Articles Posted in Green Cards

by

As we near the end of the month, attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses the release of the February 2023 Visa Bulletin and the trends and projected movement you can expect to see in the family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories for the month of February.

If you are interested to know about the cutoff dates and visa availability for the upcoming Visa Bulletin, please keep on watching.

Did you know? Every month the Department of State releases the Visa Bulletin, which summarizes the availability of immigrant visa numbers for that particular month. The “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” charts indicate when immigrant visa applicants can assemble and submit the required documentation to the National Visa Center (for those residing overseas), or USCIS (for those residing in the United States).

The primary purpose of the Visa bulletin is to provide an updated waiting list for immigrants that are subject to the numerical visa quota system.

Overview

USCIS Adjustment of Status Filing Charts for the February Visa Bulletin (for those residing in the USA)

To be eligible to file a family or employment-based adjustment of status application in the month of February (for those residing inside the United States), foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country.

For Family-Sponsored Filings:

Pursuant to guidance released by USCIS, for all family-sponsored preference categories, applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for February 2023 to determine when you can apply for adjustment of status.

For Employment-Based Preference Filings:

All applicants, falling under employment-based preference categories, must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for February 2023 to determine when you can apply for adjustment of status.

Continue reading

by

 

In this blog post, attorney Jacob Sapochnick talks about a brand-new proposal to increase the government filing fees for certain types of immigration benefits filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Following the announcement, on January 4, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the Federal Register outlining the proposed fee schedule which seeks to increase the filing fees of certain nonimmigrant visa classifications, as well as adjustment of status (green card) applications.

The government will be accepting public comments for the proposed rule until March 6, 2023. After the comment period has closed, the agency will review the public comments and issue a final version of the rule.

TIP: If you know that you will be applying for an immigration benefit that is subject to the proposed fee increase, you should apply as soon as possible to avoid incurring the higher fee.

Want to know more? Just keep on watching.

Continue reading

by

In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses the final rule, “Public Charge Ground of Inadmissibility” announced by the Biden administration on December 19, 2022.

The final rule applies to adjustment of status applications postmarked on or after December 23, 2022.

The new public charge rule was issued in response to President Biden’s Executive Order 14012, entitled, “Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans.”

As you might recall, in 2018 former President Trump expanded the public charge rule making it more difficult for green card applicants to immigrate to the United States. Later in 2021, the Biden administration rescinded the Trump administration’s public charge rule and restored the original public charge of inadmissibility guidance that was in place before Donald Trump became President.

To help green card applicants prepare for the change, the Biden administration released a new edition of Form I-485 to better implement the regulations.

Want to know more about this topic? Just keep on watching.

Overview

How can the public charge rule impact me?

Biden’s public charge rule will impact all those who are filing Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Resident or Adjust Status on or after December 23, 2022, with few exceptions.

Although new policy updates are being implemented by the Biden administration, it is important to understand that the “public charge” concept has been around since 1999 when Congress made it a matter of law for a noncitizen’s application for a visa, admission, or adjustment of status to be denied if the applicant is “likely at any time to become a public charge,” on the United States government.

We would like to highlight that in our practice, we have rarely seen an applicant denied solely on public charge grounds, however it is still important to understand what the public charge rule is about and what factors USCIS considers when analyzing whether a green card applicant is currently or likely to become a public charge.

Continue reading

by

Are you applying for a green card or immigrant visa? Want to know whether the COVID-19 vaccine is required to immigrate to the United States?

Then this is just the right video for you. In this video you will learn all about the COVID-19 vaccination requirement from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), as well as other useful information regarding the Form I-693, Medical Examination and religious exemptions to the vaccination requirement. This information is being provided to help you understand the medical examination requirements and prevent the issuance of a Request for Evidence.

Did You know? Last year, USCIS announced the COVID-19 vaccination requirement which impacted all adjustment of status applications and medical examinations, filed on or after October 1, 2021.

If you want to know more just keep on watching.

Overview

What are the COVID-19 vaccination requirements?

Effective October 1, 2021, USCIS announced that applicants for adjustment of status subject to the immigration medical examination must complete the COVID-19 vaccination series before their civil surgeon can complete and sign the Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record.

This means that if you submit your Form I-693 medical examination on or after October 1, 2021, you are required to complete the entire COVID-19 vaccine series (1 or 2 doses depending on formulation) and submit evidence of vaccination to your civil surgeon. During your medical examination appointment, your civil surgeon will inspect your vaccination record to make sure you have all of the necessary vaccinations, and discuss your vaccination history with you before signing the I-693 medical examination.

If you submitted your Form I-693 before October 1, 2021, then are not required to complete the COVID-19 vaccine series in order to obtain your adjustment of status.

Continue reading