Musings on Immigration

Special Immigrant Juveniles Will Now Face Years and Years of Wait Time Before Getting a Green Card Due to the high demand for Special Immigrant Juvenile Visas, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras have already reached their yearly limit for available visas in the EB-4 category, the category in which the Special Immigrant Juvenile Visas fall. The fiscal year lasts until September 30. The May 2016 visa bulletin shows that on May 1, 2016, the date on which visas will be current for Special Immigrant Juvenile applicants, will regress back to January 1, 2010, for applicants from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Applicants whose applications for Adjustment of Status are not decided by May 1, 2016, and whose Special Immigrant Juvenile Petitions were filed after January 1, 2010, will not be able to apply for Adjustment of Status until the visa becomes current again. Applicants whose applications for Adjustment of Status are decided by May 1, 2016, or whose Special Immigrant Juvenile...

You SHOULDN'T be accused of committing marriage fraud just for lack of evidence, but that doesn't mean this never happens! There is a difference between lack of evidence of a real marital relationship (or lack of bona fides) and   Under immigration law, a foreign national must prove to Immigration Services (USCIS) that his or her marriage to a U.S. Citizen or a Legal Permanent Resident is real and is not entered solely for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit. Besides the famous marriage interview that couples usually have to undergo, they also have to submit documentary evidence of their relationship (for example, utility bills on both of the spouses' names, joint bank accounts and other joint financial responsibilities, family pictures, children's birth certificates, letters from family and friends attesting to the validity of the couple's marriage, etc.).     Some couples have an honest struggle finding evidence of a bona fide marriage f...

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made critical changes to the STEM optional practical training (OPT) program, which will take effect for all F-1 applications for STEM extension approved on or after May 10, 2016. Aside from lengthening the extension period from 17 months to 24 months, the revisions to the OPT program place new, important requirements for F-1 OPT employers, students, and schools.  The standard 12-month OPT program will remain unchanged.  F-1 students granted a 17-month STEM OPT extension before May 10, 2016 will remain subject to the prior STEM rules unless they file for an additional seven months of OPT under the new rules. STEM OPT Training Plan . The new regulations require F-1 students and employers to complete a formal training plan Form I-983, which must be submitted to the student’s Designated School Official (DSO). The STEM OPT Training Plan must detail how the proposed employment will provide employment-based learning opportuniti...

Esto depende de que tipo de aplicación usted metió y cuanto tiempo ha estado pendiente. Por ejemplo, un permiso de trabajo generalmente debe tomar no más de 90 días en ser decidido desde la fecha en que usted mete la aplicación (); por ley, USCIS tiene que adjudicar aplicaciones de naturalización dentro de 120 días después de la entrevista o ellos corren el riesgo de ser demandados por el solicitante (8 C.F.R. § 247a.13(d)); y algunas otras aplicaciones tienen tiempos estimado de procesamiento que son publicados en la página web de Servicios de Inmigración ( http://1.usa.gov/1UVPl89 ). Los tiempos estimados le pueden dar una buena idea que cuanto debe tardar una aplicación en ser decidida pero algunas veces, USCIS toma mucho más tiempo del estimado. Si esto ocurre, hay tres cosas que usted podría hacer: (1) preguntar en persona a su oficina local de USCIS; (2) contratar a un abogado para hacer una querella con un oficial de inmigración; y/o (3) demandar a USCIS en corte federal pa...

It depends on the type of application you filed and how long it has been pending for. Some applications have definite processing times. For example, an application for a work permit (or Employment Authorization Document) should generally take no longer than 90 days from the date of filing (8 C.F.R. § 247a.13(d)); by law, USCIS must adjudicate naturalization applications within 120 days from the date of the interview or risk getting sued by an applicant (8 U.S.C. § 1447(b); and some other applications have estimated average processing times that are posted to the public on USCIS's website ( http://1.usa.gov/1UVPl89 ). Estimated processing times can give you a good idea of how long it should take for USCIS to render a decision on your application but sometimes, USCIS takes much longer than their estimated processing times. If this happens, there are three things you could do: (1) inquire about your application in person at a local USCIS office; (2) hire an attorney to do an inqu...