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Lawsuit over fiancé(e) visa delays

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many foreign-born fiancé(e)s are facing substantial delays in processing their fiancé(e) visas. The US Embassies and Consulates were closed for months and are only slowly resuming the processing of K-1 visas depending on the situation in each country.

When the President issued the Proclamations (“PPs”) that suspended entry into the U.S. certain foreigners who have been physically present in China, Iran, Schengen Area, U.K., Ireland, or Brazil in the previous 14-days, the State Department suspended issuing visas to people residing in those countries.

Over 150 U.S. citizens filed a class action lawsuit to force the State Department to resume issuance of fiancé(e) visas. On November 19, 2020, the court prohibited the State Department from relying on the PPs to suspend visa issuance to the named plaintiffs affected by those PP.

K-1 visa applicants who are named plaintiffs and subject to a regional proclamation should contact their nearest Embassy or Consulate for
guidance on scheduling a visa interview. However, they do not have priority ahead of other K visa applicants and remain subject to the regional PPs.

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New Naturalization Civics Test

The USCIS will implement a revised version of the naturalization civics test for applications filed on December 1, 2020 and later. The USCIS will now ask 20 questions out of 128 questions and the applicant needs to answer 12 questions correctly to pass the civics test.

The applicants at age 65 or older who have been lawful permanent residents for at least 20 years will continue to be asked 10 test questions and need to answer 6 questions correctly.

Please note that this article does not constitute a legal advice.  If you are seeking legal representation in your naturalization process, call an experienced immigration attorney at 480-425-2009 or schedule your consultation online.

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Public Charge rule update

The Seventh Circuit issued an administrative stay, of the decision to vacate the Public Charge Rule pending appeal. For more information, click here.

Please note that this article does not constitute a legal advice.  If you need any assistance with your visa or green card application or/and would like to discuss how this decision may impact you, call our experienced immigration attorney at 480-425-2009 or schedule your consultation online.

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Public Charge Rule vacated nationwide

A district court vacated the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) rule on public charge and DHS may no longer apply it.

According to US immigration laws, foreign nationals (with some exceptions) are inadmissible to the U.S.  if they are unable to care for themselves without becoming public charges.  The public charge rule clarified how DHS determines if someone is likely at any time to become a public charge.  

This public charge rule required foreign nationals seeking legal permanent resident status or extend or change their nonimmigrant status to show that they have not received public benefits for more than 12 months, in total, within any 36-month period.  

The district court ruling took effect immediately.

Please note that this article does not constitute a legal advice.  If you need any assistance with your visa or green card application or/and would like to discuss how this decision may impact you, call our experienced immigration attorney at 480-425-2009 or schedule your consultation online.

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TPS recipients who entered US illegally are eligible to adjust status

The Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit held that a foreign national who entered the U.S. illegally (without inspection and admission) and received Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”), is deemed “inspected and admitted” for purposes of adjustment of status and may adjust their status to that of lawful permanent resident.

Please note that this article does not constitute a legal advice.  If you need any assistance associated with your TPS status and would like to discuss how this decision may impact you, call our experienced TPS attorney at 480-425-2009 or schedule your consultation online.

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Evidence of Prior Fraudulent Marriage Precludes Approval of Subsequent Marriage-Based Green Card Petition

The Board of Immigration Appeals ruled that substantial and probative evidence that a prior marriage was fraudulent and entered into for the purpose of evading the immigration laws justifies the denial of a subsequent green card petition. This applies if the first green card petition was denied because of insufficient evidence of a bona fide maritage.

Please note that this article does not constitute a legal advice.  If you would like to obtain a marriage-based green card or consult how this decision may impact you and your case, call our experienced marriage green card attorney at 480-425-2009 or schedule your consultation online.

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Extension of the Designation of South Sudan for TPS

The designation of South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is extended for 18 months, from November 13, 2020 through May 2, 2022. The re-registration period runs from November 2, 2020 through January 4, 2021.

Eligible nationals of South Sudan (or persons without nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan) may register or re-register for TPS and the validity Employment Authorization Documents was extended.

Temporary protected status (TPS) is a temporary benefit to certain nationals of designated countries due to conditions in the country (such as ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster, or an epidemic or other extraordinary and temporary conditions) that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning.

Please note that this article does not constitute a legal advice.  If you would like to obtain an TPS status or need any assistance associated with your TPS status, call our experienced TPS attorney at 480-425-2009 or schedule your consultation online.

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Loan proceeds qualify as cash for EB-5 investment

D.C. Circuit Court ruled that loan proceeds qualify as cash under the EB-5 Program. Under a contrary interpretation, USCIS treats the investment as indebtedness rather than cash subject to additional requirements. Specifically, a loan may qualify as capital for EB-5 investment only if they are secured by assets owned by the investor. The court rejected such collateralization interpretation.

Please note that this article does not constitute a legal advice.  We simplified the law to outline only one aspect of the latest development of EB-5 green card process. If you would like to obtain an investment (EB-5) green card, call our experienced EB-5 green card attorney at 480-425-2009 or schedule your consultation online.

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New proposed H-1B “wage-based” selection process

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposes to
change the process of selecting H-1B registrations for filing of H-1B cap-subject petitions from a random lottery selection to a wage-level-based selection process.

If more registrations were received during the annual
initial registration period than necessary to reach the
cap, USCIS would rank and select the registrations received generally on the basis of the highest OES wage level in the area of intended employment, beginning with OES wage level IV and proceeding in descending order with OES wage levels III, II, and I

These proposed changes would incentivize petitioners to offer higher wages
to H-1B workers or petition for positions requiring higher skills By changing the selection process, DHS would increase the chance
of selection for registrations or petitions seeking to employ beneficiaries at wages that would equal or exceed the level IV or level III prevailing wage. The DHS data shows that only 28.53% of H-1B petitions received in FYs 2018 and 2019 were filed for level IV and III wages.

The 30-day comments period starts on November 2, 2020.

Please note that this article does not constitute a legal advice.  We simplified the law to outline the proposed changes to H-1B selection process. If you would like to obtain an H-1B status, call our experienced H-1B attorney at 480-425-2009 or schedule your consultation online.

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How can an undocumented immigrant get legal status in the US?

Some undocumented foreign nationals may be eligible for asylum if they can establish that because of a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion, are unable or unwilling to return to their country of nationality, and are unable or unwilling to avail themselves of the protection of that country.

Foreign nationals in removal proceedings may be eligible for cancellation of removal if (i) they have been physically present in the US for a continuous period of 10 years, (ii) have been persons of good moral character for 10 years, (iii) have not bee convicted of certain offenses, (iv) establish that removal would result in exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to US citizen or legal permanent resident spouse, parent or child and (v) warrant a favorable exercise of discretion.

Persons who: (i) have suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of certain criminal activity (such as murder, rape, kidnapping, domestic violence), (ii) possess credible and reliable information establishing that (s)he has knowledge of details concerning the criminal activity, (iii) have been helpful, are being helpful, or are likely to be helpful in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity and (iv) criminal activity occurred in the US or violated a US federal law that provided for extraterritorial jurisdiction may qualify for U visa.

Certain persons are allowed to apply of adjustment of status notwithstanding the fact that they entered without inspection, overstayed, or worked without authorization if: they (a) are beneficiaries of a labor certification or visa petition filed on or before January 14, 1998; or (ii) are beneficiaries of a labor certification of visa petition that was filed after January 14, 1998 but on or before April 30, 2001, and were physically present in the US on December 21, 2000.

Undocumented immigrant’s spouse, adult child or parent who are US citizens may petition for their legal permanent resident status.

Temporary protected status (TPS) is a temporary benefit to certain nationals of designated countries due to conditions in the country (such as ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster, or an epidemic or other extraordinary and temporary conditions) that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning. Countries currently designated for TPS are El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Undocumented persons who demonstrate that the (i) they came to the US before reaching 16th birthday, (ii) were physically present in the US on June 15, 2012, (iii) have continuously resided in the US since June 15, 2007, up to the present time, (iv) entered without inspection or were out of status on June 15, 2012, (v) were under the age of 31 on June 15, 2012, (vi) are currently in school, graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, obtained GED certificate or are honorably discharged veterans of the Coast Guard or US Armed Forces may qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Please note that this article does not constitute a legal advice.  We simplified the law to outline some of the options to consider for undocumented immigrants to get legal status in the US. If you would like to obtain legal status in the US, call our experienced immigration attorney at 480-425-2009 or schedule your consultation online.