The winter holidays, together with the summer vacation season, create a steady flow of inquiries and consultations from our clients regarding travel and passport expiration dates. Most often the question is, What should be the duration of the passport for purposes of entering the U.S.? At Least Six Months Passport Validity Required As an initial [...]
We have clients and our office handles a number of U.S. visa applications submitted in Canada. Accordingly, we wish to report on a new appointment service for all U.S. visa applicants in Canada, which becomes effective on September 1, 2010. As of September 1, 2010, all services -- including calling for information and scheduling an [...]
The Department of State (DOS) issued an advance copy of the interim final rule on the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services, Department of State and Overseas Embassies and Consulates. The notice was published today at the Federal Register. According to the notice, the new rule will become effective on June 4, 2010 (15 days [...]
Starting December 2009, USCIS started implementing changes on the way I-131 reentry permit applications are receipted and processed. Previously, I-131 reentry permit applications were filed directly at the Nebraska Service Center (NSC) which issued receipts and, where appropriate, issued expedited processing biometrics notices. The NSC processing of expedited processing reentry permit biometrics allowed us to [...]
USCIS has announced that effective Tuesday, May 11, 2010, it would issue redesigned U.S. Permanent Resident Cards (also known as "green cards.") The redesign is mainly driven to incorporate new security features to deter counterfeiting, tempering and document fraud, generally. Features of the Redesigned Green Card Among the main features of the redesign: secure optical [...]
As many of our clients and readers know, the H-1B program allows stay in the U.S. on H or L status of up to six years. Time spent abroad during this period may be "recaptured" and added towards the six years of H-1B time. However, many foreign nationals who are not eligible to extend their [...]