Congress Passes FY 2019 Spending Bill, Avoiding a Second Government Shutdown
Last night Congress passed an appropriations bill that will fund the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and other federal agencies through to [...]
Biometrics Now Required for Certain Foreign Nationals Seeking a Change or Extension of Nonimmigrant Status
On March 11, USCIS will introduce a new Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. This revised version of the form will be implemented [...]
E-2 Visa approval at the U.S. Consulate in Dubai for a Gas Station/Convenience Store for a National of Pakistan
We just received an approval at the U.S. Consulate in Dubai for an E-2 visa filed on behalf of a Pakistani national treaty investor. The [...]
E-2 Visa approval for a Romance Book Publishing Company at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto
We just had an E-2 investor visa approval at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto. The applicant was granted the visa for 5 years and [...]
L-1A Visa approval at USCIS for an Executive of a Consumer Goods Company
We just had an L-1A approval at the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services. The applicant is a merchandising executive and received his L-1A visa stamp at [...]
EB-5 Approval for Indian National
Scott Legal, P.C. just had an EB-5 approval for a national from India. The client invested in a regional center where he invested $500,000. [...]
Unsecured Loan EB-5 Class Action Lawsuit: Potential Members Can Now Have Their Denials Reconsidered By USCIS
Zhang v. USCIS is a November 2018 Class Action Lawsuit that challenged USCIS’ denials of EB-5 investment petitions that had investment funds sourced solely [...]
E-3 Visa approval at U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services for an Accountant
We just had an E-3 extension of status approved by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services. The applicant is an accountant working for a hotel. The business [...]
Naturalization Approval of French National
Scott Legal, P.C. had an approval for a naturalization application. The green card holder had been in the U.S. for several years and recently decided [...]
Kelly R. LeGrand Weiner Speaks at E-2 Visa Question and Answer for Immigration Lawyers
Kelly R. LeGrand Weiner spoke on E-2 visa issues at a Corporate Practice Committee event for AILA’s New York chapter as part of a [...]
TN Visa Approval for Canadian National
Scott Legal, P.C. just had a TN visa approval at Pearson International Airport for a Canadian national. The visa was approved for 3 years [...]
USCIS Now Directly Accepts Negative Consultation Letters for P Visas
In September 2018, USCIS created a venue to accepts copies of negative consultation letters directly from labor unions for O nonimmigrant visas. For more [...]
FY 2020 H-1B Cap Season Starts April 1, 2019: Things You Should Do and Know
H-1B cap season for fiscal year 2020 will begin on April 1, 2019. Employers should start preparing for cap petitions now as applications not [...]
B-1 Visa Extension Approval
We just had an B-1 extension approval at the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services. The applicant was granted an extension of B-1 business visitor status [...]
Canadian Marijuana Investors are Being Barred from Entering the U.S.
Four months after Canada became the second country in the world to legalize recreational marijuana use and certain commercial activities, Canadian travelers who are [...]
USCIS to Close Moscow Field Office
Due to low workload, USCIS will permanently close the Moscow field office on March 29, 2019. The last day the field office will accept [...]
E-2 Specialist Employee Visa Approval for Architecture Recruitment Business in Toronto
We just had an E-2 employee visa approval at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto. The visa was approved for 5 years for an architect. [...]
E-2 Visa Approval in Toronto for Architecture Recruiting Business
Scott Legal P.C. just had an E-2 visa approval for an investor in Toronto for a headhunting recruiter business for a National from Canada. [...]
State Department Eliminates Two Interview Locations in China for H and L Visas
Starting on March 1, 2019, H visa and L visa interviews in Mainland China will only be conducted at the U.S. embassy in Beijing, [...]
E-2 Visa Approval For Company with a Business Plan Written by Scott Legal
Scott Legal P.C. was hired to write a business plan for an E-2 visa and the E-2 visa was just approved. The application was [...]
What is the Process for a Green Card if I Marry a U.S. Citizen? How do I get a Green Card through Marriage? What are the ways to get a Green Card?
There are three common ways to get a green card through marriage to a U.S. Citizen. This post summarizes the three different options. Obtaining [...]
H-1B Cap Registration Lottery to be Postponed Until Next Year
The Department of Homeland Security has announced in an advanced copy of the new H-1B regulation that the cap registration system will be postponed [...]
H-1B Cap Registration Rule Clears Federal Review
On January 14, 2019, USCIS sent the final version of the new H-1B cap registration rule to the Office of Management and Budget. Today, [...]
E-2 Approval for Chiropractor Practice for Canadian National
Scott Legal, P.C. just had another approval at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto for an E-2 visa. The visa was granted for 5 years [...]
You Can Now Check Your Asylum Application Status Online
USCIS has announced today that applicants who have a pending asylum application with USCIS can now check their case status online here. Only asylum [...]
U.S. State Department Suspends Visa Services in Caracas, Venezuela
Routine visa services at the U.S. mission in Caracas have been suspended indefinitely as tension between the United States and Venezuela rises. Foreign nationals [...]
E-2 employee visa approval for a Risk and IT Consulting Company at the U.S. Consulate in London
We just had an E-2 employee visa approval at the U.S. Consulate in London for an E-2 supervisory employee. The applicant will be the [...]
E-2 employee visa approval for a Non-Vessel Owning Common Carrier and Freight Forwarder at the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul
We just had an E-2 employee visa approval at the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul for an E-2 managerial employee. The applicant is a Regional [...]
USCIS Resumes Premium Processing For H-1B Cap Applications
USCIS has announced that it will resume premium processing on January 28, 2019 for all pending FY 2019 H-1B cap petitions, including those eligible [...]
Government Reopened for Three Weeks
President Trump announced on Friday, 35 days after the initial shutdown, that a continuing resolutions bill has been tabled to reopen the government for [...]
Ian E. Scott to sit on AILA panel at National Conference for E-2 Visas in Orlando
Ian E. Scott will be a speaker on the E-2 panel at the National American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Conference in Orlando this June. [...]
What is the Citizenship Question on the 2020 Census?
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge George Hazel began trial on lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s addition of a citizenship question on the 2020 census. [...]
DHS will Continue to Accept DACA Renewal Applications
Last November, the Trump Administration requested the Supreme Court to expedite and consolidate review of challenges to its decision to terminate the Deferred Action [...]
Will the definition of public charge change under the current administration? What does this mean for green card applicants?
On October 10, 2018 a proposed rule was published by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), which seeks to change the definition of [...]
What is Continuous Residence and Physical Presence? Do I need to satisfy both of them to apply for U.S. citizenship?
Two requirements that you need to satisfy to become a U.S. citizen are continuous residence and physical presence. Even though these requirements may sound [...]
