On Sept. 30, 2020, the U.S. Senate passed and the president signed H.R. 8337 to keep the U.S. government operational through Dec. 11, 2020. This action will maintain vital immigration programs such as the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program, E-Verify, Conrad 30 Waiver Program for J-1 medical doctors and non-minister religious workers programs. The legislation also adds additional options for premium processing of certain types of petitions that are filed with the U.S. Citizenship…

Greenberg Traurig Shareholder Kate Kalmykov was featured in Lawdragon’s Lawyer Limelight on Sept. 24.  Click here to read the full interview.…

As we previously reported, USCIS Form I-944 has been the subject of ongoing litigation, with various USCIS stakeholders challenging the form’s continued use. ‘However, due to a recent Second Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision, the form can be used once again, and USCIS is free to require the form by all Form I-485 applicants nationwide and continue the implementation of its public charge rule. On Sept. 11, 2020, the Second Circuit, in State of…

Eight attorneys from the Immigration and Compliance Practice of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP are included in the 2021 edition of Best Lawyers in America. In addition, one attorney is recognized in the inaugural edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch. Read the full GT press release.…

On Aug. 12, 2020, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals limited a nationwide injunction issued earlier by a lower court in Make the Road New York, et al. v. Cuccinelli, et al., where the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (SDNY) issued a nation-wide injunction preventing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from continuing to require compliance with the public charge rule.…

With global travel disruptions reaching six months, lawful permanent residents (LPRs) and conditional permanent residents (CPRs) who are abroad and cannot currently travel back to the United States due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are experiencing extended absences from the United States. Absences from the United States between six months to one year by a permanent resident may result in questioning at the time of reentry to the United States by the inspecting…

In line with the U.S. Department of State’s increased periodic review and update of visa “reciprocity” pursuant to a January 2017 Executive Order, Mexican nationals will now benefit from increased visa validity periods in the E-1 Treaty Trader and E-2 Treaty Investor categories. The current reciprocity schedule, found on the Department of State website, now reflects that E-1 and E-2 visas for Mexican nationals can be issued for up to 48 months, up…