USCIS has recently changed its practices and is no longer issuing the combo EAD/AP card for I-485 applicants who file concurrent I-765 EAD work permit and I-131 AP travel permit applications. Citing efforts to eliminate backlogs in EAD applications, USCIS is approving EAD and AP applications separately -- most often the I-765 EAD application [...]
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that as of December 1, 2021, citizens of Croatia will be able to apply to travel to the United States for tourism or business purposes for up to 90 days without obtaining a U.S. visa under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). ESTA Authorization Required Under [...]
The Biden Administration has just announced details about the anticipated rescission of the per-country travel restrictions on international travelers coming into the United States from certain countries. The travel and visa bans for all affected countries are being lifted starting November 8, 2021. The bans are replaced by more stringent vaccination and testing U.S. entry [...]
The Biden Administration announced this week that it plans to ease travel restrictions on all international travelers coming into the United States from certain countries beginning in early November 2021. The administration will rescind the COVID-19 related travel bans implemented for individuals from China, Iran, the Schengen Area, U.K., Ireland, Brazil, South Africa, and India [...]
In an August 12, 2020 news alert, the Department of State (DOS) has issued extensive set of clarifications and exemptions to the June 22, 2020 Trump H-1B, H-2B, L-1 and certain J-1 work visa ban (see our article). The DOS clarification provides much needed and welcome guidance of how to make the arguments for national [...]
As a result of the Coronavirus/Covid-19 travel disruptions and border closures, many Visa Waiver Country nationals are in the United States within an ability to depart the U.S. before their 90-day authorized period of stay (I-94) expires. There are limited (but expanding) options for getting relief for Visa Waiver Country nationals stuck in the U.S. [...]
In a surprising move, on March 11, 2020, President Trump issued a proclamation by which he is seeking to suspend travel to the U.S. from a number of European countries starting Friday, March 13, 2020 for a period of 30 days. During its release, this ban was labeled "total" and although it is very broad [...]
Starting May 2019, CBP is introducing some minor changes to the I-94 number format by making them alphanumeric. I-94 numbers are 11 digits long and until now they only contained numbers; however, starting this month, CBP is starting to use alphanumeric I-94 numbers. At this time the length will still be 11 characters [...]
The U.S. Department of State ("DOS") has amended a section of the Field Adjudicators Manual ("FAM") which pertains to government officials' determinations of misrepresentation by applicants and specifically with respect to activities permitted in the U.S. on nonimmigrant visas. 9 FAM 302.9-4(B)(3) has been amended to include a section called "Inconsistent Conduct Within 90 Days [...]
Our office has recently learned that USCIS is changing their long-standing practice and have started denying Form I-131 Advance Parole applications due to abandonment in cases where the applicant has left the United States while the I-131 Advance Parole application was pending. USCIS has confirmed that this is their actual current policy going [...]
