USCIS Outside Normal Processing Request
“I’ve checked online and I see that the date of my receipt notice, that my case is actually outside of normal processing times. What can I do? Should I make a request? Will it help?” USCIS has a tool for checking case processing times for various forms at https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times. We regularly use this tool in…
Waivers for COVID Vaccine?
The COVID vaccine is now a required part of the immigration process to receive your green card. “What if I don’t want to have the COVID vaccine? What are my options?” As part of the process to receive your green card, an individual has to receive a medical exam. This is completed by a civil surgeon…
Alert! Changes to USCIS Interview Scheduling
Our attorneys at Immigration for Couples are members of AILA, the American Immigration Lawyers Association. AILA has liaisons that work with USCIS to report issues and trends. One of the things that AILA has announced is that there have been changes to interview scheduling specifically as it relates to USCIS offices that are here in…
Important! COVID-19 Vaccination is Required
The COVID vaccine is now required as part of the process to receive a green card. Part of the process to receive a green card includes a medical exam with a civil surgeon and the CDC, the Center for Disease Control has announced that the COVID vaccine is required. Read More: CDC Requirements for Immigrant…
28-Day Legendary Love Challenge
What do you think is the number one most important thing in your immigration case? You’re probably not expecting this as the answer but the most important thing in your immigration case is your relationship. Here at Immigration for Couples, it is the most important thing for us as well. We are helping you to navigate the…
K1 Visa Interviews Are Being Scheduled
Are K1 visa interviews being scheduled? What is going on with K1 visa interviews? Yes, they are being scheduled. Before COVID, you would be able to go online and schedule your interview for your fiancé visa. But with COVID, US embassies and consulates closed and there weren’t interviews occurring. As the US embassies and consulates…
K1 Fiancé Visa Process 2021
Are you in the process of applying for a fiancé visa and feeling overwhelmed by all the steps that are involved and unsure of where to even begin? You’re not alone. Many couples feel this way at the beginning of their immigration journey. There’s a lot of steps involved but it can be broken down…
Great News! Social Security & Green Card Updates
In August 2021, USCIS announced that they are revising the adjustment of status form to include a question about the Social Security Number and that they’re coordinating with the Social Security office so individuals can automatically receive their Social Security card in the mail after receiving their green card. Read: USCIS Expands Partnership with Social…
Fiancé Visa Eligibility Requirements | 2021
Have you fallen in love with someone from another country? Are you excited but confused about where to begin the next steps for you to be able to start your lives together in the United States? The immigration process for couples is different, depending on what type of relationship you have. If you are engaged to a…
Medical Exam Requirement – US Immigration for Couples
One of the requirements in your immigration process is that you would receive or have completed rather a medical exam. For this medical exam, we’ll discuss medical exams as they relate to the adjustment of status process. An adjustment of status is a process that is completed inside of the United States. Someone who’s completing…
Stronger Relationships – US Immigration for Couples
The immigration process is nothing short of stressful. It really tests your patience and I know this, not just from being an immigration attorney, but having gone through the immigration process personally with my husband. I know it’s hard and you want to be together. A lot of you have distance. You might be living…
Spouse Visa Process
Let’s dive into the steps that are involved in a spouse visa case. There’s a lot of steps that could be involved with a lot of nuances. Immigration law is complicated but we can break spouse visas down into three main steps. 1. Petition The petition is also referred to as an I-130 application. This…
Spouse Visa Eligibility
Who is eligible to apply for a spouse visa? First and foremost, it’s a spouse visa so you have to be married to a United States citizen or a lawful permanent resident in order to have someone to petition for you. You also have to have a bona fide marriage which means that you have…
CDJ Interviews Scheduled with Little Notice
We have seen on a few cases and we’ve also heard reports from other attorneys across the United States that this is happening to everyone who has a consular interview that’s supposed to happen in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. In the past, we have always gotten 30 to 45 days of notice which is really important…
Choosing the Best Filing Method for I-130 Spouse Visa: Online vs. Paper
Navigating the US immigration process can be a complex and daunting task, especially when it comes to deciding the best way to file crucial forms like the I-130 application for a spouse visa. At Immigration for Couples, we understand the importance of making informed decisions. In this article, we delve into the pros and cons…
Adjustment of Status Eligibility
What are the eligibility requirements for an adjustment of status case? The very first one is that you have to be physically present in the United States. The person in question is the immigrant who is applying to receive the green card. You have to be physically in the United States. The second requirement of eligibility…
Adjustment of Status Process
Adjustment of status is the most popular option for couples going through the immigration process. Why? Because it is the fastest option. Also, the adjustment of status process can be completed while the couple lives together in the United States. There’s also an option to apply for a work permit. If you are just…
Interview Scheduled – Minimal Notice
The good news is we are seeing more and more interviews being scheduled. These interviews are for spouse visa cases and fiancé visas where there is an interview that occurs at a US embassy or US consulate abroad. Things are still slow and there’s a backlog. It’s still painful, waiting for your interview but there…
Tell the Truth! || Immigration for Couples
One of the top things that you should do in your immigration case is to tell the truth. That seems pretty straightforward enough and you were planning on doing that anyway but it’s more complicated than that. Something we see all too often, is that people don’t realize what things that they might have to…
Starting Your Immigration Journey
Have you found the love of your life and you’re so excited to start your future and your life together in the United States? Have you found yourself lost at the beginning of your immigration journey and the alphabet soup that is immigration? From K1 fiancé visas and IR1 and CR1 spouse visas, it’s normal…
The Third Wheel || US Immigration
Do you happen to have a third wheel in your relationship? Someone or something that shouldn’t be there that’s holding your relationship back? I want to talk about a third-wheel phenomenon that I see with couples going through the immigration process and also having gone through the process myself with my husband. I typically don’t…
Name Change After Marriage
When a couple gets married, especially a couple who is going through the immigration process, the process is unique. Some additional questions that couples tend to ask are, “How do I change my name? When do I change my name? Can I change my middle name? Do I have to change my name?” Name Changing…
Letters of Support I130F & I129F || US Immigration for Couples
If you are filing an application for your spouse or your fiancé for their green card, part of that process is showing immigration that you have a real relationship based on love and not just to receive an immigration benefit. To show immigration that you have a real relationship based on love, you have to…
NVC Case Number Received: What Next?
What happens next when you receive your National Visa Center case number? It will depend on what type of case you have. If you have an I-130 petition that’s been approved and the National Visa Center sends you your case number and notice, there’ll be details on the notice so you can begin the online…
Travel on a K1 Fiancé Visa
We’ve been receiving questions about whether or not you can travel domestically on a K1 fiancé visa. Whether or not you can leave the United States after you receive the fiancé visa. Some people seem to believe that there’s some rumor that you have to leave the country after you receive a fiancé visa. The…
How Long to Get Work Permit After Biometrics?
How long does receiving a work permit take from the point when you get your biometrics notice in the United States? This is a question that has to do with people who are applying for adjustment of status. When you get your biometrics notice and give your fingerprints, how much longer after that would you…
Still No Work Permit?!
Many of you who are going through an immigration process have probably noticed that it’s taking a very long time to receive your work permit. What is going on with work permits? The delays are very significant and we are seeing backlogs and delays across the board with immigration applications. You need to be able to…
Celebrating Pride Month || Immigration for Couples
Pride month is so great because it is a recognition of all of the progress that has been made. It’s also an important reminder of the progress and the steps that still need to be taken for equality for the LGBTQ+ community. Pride month is even more than that. The great thing about pride month…
Navigating the Unknown | US Immigration for Couples
In your immigration case and in life, navigating the unknown can be exciting. It can also be extremely overwhelming and stressful. In the immigration journey you all are going to hopefully just have to do the steps one time. It’s human nature to want to feel in control and you are probably doing a lot of research.…
Vaccination Requirements || Immigration for Couples || Covid-19
Part of the immigration process for individuals who are applying to receive their green card is a medical exam. During that medical exam, the civil surgeon will determine what vaccinations are required. These two are part of the requirements for receiving a green card. Many people are asking which vaccinations are required, what to take…