Significant Visa Fee Increases for Australian Nationals

January 13, 2020

U.S. firefighters coming to help extinguish the devastating forest fires were cheered when they arrived at the airport in Sydney, Australia. In the past, in what became a reciprocal arrangement, Australian firefighters have assisted U.S. firefighters. A different sort of reciprocity has led to the sudden increase in visa fees for Australians coming to the United States. This increase was announced in response to President Donald Trump’s 2017 “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry…

Immigration Blog

Denials, Delays for Foreign Students, Scholars

By Jessica K. Lang

September 3, 2019

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) cancelled an incoming Harvard freshman’s visa and deported him back to Lebanon eight hours after arriving at Boston’s Logan International Airport to start his college career. CBP detained the incoming student along with several other international students who were ultimately admitted to the U.S. According to reports, CBP deemed Ismail Ajjawi inadmissible to the U.S. after examining his cell phone and computer. CBP officers allegedly discovered “people posting political points…

Immigration Blog

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Begins Using Alphanumeric Format for I-94 Numbers

By Jessica K. Lang

May 28, 2019

In response to the depletion of numeric-only numbers for Form I-94 arrival/departure records, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began to use alphanumeric “numbers” (i.e., composed of letters and numbers) in May 2019. This change has no impact on the validity of I-94 cards and numbers already issued, which will remain valid until their expiration dates. Since 2013, the United States has been utilizing electronic Form I-94 to keep track of foreign nationals’ U.S. entry…

Immigration Blog

Crackdown on Birth Tourism Industry in U.S. Continues with First-Ever Arrests of Operators

By Jessica K. Lang

February 26, 2019

Traveling to the U.S. to give birth to a U.S.-citizen child, or birth tourism, is not a new industry. In January 2018, DHS raided 20 “maternity hotels” in Los Angeles suspected of housing “birth tourism” operations. A neighbor who lived near one of the apartment buildings reported that “a forklift delivered an excessive quantity of diapers to the building, but [she] did not realize the extent of the scheme.” Authorities are most interested in…

Immigration Blog

USCIS Explains New Policy on Discretionary Application Denials

By Jessica K. Lang

September 12, 2018

Beginning September 11, 2018, USCIS immigration officers will have more discretion to issue petition and application denials without first issuing Requests for Evidence (RFEs) or Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs). On September 6, 2018, the Ombudsman’s Office provided further details on the new policy change. The following was noted: The new policy takes effect on September 11, 2018, and will apply to applications received by USCIS on or after September 12, 2018. Adjudicators have full…

Immigration Blog

Travel Ban 3.0 Updated: DOS Waiver Process

By Jessica K. Lang

March 14, 2018

News outlet Reuters has reported that during the first month of Travel Ban 3.0, 8,400 individuals from Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, and Venezuela applied for visas, while only an estimated 100 waivers were granted. Individuals from Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, and Venezuela are affected by Travel Ban 3.0. Certain individuals are exempt from the travel restrictions, including those with valid entry documents, U.S. legal permanent residents,…

Jessica K. Lang

Significant Visa Fee Increases for Australian Nationals

Denials, Delays for Foreign Students, Scholars

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Begins Using Alphanumeric Format for I-94 Numbers

Crackdown on Birth Tourism Industry in U.S. Continues with First-Ever Arrests of Operators

USCIS Explains New Policy on Discretionary Application Denials

Travel Ban 3.0 Updated: DOS Waiver Process

Stay Connected

Company

Support

New to the Network