“IMMIGRATION LAW CONNECTION”

The newly instituted “Immigrant Fee” ($165) and the I-539 fee ($290) can now be payed online, using USCIS’  “ELIS” case management system.  Please note that new U.S.-bound immigrants must pay the new Immigrant Fee BEFORE departing their home country, before arrival in the United States.
The USCIS Electronic Immigration System (”ELIS”) is a streamlined online account-based [...]

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In just over one year, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) innovative Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR) initiative has produced real benefits that will strengthen agency policies and practices relating to job-creating immigrant entrepreneurs who help advance American economic growth.
“Our EIR initiative has had one overarching goal – to ensure that we capture the full potential [...]

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Every year, in the course of my professional practice as an immigration lawyer, I meet or know of at least 2-3 people who win the Greencard by virtue of the annual “Diversity Visa”-Lottery.    While this in itself may not be that unusual, I AM, however, astounded time and time again when I meet someone who [...]

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Time and time again, I receive various queries regarding the “investment” component of the E-2 visa.   In the day and age of readily available information-overload (thanks, Google), much has been written over the years regarding the E-2 visa and its requirements, particularly about “how much” to invest in order to maximize chances of receiving the [...]

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USCIS is working hard to make its forms better and more user-friendly, rolling out a series of revised forms which will be in 2-column format and feature a large two-dimensional barcode on the bottom of each page, which will change dynamically, as information is entered or changed.

Easy-to-Use Formats:
We are publishing many [...]

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Starting February 1, 2013, USCIS will begin collecting a new fee of $165 from foreign nationals arriving in the United States as new immigrants.
The agency said it has worked closely with the Department of State (DOS) to implement the new fee, which will allow USCIS to recover the costs of processing immigrant visas in the [...]

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If DHS has granted deferred action and a work permit has been applied for or approved, these individuals are eligible for issuance. Other documents required would be a valid government-issued document (unless the customer has been issued with the Department since January 1, 2010), two (2) proofs of residential address and proof of social security [...]

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Today, August 15, 2012, USCIS begins to accept Deferred Action cases.
“USCIS has developed a rigorous review process for deferred action requests under guidelines issued by Secretary Napolitano,” said USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas. “Childhood arrivals who meet the guidelines and whose cases are deferred will now be able to live without fear [...]

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1. In a change from the prior announcement, people currently in removal proceedings will use the USCIS process when it is implemented on August 15, 2012, rather than go through ICE. Only individuals in detention will go through ICE to make a deferred action request.
2. Information provided as part of the [...]

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THE DREAM ACT: A CENTRAL ELEMENT OF REFORM
The Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors (DREAM) Act (S. 729/H.R. 1751) is a bipartisan bill that would provide a conditional six-year pathway to legal permanent residence for certain unauthorized youth who, as children, were brought to the U.S. if they: complete high [...]

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