USCIS ANNOUNCES RETURN TO DEFERENCE POLICY TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO IMMIGRATION BENEFITS
On April 27, 2021, USCIS instructed officers to defer to prior approvals in immigration benefit petitions involving the same parties and...
DOS PROVIDES FAQs ON IMMIGRANT VISA BACKLOG AND CONSULAR PROCESSING
The Department of State released a FAQ on the immigrant visa backlog noting that the immigrant visa interview backlog has developed “due...
CANADIAN TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS EXTENDED
Canada’s Public Safety minister Bill Blair announced that Canada has extended travel restrictions until May 21, 2021 for travelers of all...
TRAVEL ISSUES FOR PERMANENT RESIDENTS IN PANDEMIC TIMES
If you are an U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR), and you have been absent from the U.S. for more than 180 days, that may result in the...
CANADA WILL GRANT PERMANENT RESIDENCY TO 90,000 STUDENTS AND FOREIGN WORKERS
On April 14, 2021, Immigration Minister, Marco Mendicino, announced a pathway to permanent residence for over 90,000 essential workers...
STATE DEPARTMENT EXPANDS EXCEPTIONS TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS ON VISAS AND ENTRY
The U.S. State Department has expanded the list of individuals who are eligible for a National Interest Exception (NIE) to enter the U.S....
BIPARTISAN BILL INTRODUCED THAT WOULD PROVIDE 40,000 UNUSED IMMIGRANT VISAS TO HEALTHCARE WORKERS
On March 29, U.S. senators introduced a bipartisan legislation to address the nation’s shortage of doctors and nurses. The Healthcare...
NONIMMIGRANT VISA BAN EXPIRES
Presidential Proclamation (PP) 10052 suspending entry to the U.S. of certain nonimmigrants in J, H and L status expired March 31,...
EB-5 REFORM AND INTEGRITY ACT INTRODUCED IN SENATE
On March 18, 2021, U.S. Senators introduced the “EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021,” a bill that would reauthorize the EB-5 Regional...
USCIS WILL NO LONGER ENFORCE PUBLIC CHARGE RULE
On March 9, 2021, the DHS announced that it will no longer seek judicial review of any court decisions invalidating the 2019 Public...
