Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the June 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of June.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of June.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of June.
Are you a visa holder or permanent resident thinking of traveling overseas? Then, you won’t want to miss this important video, where we share our top 3 tips to smoothly re-enter the United States after temporary foreign travel for a safe and stress-free travel experience.
This information applies to:
Lawful Permanent Residents (Green card holders) and
Nonimmigrant Visa Holders
If you are a U.S. Citizen, do not worry as this information will not apply to you.
Overview
With the ongoing saga of detentions at U.S. ports of entry, and visa holders being questioned in secondary inspection, we can understand that re-entering the United States after traveling abroad can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially for green card holders and nonimmigrant visa holders.
Even with valid documentation, many travelers feel a sense of uncertainty as they prepare to face U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. Whether it’s your first time returning, or you’ve done it many times before, a little preparation can go a long way to ease your travel concerns under the Trump Administration.
In this post, we’ll share three practical tips to help reduce anxiety and make your return to the U.S. as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Although everyone’s situation is unique, these three tips can help you navigate U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with confidence.
Over the past month, a new wave of visa revocations has caused panic among F-1 international students at college campuses nationwide.
In this video you will learn about what is happening, which students are being impacted, and how you can protect your immigration status moving forward.
Here’s What We Know
Without any prior notification, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been revoking visas and terminating SEVIS records for the following individuals:
Students who have had encounters with law enforcement
Students with criminal charges that have been dismissed
Students with very old misdemeanors pre-dating their most recent visa issuance
Students who have engaged in pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses and
Where the government learns that a student is working without lawful authorization
School officials first became aware of terminated F-1 student records after conducting routine checks of the Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). Still others became aware of their SEVIS termination after receiving an email directly from the State Department.
Why it’s Important
A student’s visa is the key that allows students to enter the United States, but their SEVIS record (known as Form I-20 Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status) is what determines their ability to remain inside the country. Students are allowed to remain until their “Admit Until Date” or D/S Duration of Status. This means a student can remain in the U.S. for as long as they comply with the terms of their F-1 visa.
Once an F-1 student’s SEVIS record is terminated, they automatically lose lawful status and are subject to removal from the United States if they do not leave the U.S. immediately. Under the Trump administration, F-1 visa holders admitted for “duration of status” begin accruing unlawful presence the day after their status ends.
You have just learned that your work visa petition has been approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Now you are ready to attend your Consular visa interview bringing you one step closer to achieving your dream of working in the United States.
Unfortunately, receiving a USCIS approval notice does not guarantee the successful issuance of a visa by the U.S. Consulate. In fact, for some unlucky few that fail to pass their visa interview, the U.S. government can still revoke or cancel a petition that was previously approved by USCIS.
What can you do in this situation? Is this the end of the road? Learn everything you need to know about this important subject in this video.
Overview
Can the State Department revoke a work visa petition that was previously approved by USCIS?
Unfortunately, yes. After receiving an approval notice from USCIS, work visa applicants must still attend an in-person Consular interview to demonstrate their eligibility for the visa classification they are seeking. A Consular officer will question the applicant further to ensure they qualify for the visa and may request further evidence.
The petition revocation process begins when the State Department returns the application to USCIS along with the results of any investigation they have conducted.
Once USCIS has received the returned petition and the results of the investigation, they will issue a Notice of Intent to Revoke (NOIR) to the petitioner of the previously approved petition. The NOIR will include details about USCIS’ plans to revoke the underlying petition, as well as the discovery of new, derogatory information leading to the visa denial. A statement of facts underlying the revocation will be provided along with any evidence supporting the revocation.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the February 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of February.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will use theFinal Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of February.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of February.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the January 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of January.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based and family-sponsored preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of December.
President Trump will soon return to the White House, bringing with him many changes in the world of immigration.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick shares the ways in which the Trump administration will impact the processing at visas U.S. Consulates and Embassies worldwide, including immigrant and non-immigrant visas.
This video also covers the latest updates regarding the operational capacity of U.S. Consular posts and Embassies as of November 2024.
If you are currently waiting in line for a visa interview at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy abroad, you won’t want to miss this video.
Overview
President Trump will settle into the White House on January 20, 2024, bringing with him new appointments to cabinet level positions. His pick for Secretary of State is likely to be the Republican Marco Rubio, a known conservative who supports legal immigration and a crackdown on illegal immigration.
Nonimmigrant visa applicants may face new restrictions when applying at U.S. Consulates and Embassies. During the previous Trump administration, work visa applicants were under much heavier scrutiny than ever before. H-1B, O-1, L-1, and J visa applicants found it much more difficult to obtain approvals both at the USCIS and Consular level.
These challenges existed even for applicants seeking extensions of their work visa.
To avoid being subject to greater scrutiny, applicants should file their cases as soon as possible. If premium processing service is available for your petition, take advantage of it.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the December 2024 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of December.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based and family-sponsored preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of December.
The American people have spoken. Donald Trump will return to the White House on January 20, 2025, becoming the next President of the United States.
This past month, the Trump administration has been busy laying the groundwork to implement stricter border policy measures, strike-down Biden-era immigration policies, and put in motion the large-scale deportation of undocumented immigrants.
But how could a Trump presidency impact legal immigration?
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what we can expect to see from the incoming Trump administration, with a specific focus on the changes that could impact business immigration law. You will learn about the five major changes that employers and foreign workers should consider in the months ahead.
If you’re an employer looking to hire foreign talent, or are actively employing foreign workers, then you won’t want to miss this video. If you’re a foreign worker going through the visa process, or thinking of applying for a visa, we will share with you the insider information you need to know to ensure your process is successful.
Want to know more? Just keep on watching
Overview
The Trump administration’s immigration policies are expected to impact workers in all industries. Individuals close to the President elect have revealed that they are preparing executive actions on immigration to be rolled out soon after Trump takes office in January.
Here are the top five ways that Trump’s immigration policies will impact business immigration.
#1 The Use of Executive Orders
During his first term in office, Donald Trump relied heavily on executive orders to bring about far-reaching changes in immigration policy, including his notorious “Muslim travel ban.”
As you may recall, in 2017 President Trump signed an executive order banning people from six Muslim-majority countries, from entering the United States for a period of 90 days. These countries were Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen.
The executive order prevented nationals from entering, even if they held visas to travel to the United States, causing wide-spread family separation for those seeking to be reunited with their spouses, parents, and children in the United States.
Upon taking office, we expect President Trump to issue a series of executive orders that will restrict the admission of certain foreign nationals to the United States and codify his hardline immigration policies.
If you are applying for an immigrant visa for a family member, you will encounter the National Visa Center during your immigration process. The National Visa Center is a branch of the Department of State responsible for managing the processing of immigrant visa applications.
Once USCIS has approved your immigrant petition, your case is transferred to the National Visa Center to collect additional documentation from you, before your case can be scheduled for a visa interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains why there have been delays in immigrant visa processing due to challenges faced by the National Visa Center.
Overview
What are some of the problems causing delays in visa processing?
Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) Technical Errors
The Department of State uses an online application for immigrant visa applicants to submit required fees, forms, and documents to the National Visa Center (NVC) for review.
This tool is called the Consular Electronic Application Center, or CEAC which requires you to enter your case number and invoice ID number to login in to the platform.
After logging in the platform will instruct you regarding the steps you need to take to complete pre-processing of your case. This includes 1) paying your fees, 2) completing the DS-260 Immigrant Visa Electronic Application, and 3) uploading the required documentation.
Unfortunately, users commonly experience errors while using the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) platform. This includes problems with uploading documents.
When trying to upload documents to CEAC, users who see an “Invalid Image Detected” error must save the completed document as a PDF and re-upload it.
Immigrant Visa Processing Delays
Due to these technical errors, the National Visa Center has been experiencing immigrant visa processing delays. These issues have pushed back immigrant visa processing because the National Visa Center has been unable to promptly receive, and review required documentation.
Other common situations causing delays include submitting incomplete documentation or documentation that is missing required information.
Immigration Lawyer Blog
