ImmigrationQuestions & Answers

J-1 trainee visa: Q&A

What is the purpose of the J-1 trainee visa? The purpose of the J-1 trainee visa is to enhance the skills and expertise of J-1 trainees in their particular academic or occupational fields, to improve their knowledge of particular U.S.…
October 28, 2020
ImmigrationQuestions & Answers

J-1 internship visa: Q&A

What is the purpose of the J-1 internship program? The purpose of the J-1 internship program is to enhance your skills and experience in a particular academic field and expose you to U.S. techniques or methodologies. Additionally, the J-1 program…
October 28, 2020
News

Ian Scott Sits on AILA RDC/EMEA Conference

Ian E. Scott has been selected to sit on a panel to share knowledge on alternative visas for investors with other immigration attorneys.  This AILA annual conference is attended by thousands of immigration lawyers and will be held online this…
October 27, 2020
Extraordinary Ability

New Guidance on O-1 visa classification

On September 17, 2020 USCIS announced that it consolidate policy guidance on the O-1 visa in the USCIS Policy Manual. The USCIS Policy Manual is the agency’s centralized repository for USCIS’ immigration policies. The Policy Guidance on the O-1 visa classification…
October 26, 2020
Immigration

I am a legal permanent resident with parents who would like to visit me and my family. We want to know if it is true that my parents will be denied entry to the US on a tourist visa if they refuse to allow immigration authorities to search their electronic devices such as their phones and computer laptops?

Although the state of the law regarding the extent of authority an immigration officer, “CBP officer” has to search electronic devices such as a cell phone or laptop is unclear and pending litigation in US courts, the short answer is…
October 20, 2020
Immigration

The October Visa Bulletin showed that green cards are available in the EB-3 category sooner than in the EB-2 category. I have an approved I-140 petition in the EB-2 category. Can I “downgrade” to an EB-3 to take advantage of the availability of visas?

As explained in a separate blog post found here, the October 2020 Visa Bulletin generally saw significant forward movement on visa availability. The October Bulletin also showed that lower-preference employment categories (for example, the EB-3 category) are able to receive…
October 12, 2020
ImmigrationNews

The October 2020 Visa Bulletin

What is the Visa Bulletin? The U.S. government provides the Visa Bulletin to keep track of visa numbers and to give you a tool to determine when you can file your green card petition and when it can be approved.…
October 8, 2020
News

Judge Blocks USCIS Application Fee Increase

California District Court Judge White has blocked the Department of Homeland Security’s fee increase, originally slated to take effect on October 2, 2020. The October 2 fee increase would have significantly increased the costs for most employment-based applications and other…
October 5, 2020
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