The reciprocity fee (also sometimes called a visa issuance fee) is a fee some foreign nationals must pay after their visa is approved.
Khadija DerrickAugust 5, 2022
In light of the consular uncertainty and delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, a common question we receive is whether consulates are again processing E-2 visas. Fortunately, the answer is yes -- consulates have generally returned to processing E-2 visas,…
Khadija DerrickMarch 12, 2021
On March 2, 2021, without prior notice, the Secretary of State rescinded the previous national interest guidance that allowed people in certain visa categories to travel to the United States despite the COVID related travel ban. The changes impact the…
Jenny ZhanMarch 3, 2021
On April 23, 2020, the former president suspended the entry of certain employment and family-based green cards for 60 days. This proclamation was originally signed on April 22, 2020 (and was valid for 60 days), and President Trump later extended…
Jenny ZhanFebruary 25, 2021
We just had a National Interest Exception Application approved at the U.S. Consulate in Amsterdam for a B-1 business visitor who is a national of Netherlands. It took the Consulate 10 days to approve the NIE request. Please see more…
Jenny ZhanFebruary 8, 2021
If you recently submitted a non-immigrant visa application to a U.S. Consulate abroad (e.g. an E-2 investor application), you may be wondering when your visa interview will be scheduled. Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 global pandemic and always changing situation at…
Jenny ZhanFebruary 1, 2021
Many of our clients are in the U.S. on some sort of a non-immigrant visa. We often get asked the following question from our clients: Can I renew my visa in Mexico? Applying for initial non-immigrant visa in Mexico If…
Jenny ZhanNovember 20, 2020
Many of our clients often ask us whether the U.S. abroad are open, whether they are processing visa applications, and how long it takes to get an E-2 interview. In March 2020, the Department of State suspended routine visa services…
Jenny ZhanSeptember 10, 2020
In July 2020, the Department of State announced that certain business and student travelers coming from Schengen countries or the U.K. and Ireland (such as B-1 business visitors), treaty traders, or treaty investors may apply for a National Interest Exception (“NIE”). The NIE allows such…
Jenny ZhanSeptember 9, 2020
According to the Toronto Consulate visa chief, the U.S. consulate in Toronto has resumed processing E-2 visa applications. An E-2 visa can be a great visa option for an investor who wants to buy or start a business. You can…
Jenny ZhanSeptember 8, 2020
An E-2 visa application must be filed at a Consulate if you are not in the U.S. If you are in the U.S. and did not enter under the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA), you could file an E-2 visa application…
Jenny ZhanSeptember 8, 2020
We just had an E-2 investor visa approval at the U.S. Embassy in London. The applicant was granted the visa for 5 years and the business is a data analysis company offering solutions for data analytics. Due to the current…
Jenny ZhanAugust 20, 2020
An E-2 visa can be issued for up to 5 years, and after that it must be renewed. The renewal process usually involves submitting documentation that shows that you have hired employees, and that your business will continue to be…
Jenny ZhanAugust 20, 2020
One question we often receive from our clients or potential clients is where they can apply for a non-immigrant visa (such as E-1 visa, E-2 visa, E-3 visa, or O-1 visa). The immigration regulations indicate that a Consulate must accept…
Jenny ZhanAugust 18, 2020
On July 30, 2020, New York District Court Judge George Daniels issued a nationwide preliminary injunction on the public charge rules. This injunction applies to both the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. In the new public charge…
Jenny ZhanJuly 30, 2020
The U.S. Embassy in Madrid will resume visa processing on July 20, 2020. Visa services will resume in phases, however Madrid has not announced which visas will take priority. The consulates in London and Belfast are processing immigrant visas for…
Jenny ZhanJuly 23, 2020
On July 13, the U.S. Department of State announced that embassies and consulates around the world will gradually resume routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa services. Each consular post will begin routine visa services on its own timeline, depending on the…
Jenny ZhanJuly 15, 2020
Let’s analyze the following scenario: you came to the U.S. on a B-1 visa and filed a Change of Status application with USCIS asking to change your status to an E-2. Your spouse is currently outside the U.S. and would…
Jenny ZhanJuly 1, 2020
On Monday June 22, The Trump Administration signed an Executive Order suspending the entry of some H-1B, H-4, H-2B, J, and L visa holders, with some exceptions. According to the President, the reason for the EO was that these individuals…
Jenny ZhanJune 24, 2020
If you want to come to the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa, you will have to apply for a U.S. visa at a Consulate abroad (unless you are visa exempt – for example Canadian are exempt for certain visa categories).…
Jenny ZhanJune 23, 2020
Generally, yes. If you are applying for a non-immigrant intent at a U.S. Consulate abroad, you will have to go to an interview. The following categories of visa applicants generally do not have to go an interview: Applicant under 14…
Jenny ZhanJune 15, 2020
Covid-19 has caused havoc in our daily lives and the immigration scenario is no different. Unfortunately, the Government has not yet offered a blanket extension of visa or status termination dates and each applicant is left to sort out how…
Jenny ZhanApril 10, 2020
Additional U.S. Embassies and Consulates that cancelled and rescheduled their nonimmigrant and immigrant visa appointments due to the COVID-19 outbreak. These consulates have stopped routine procedure for most except for emergency U.S. citizen service. These are the latest updates: The…
Jenny ZhanMarch 26, 2020
PIMS (Petition Information Management Service) is an electronic system that provides U.S. consular posts with notification of non-immigrant visa petition approvals. It is the only source of petition approval evidence used in the issuance of visas in H, L, O,…
Jenny ZhanOctober 18, 2019
