Employment-Based Visa vs. K1 Visa for Couples
For couples where one partner is in the U.S. and the other wishes to join them permanently, deciding between an employment-based visa and a K1 visa can be a pivotal choice. Many couples consider the employment-based visa route as a potential shortcut to bypass the long wait times associated with fiancé and spouse visas. While…
Which is Faster? K1 or CR1? (2023)
This is such a common question for couples. Is it better to do the K1 fiancé visa or the CR1 spouse visa? There are so many opinions on this from couples who were in the process or who have already completed the process. Everyone will have their opinion on which they think is faster. Prior…
Important Update – Automatic Green Card Extensions
What exactly is this announcement from USCIS about automatic extensions of green cards? See: USCIS Updates Policy to Automatically Extend Green Cards for Naturalization Applicants While the automatic extension will occur in the context of individuals who are going from lawful permanent resident status, also known as having a green card, to becoming a US…
Top 3 Tips for Acing Your USCIS Interview
Embarking on the immigration journey is a path filled with hopes, dreams, and understandably, a fair share of nerves. Whether you’re reuniting with loved ones or pursuing new opportunities, the immigration interview is a significant step that can feel overwhelming. We’ve all been there – the mix of excitement and anxiety, the desire to get…
Pet Passports and Traveling With Pets to the US
There is a special podcast episode with Dr. Gary Richter. He’s a doctor of veterinary medicine and the author of The Ultimate Pet Health Guide and The Ultimate Pet Nutrition. He is always looking for ways to help individuals to give their furry family members their best life. Why would we have a veterinarian on…
Top 3 Reasons for a Green Card Denial
1. Mistakes in Application or Ineligibility The adjustment of status or green card application can be applied for either in the United States or through a consular post. Both of those will have the same requirements but it’s a little bit different in the processing nature. One of the most common things that we see…
Affidavit of Support, When Income May Be an Issue
Are you concerned that you do not make enough to petition for your spouse who lives in another country? Are you worried about supporting them when they come to the US and how the government will view that? One of the things that we hear quite frequently from our clients is that they are either…
TPS Explained
Have you wondered what the designation TPS stands for? TPS stands for Temporary Protected Status. This is a status that is granted by USCIS to a few designated countries that allow people to not be removable while they’re in the US. It is a temporary status and we use this status at our firm as…
Can I Expedite My Case?
When we talk about expediting your case, this happens after a filing has been completed or submitted with USCIS and several different steps along the way. It is a multi-faceted response, as with everything in immigration. An expedite is possible in most cases that would be relevant for us within couples-based immigration. The cases where…
Recent Court Decision: Will This Help My Case?
The Muñoz versus US Department of State was a court of appeals review of a ninth circuit ruling and we’re going to discuss two avenues. One, why it’s important, and two, if that helps your case. This was an I-130 filing so it was a marriage-based relationship. There was a US citizen spouse and children…
Processing Times 2022 for a Travel Document and Work Permit
When people are coming to the US after receiving their fiancé visa or they’ve applied for that work authorization concurrently with their adjustment of status, they are kind of in this limbo of waiting for their ability to travel home and the ability to work. This is probably the most frequent hardship that we hear…
Consular Post Interview – The Officer’s Perspective
Have you ever wondered what your interview at a consular post is going to look like? In consular interviews, officers are tasked with three major things. The first one is to verify your identity and review all of your documents. Make sure that you’ve brought everything that you are supposed to have brought and that…
What Does It Mean for Immigrants to “Wait in Line”?
Let’s talk a little bit about this waiting-in-line process that we hear so much about. It’s a very arbitrary line and most people don’t exactly know what that means. For our clients, that line essentially is the starting point of the submission of an application with USCIS which is a department of citizenship and immigration…
Great News! Update on Consular Interviews
Going through an immigration process is oftentimes stressful and frustrating. And so, it’s important to make sure you have some good news every once in a while. This great news relates to consular interviews and the wait times for those interviews. Consular interviews are part of the process for spouse visas and fiancé visas. It’s…
What to Expect When You’re Petitioning
Many of you have heard about the book What to Expect When You’re Expecting and with our clientele, that might even be an appropriate book. We’re going to take a little twist on that and talk about what to expect when you’re the petitioner or when you’re petitioning with USCIS. Rule #1: Expect the unexpected…
Notice of Intent to Deny Explained
NOID or Notice of Intent to Deny is something that is given by USCIS later in the immigration process. You may have already submitted a petition of some sort, received an RFE, or had an interview. These come very late in the process and it does not mean that the case is denied. It’s a…
What to Expect at My Consular Interview?
The consular can have interviews for all sorts of other visas and visa processes and if you’ve been a frequent flyer at a consular post for visas such as visitor and student visas, they do have the ability to waive the consular interview. But with regard to spousal visas and fiancé visas, you will likely…
I-90 Green Card Renewals: 24 Month Extension
As you know, immigration is not the speediest of processes. There are always delays. It is unfortunately something that we’re seeing across the board. Immigration is trying to make it a little bit speedier and more efficient. One of the most recent things that has come out has been for the I-90s. If you are…
3 Things You Need to Know About the Status of DACA
DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals was first created to shield youth from removal proceedings in 2012. It’s essentially administrative relief that not only protects them from removal from the country but also gives them work authorization. There are some stipulations on who can even register for this. You have to be of a…
Will an Immigration Attorney Speed Up My Case?
Having an immigration attorney isn’t going to be a magic solution to make your immigration case go faster. We’ve all seen lawyer TV shows and they have some magic solution that just speeds things up but that’s not real life. Having an immigration attorney can help make your case go faster in the sense that…
What is the I-601A Provisional Waiver
One of the biggest misconceptions is that a waiver is a waiver and that’s not true. There are many different types of waivers and each one is specifically for some specific issue. We have seen a lot of people who try to do things themselves and will submit what they think is what the waiver…
Interview with a USCIS Civil Surgeon – Everything You Wanted to Know About the I-693 Medical Exam
When you apply for a green card (adjustment of status) in the United States, you usually need to have a medical examination. The exam must be done by a doctor who is authorized by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). USCIS designates certain doctors (also known as civil surgeons) to perform the medical exam required…
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Spouse Visa
Should I do a spouse visa or a fiancé visa? There is no right answer or wrong answer. A lot of times it’s going to be what fits best for that particular couple. That’s why we highly recommend having a consultation with an immigration attorney so that we can get to know you as a…
Can I Bring My Family to the US?
Certain people who are permanent residents or US citizens are allowed to petition for other family members. We get this question really often from resident citizens and those who are wanting to be petitioned alike. Can I bring family members to the US? Our favorite lawyer answer is always it depends. It depends on…
Who Must Attend a Consular Interview?
On December 23, 2021, there was an announcement from the government stating that certain people do not have to attend an interview. This caused a lot of confusion. There were a lot of people who were thinking this means that they don’t have to go to an interview. Unfortunately, most of those people who are…
Megan Pastrana – Immigration for Couples
What Problem(s) Do You Solve? The issue that the couples I work with are confronting is having to navigate the labyrinth of the US immigration system and the emotions that come with it. Many people are surprised to find out that going through an immigration process as a couple is very complex and can oftentimes…
What’s New With the Public Charge Rule?
The public charge is something that has been in effect for decades with immigration but it has been gaining notoriety in the past couple of years under the past presidential administration. It came to light because they implemented a new rule. In 1999, they proposed a rule and that’s the guidelines that we’ve been following…
What Information Does USCIS Know About You?
Anytime somebody applies for some kind of benefit with USCIS specifically, you’re giving them loads of information. You’re giving them everything that they need to know about you. Your immigration history, your employment history, your previous addresses, your family history, your name, your social, your number. Everything. They have everything on you but a lot…
Eligibility for Naturalization
There are some general requirements you need to meet to be eligible for naturalization. You need to be at least 18 years of age You need to be a legal permanent resident of the U.S, You need to demonstrate the required physical presence for a specific time period You need to meet the filing jurisdiction…
Affidavit of Support – What If I Don’t Make Enough?
A common RFE is the Affidavit of Support and not satisfying all of those requirements. Let’s say USCIS has received the documents. For one reason or another, they are stating that the petitioner does not make enough money. You have basically two options. You could submit for a joint or co-sponsor or you could just…