citizen military members deployed abroad may be eligible for overseas processing.  For more information on how you may obtain your U.S. citizenship through your military service member or veteran spouse, please feel free to contact us for assistance!