During COVID-19 pandemic, our virtual online immigration law office remains OPEN.

A phone or video conference appointment with an attorney can be scheduled by emailing us.

On March 18, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the temporary closure of its local field and asylum offices as well as its application support centers. The closure will remain in effect until at least April 1, 2020.

On March 25th, temporary closure of USCIS local offices was extended to April 7th 2020, unless the public closures are extended further. This includes interviews, naturalization ceremonies and biometric collection appointments. However, USCIS will continue to provide emergency services during this time. If you have an emergency service request, please contact the USCIS Contact Center. Employees in these offices are continuing to perform mission-essential services that do not require face-to-face contact with the public.
USCIS field offices will send de-scheduling notices to applicants and petitioners with scheduled appointments impacted by the public closure. USCIS will also send de-scheduling notices to naturalization applicants scheduled for naturalization ceremonies, and will reschedule all applicants when USCIS resumes normal operations.

USCIS will post and update COVID-19 information here.

However, USCIS Service Centers remain open and cases are being processed.

We will continue to file new petitions with USCIS as well as continue to meet all deadlines. At this time, USCIS has not modified any deadlines or filing requirements.

​We will continue to monitor and provide updates at https://law-visa-usa.com/blog-usa-immigration-law-updates.html

​What is a fiancée K-1 and K-2 visa? Who can apply? What is the process, timeframes and the costs?
The fiancée K-1 nonimmigrant visa is for the foreign national fiancée of a United States citizen. Only a U.S. citizen can petition for his or her foreign fiancée. A U.S. citizen can file a fiancée visa petition only after they have met in person in the previous two years: meeting each other online or through a video chat or messenger is not enough. The purpose of a K-1 visa is for foreign citizen fiancée to travel to the United States and marry his or her U.S. citizen sponsor within 90 days of arrival. 
The foreign fiancee will then apply for adjustment of status (aka “green card”) with the USCIS at the Department of Homeland Security. This is a separate legal process.
K-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa. However, because a fiancée visa is intended to help a foreign national to immigrate to the U.S. and allows him or her to apply for a green card after marriage to a U.S. citizen petitioner shortly after arrival in the United States, the fiancé(e) must meet most of the requirements of an immigrant visa.
K-2 visa is a fiancée visa for eligible children of K-1 visa applicant (unmarried children under 21).
As of 12/2018, current processing times are approx. 5 to 7 months for a I-129F Petition, plus additional 3 to 6 weeks for the NVC stage, plus additional 1-3 months for a visa application process (varies depending on a Consulate and your own readiness).

The First Step: Filing the Petition, USCIS Form I-129F
 (1) The U.S. citizen fiancé, must file Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé(e), with the USCIS. Form I-129F cannot be filed at a U.S. Embassy, Consulate, or USCIS office abroad.
 (2) When USCIS approves the I-129F petition, it is sent to the National Visa Center (NVC). The NVC will assign a new a case number and directly forward the approved fiancée visa petition to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where a foreign fiancée will apply for a visa.

The Second Step: Applying for a Visa
The NVC will mail a letter with a new case number after it sends a fiancée visa case to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Once you receive this letter, it is time to apply for a K-1 visa and prepare for the interview.
Eligible children of K-1 visa applicants may apply for K-2 visas. Children are included into the I-129F petition. However, separate visa applications and visa fees are required for every child.

Required Documentation The foreign national fiancée and eligible children applying for K-2 visas will be required to bring the following forms and documents to the visa interview:

• Completed Form DS-160, Nonimmigrant Visa Application. Each K-1 and K-2 visa applicant must: (1) complete Form DS-160 online, (2) pay a visa fee, and (3) print the DS-160 confirmation page to bring to a visa interview. 
• A passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond your intended period of stay in the U.S.
• Divorce or death certificate(s) of any and all previous spouse(s) for both you and the U.S. citizen petitioner.
• Police certificates from your home country and all other countries where you have lived for six months or more since age 16 (Police certificates are also required for a foreign fiancée and all accompanying children age 16 or older)
• Medical examination (for K-1 and K-2 visa applicants)
• Evidence of financial support (Form I-134, Affidavit of Support, and proof of sponsor’s employment and income usually are required). There is no extra fee for the Form I-134. For a fiancée visa, the Affidavit of Support, Form I-134, is required. There is another Affidavit of Support, Form I-864, which will be required later, when you apply for a green card after marriage. The forms are different. The income requirements are also different. When submitting the Affidavit of Support, Form I-134, you need to show that your U.S. sponsor's income is 100 percent of the federal poverty guideline. When submitting the Affidavit of Support, Form I-864, the sponsor must be able to demonstrate that his or her income is at least 125 percent of the federal poverty guideline minimum income requirement. If you estimate that both K-1 visa and a green card will be applied for during the same tax year, you should plan and gather all required documentation in advance.
• Evidence of relationship with your U.S. citizen fiancée, which is very important at the last stage, as well as at the first stage.

The consular officer may ask for additional information, such as photographs, chat logs, emails and other proof that the relationship with your U.S. citizen fiancé(e) is genuine and real. Documents in foreign languages, other than the language of the country in which the application takes place, should be translated. Applicants should take to the visa interview legible photocopies of civil documents and translations, such as birth and divorce certificates.

Fees

​Government filing fees are subject to change (as of 12/2018, the fees are as follows): 

• US$535 -- Filing fee for an Alien Fiancé(e) Petition, Form I-129F
• US$265 -- Nonimmigrant visa application processing fee, Form DS-160 (required for each K visa applicant)
• Medical examination fee, paid directly to a designated clinic (required for each K-1 and K-2 visa applicant) – costs vary, please check with the U.S. embassy in the country where a fiancée will apply for a visa
• Other costs may include translation and notarization charges, fees for getting the documents required for the visa application (such as passport, police certificates, birth certificates, etc.). Costs vary from country to country.
• US$1,225 -- Filing Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status. Your spouse will submit this application after marriage. There could be additional applications filed concurrently: Application for a work permit and Application for advance parole. These applications are optional, but could be advisable.
• Legal fees – we charge flat fee which could vary from case to case, depending on difficulty and the number of dependents. Please contact attorney for a case evaluation, and we will gladly give you a quote.

To ensure that your application is accepted and not rejected, the most current edition of the form must be submitted, accompanied by a correct filing fee. It is recommended that you check the most current edition of every application and the most current filing fees at USCIS and Department of State websites shortly before applying.

Please note that the approved I-129F petition is valid for four (4) months from the date of approval by USCIS. However, a consular officer can extend the validity of the petition if it expires before visa processing is completed.

Certain conditions and activities can make a visa applicant ineligible for a visa. Examples of these ineligibilities include: certain criminal records; overstaying a previous visa in the U.S.; submitting fraudulent documents; previous deportation or removal order, or voluntary departure; failure to prove bona fide fiancée relationship; etc. If you are found to be ineligible for a visa, the Consular Officer will advise you whether there is waiver of the ineligibility and what the waiver process is.

After your K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa was approved, you will generally wait 5 to 7 business days to pick up your passport, a visa, and a sealed packet containing the documents you provided, plus other documents prepared by the U.S. Embassy or Consulate. It is important that you do not open the sealed packet. Only the DHS immigration official should open this packet when you enter the United States.
If you have children who received K-2 visas, you will either travel together or your children holding K-2 visas will have to follow you to the U.S.

Please note that K-1 and K-2 visas are valid for a single admission to the United States within the validity of the visa, which will be a maximum of 6 months from the date of issuance.
 
It is advisable not to purchase the tickets, not to sell real estate and business abroad until after a K-1 visa has been approved and issued. In order to limit the risk even more, some of other clients preferred not to sell their apartments, cars, businesses until after they became lawful permanent residents of the United States.

Please note that you must either marry your U.S. citizen fiance within 90 days of your entry into the United States, or depart the U.S. before the expiration of the 90-day period of admission. If not married within the 90-day window, or married within 90 days, but didn’t apply for a green card, if you wish to stay in the United States and apply for a green card, contact a competent immigration attorney for legal advice.

If you would like to schedule a telephone consultation or need help, please contact attorney for a case evaluation, and we will gladly give you a quote and advise you.

Please see below a few brief videos: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.

Information and videos in Russian can be found here.

​

In recent months, we have heard from many people whose applications for a provisional waiver, I-601A, were rejected for some technical and easily avoidable reason. USCIS had reported that they have seen an increase in rejections of Forms I-601A, Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver.

Please remember that if you are requesting a provisional unlawful presence waiver, you must file the current version of Form I-601A with the proper fee(s) and in accordance with the form instructions.  
When submitting Form I-601A, please make sure you:

• Submit the most current version of Form I-601A (update 04/2019: current edition is 02/13/2019)

• Complete all required fields and sign the form.
• Submit the proper filing fee of $630.(as of 2017). If you are younger than 79, you must also pay $85 for biometric services (for I-601A)

 Also, you must submit:

• A printout from the Electronic Diversity Visa Entrant Status Check page at dvlottery.state.gov confirming that you are a DV Program selectee or derivative

or

• The U.S. Department of State (DOS) National Visa Center immigrant visa processing fee receipt showing you have paid the fee in full.

Note: Documents such as the Immigrant Visa Application Processing Fee Bill Invoice, Affidavit of Support (AOS) Fee receipt or a receipt showing the payment is in process are not accepted and could cause delays in processing your case. You must provide a proof that you paid the immigrant visa fee and the payment was processed.

To ensure that you application is approved, it is your burden, as an applicant, to provide sufficient evidence of extreme hardship, relationship and other supporting documents.

These are all issues that are easy to correct. Do not place yourself in the situation where your application is rejected for a silly and easily avoidable reason, or denied for lack of evidence and supporting documentation. If you need legal advice, want to schedule a consultation or want to hire an attorney, please email us and we will get back to you to schedule the best time to talk on the phone or video chat.

Previously, we posted additional information about filing a provisional waiver application on our blog here, and here and linked to the ILRC practice advisory here. USCIS Practice Manual is here.

​Briefly in Russian:

Напоминание о том как избежать отказа в заявлении на вейвер, по английски extreme hardship waiver USCIS форма заявления I-601 и provisional waiver USCIS форма заявления I-601A. 

• Используйте самое последнее и действительное издание формы. В настоящее время (04-2019) это издание, датированное 13 февраля 2019 г. 
• Перед подачей заявления обязательно проверьте правильную ли форму вы заполнили и уточните сумму госпошлины.
• Приложите чек на правильную сумму за форму I-601A. В настоящее время госпошлина составляет 630 долларов, плюс 85 долларов за отпечатки пальцев, если вам нет 79 лет.
• Заполните все графы и ответьте правильно на все вопросы в заявлении. 
• Приложите все сопутствующие документы и доказательства. Именно для этого, чтобы правильно организовать и представить ваши доказательства, разумно проконсультироваться или нанять адвоката для помощи в ведении дела. Мы оказываем услуги по вейверам и предоставляем платные консультации тем клиентам, кому нужен совет адвоката. Для того, чтобы назначить время и дату консультации, свяжитесь с нами по электронной почте.
• Помните - это ваша обязанность доказать, что вам должны утвердить вейвер. Вам не обязаны утвердить, а могут утвердить ваше заявление на вейвер, ЕСЛИ вы докажете, что "more likely than not" ваш родственник будет в экстремальной ситуации если вам не дадут вейвер и не разрешат вернуться в США. Стандарт в таких делах - preponderance of the evidence.
• Помните, что ваши дети не являются теми родственниками, на ущерб которым вы опираетесь в своем заявлении. Вашим родственником может быть муж, жена, отец, мать - американские граждане или постоянные жители США (но не дети). У вас может быть более одного родственника. Родственник, ущерб которому вы описываете, может быть другой, не тот, кто подал на вас петицию I-130.
• Вы обязаны приложить доказательство того, что вы уже оплатили пошлину за иммиграционную визу или же распечатать уведомление о том, что вас выбрали как победителя лотереи грин карт.
• В последние несколько лет произошли большие изменения в области вейвера I-601 и I-601A. За время новой администрации с 2017 года пока не было никаких существенных изменений в этой области иммиграционного права.
• Перед подачей, убедитесь, что вам нужен вейвер, что у вас есть соответствующий родственник, что вы соответствуете стандарту на вейвер и что у вас достаточно доказательств, и вы сможете грамотно аргументировать почему вам должны утвердить вейвер. Также убедитесь, что вы не подпадаете под "permanent bar", так как в этом случае вам вейвер не положен. Помните, что теперь получение вейвера возможно во всех семейных категориях, не только в категории immediate relative но и во всех family preference categories. 
• Если вам нужен совет и помощь адвоката,  вы можете связаться с нами по этому адресу или нажмите линк внизу. Мы вам вышлем анкету и затем договоримся и времени и дате телефонной консультации.

​Полезная информация (контакты, даты, сроки, как с ними связаться) об иммиграционной службе США, Национальном Визовом Центре, офисах по политубежищу, посольствам и консульствам США.
​
USCIS or DHS website where you can find USCIS contact number, webforms and download all applications and forms for free is here.

USCIS Case Status: you can check status of your pending case online here.

USCIS Processing Times: you can see how fast cases are being adjudicated or decided by different USCIS / DHS offices around the United States here.

USCIS Change of Address Form Online: you can submit your change of address form online here.

USCIS Case Inquiry Webforms: you can submit your questions or case inquiry directly to USCIS by using one of the webforms here.

How to find USCIS field offices, ASC Application Support Centers, Asylum officers - use USCIS Officer Locator here.

How to Find a Medical Doctor for a USCIS I-693 Medical Examination - use USCIS Designated Doctor Locator. 

How to verify if a particular USCIS office is open or closed due to bad weather or other circumstances - use USCIS Office Closings Daily Bulletin, which is updated daily. 

USCIS International Offices Processing Times - use this link to find out current processing times at USCIS offices located overseas.

Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin is posted by Asylum Office here.

US Department of State Monthly Visa Bulletin: you can find monthly visa bulletin and check how fast your priority date is progressing here.

NVC National Visa Center contact information - if you need to contact NVC regarding a pending case.

You can find out current Visa Fees for various visas to USA here.

Know Your Rights: What to do during the ICE or immigration raid at work, at home, in a public place; what questions you must answer and when you shall remain current. Download a PDF file in English here. 

To schedule a consultation with an experienced immigration attorney who speaks English and Russian, please email us to schedule.

​

Brussels, 29 October 2015.

Big victory for Dutch lawyers and their clients, and also for any other European lawyers who practice law in the Netherlands.

The District Court of The Hague has ruled that surveillance of lawyers by intelligence agencies constitutes an infringement of fundamental rights and orders the State to stop all surveillance of lawyers’ communications. 

Dutch court upholds lower court ruling banning surveillance of lawyers’ communications after successful CCBE intervention. The Dutch State may appeal the ruling within four weeks.

On 27 October 2015, a Dutch Court of Appeal upheld The Hague District court’s ruling in the Prakken d’Oliveira case which ordered the Dutch State to stop all surveillance of lawyers’ communications until it provided for independent oversight.

In its ruling, the Dutch Court of Appeal dismissed all the grounds of appeal alleged by the Dutch State. The Court indicates that according to case law of the European Court of Human Rights surveillance activities must be subject to review by an independent body with the power to prevent or terminate potential infringements of professional secrecy. The current Dutch surveillance regime does not meet the requirements for such independent control and, therefore, conflicts with the right to privacy (article 8 ECHR) and the right to a fair trial (article 6 ECHR). The Court stresses that information obtained from tapping lawyers may not be shared with prosecutors until an independent review has taken place regarding the legality of that information and the way it was obtained. Even the possibility that information is shared with the public prosecutor can result to people refraining from contacting a lawyer. According to the court, that is a violation of the right to a fair trial and undermines the rationale behind professional secrecy. The Court also ruled that the protection of client confidentiality is not limited to communications with Dutch lawyers but extends to communications with all European lawyers rendering services in The Netherlands as referred to in Directive 77/249/EC.

As a result of these findings the Court of Appeal confirmed the lower court’s ruling.

In welcoming the decision, CCBE President Maria Ślązak commented: “the trust between lawyer and client is, at root, an assurance of due process and the rule of law. It is therefore essential that the confidentiality of lawyer-client communications is always respected. Surveillance measures that could undermine this principle have always to be subject to review by an independent body with the power to prevent and/or terminate the infringement. The fact that this has been reaffirmed by the Dutch Court of Appeal is reassuring and an important step to bring Dutch surveillance policy in line with the right to a fair trial.”

**************
Background: in May 2015 the CCBE successfully intervened before The Hague District Court in a challenge brought against the Dutch State by the law firm Prakken d'Oliveira and the Dutch Association of Criminal Defence Lawyers (NVSA). The Court was questioned on the legality of eavesdropping by domestic intelligence agencies on lawyers’ calls and communications. In its verdict delivered on July 1st, the court recognised that the ability to communicate confidentially with a lawyer is a fundamental right which is currently being breached under Dutch surveillance policy. The court therefore ordered the Dutch government to stop all interception of communications between clients and their lawyers under the current regime within six months. In response, the Dutch State fast-tracked an appeal against the judgement. In turn, on 25 August, the CCBE challenged the grounds of the appeal.

Transcript of the judgement (in Dutch): http://uitspraken.rechtspraak.nl/inziendocument?id=ECLI:NL:GHDHA:2015:2881
Transcript of the previous judgement (in Dutch):http://uitspraken.rechtspraak.nl/inziendocument?id=ECLI:NL:RBDHA:2015:7436 
CCBE wins case against the Dutch State on surveillance of lawyers (press release, 02/07/2015):http://www.ccbe.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/NTCdocument/EN_pr_0415pdf1_1435843144.pdf 
CCBE takes mass surveillance to court (press release, 27/05/2015):http://www.ccbe.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/NTCdocument/EN_pr_0315pdf1_1432724578.pdf 
CCBE Statement on mass electronic surveillance by government bodies (including of European lawyers’ data):http://www.ccbe.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/NTCdocument/EN_14142013_CCBE_Sta1_1382086457.pdf
Dutch Intelligence Service (AIVD) taps Prakken d'Oliveira lawyers:http://www.prakkendoliveira.nl/en/news/dutch-intelligence-service-aivd-taps-prakken-doliveira-lawyers/

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About the CCBE:

The CCBE represents the bars and law societies of 32 member countries and 13 further associate and observer countries, and through them more than 1 million European lawyers.

Founded in 1960, the CCBE is recognised as the voice of the European legal profession by the EU institutions, and acts as the liaison between the EU and Europe's national bars and law societies. The CCBE has regular institutional contacts with those European Commission officials, and members and staff of the European Parliament, who deal with issues affecting the legal profession. The CCBE is an international non-profit-making association incorporated in Belgium.

Article from my Moscow colleague in Russian below: how to avoid making mistakes when choosing and retaining an attorney, lawyer, immigration attorney; or when deciding whether to file anything, and what steps should be taken to protect and secure your legal rights. 

Why an offer of a "free first consultation" or "free chat with our representative through our website" is usually an indication of a scam and an unqualified lawyer (or even a non-lawyer who pretends to be an attorney) who is ready to "promise" and "guarantee" success to anyone as long as the client is paying, no matter the consequences to a client.

*****************
Как известно, нередко недобросовестные юристы и юрфирмы клиентов привлекают через интернет, где обещают провести бесплатную консультацию (заманивают бесплатными консультациями). 

Например, человек заходит на юридические сайты, где пытается найти ответы на свои вопросы бесплатно. Всплывает окошко чата, где виртуальный оператор предлагает его проконсультировать. Человек излагает проблему. Но будьте уверены, что исчерпывающе и пошагово никто его консультировать не собирается. Его попросят оставить номер телефона. Когда ему перезвонят, то вся суть разговора сведется к тому, что ему пообещают, что *обязательно помогут* и *гарантирую успех* за определенную сумму денег.

Не секрет, что многие предпочитают слышать то, что лишь хотят услышать. Так происходит и при обращении к юристам. Некоторые люди, как им кажется, "знают все сами", а иногда и больше специалистов. Так вот, если некоторым людям добросовестный юрист говорит, что шансов мало или их нет вовсе, они уверенно отправляются к тем юристам, из уст которых они услышат слова поддержки и гарантию успеха.

Следует помнить: 1) бесплатный сыр бывает только в мышеловке, 2) добросовестный адвокат не имеет право гарантировать успех, 3) хороший адвокат не предоставляет бесплатных консультаций, так как зачем ему/ей это нужно, и на это просто нет времени, к тому же хороший адвокат понимает, что самое главное, это предварительно изучить дело клиента и дать ему правильный совет, а только затем переходить к действиям и заключать договор.

Очень полезная статья по-русски от моих московских коллег тут.

USCIS or DHS website where you can find USCIS contact number, webforms and download all applications and forms for free is here.

USCIS Case Status: you can check status of your pending case online here.

Visa Case Status: you can check status of your immigrant visa IV or non-immigrant visa NIV case here.
​
USCIS Processing Times: you can see how fast cases are being adjudicated or decided by different USCIS / DHS offices around the United States here.

USCIS Change of Address Form Online: you can submit your change of address form online here.

USCIS Case Inquiry Webforms: you can submit your questions or case inquiry directly to USCIS by using one of the webforms here.

USCIS submit electronically I-90, N-400 or I-131A, or pay a Green Card fee online.

How to find USCIS field offices, ASC Application Support Centers, Asylum officers - use USCIS Officer Locator here.

How to Find a Medical Doctor for a USCIS I-693 Medical Examination - use USCIS Designated Doctor Locator. 

How to verify if a particular USCIS office is open or closed due to bad weather or other circumstances - use USCIS Office Closings Daily Bulletin. 

How to obtain an official record of admission from CBP, Form I-94. You will need to provide your passport number and a country, first and last names, date of birth. The official I-94 will include an admission number (that you need for several immigration applications and forms), date and class of admission, and expiration date, name and a passport information.

Asylum Office Scheduling Bulletin is posted by Asylum Office here.

US Department of State Monthly Visa Bulletin: you can find monthly visa bulletin and check how fast your priority date is progressing here.

You can find out current Visa Fees for various visas to USA here. 

Complete a nonimmigrant visa application online: DS-160.

Complete an immigrant visa application online: DS-260.

You can pay your Green Card fee online here. You can find step-by-step instructions here.

Now, you can electronically submit several applications: USCIS Forms I-90, N-400, I-131A.

Know Your Rights: What to do during the ICE or immigration raid at work, at home, in a public place; what questions you must answer and when you shall remain silent. (In English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean and Arabic).

To schedule a consultation with an experienced immigration attorney who speaks English and Russian, please email us to schedule a telephone or Skype appointment with attorney Luba Smal.

​

On September 09 2015, USCIS Announces Revised Procedures for Determining Visa Availability for Applicants Waiting to File for Adjustment of Status.

USCIS, in coordination with Department of State (DOS), is revising the procedures for determining visa availability for applicants waiting to file for employment-based or family-sponsored preference adjustment of status. The revised process will better connect USCIS procedures with the US Department of State (DOS) procedures, which are used for foreign nationals who seek to become U.S. permanent residents by applying for immigrant visas at U.S. consulates and embassies abroad.

The Visa Bulletin revisions implement November 2014 executive actions on immigration announced by President Obama and Secretary of Homeland Security Johnson, as detailed in the White House report, Modernizing and Streamlining Our Legal Immigration System for the 21st century, issued in July 2015. 

What is Changing.

Starting October 1, 2015, you will be able to submit your application for adjustment of status or for an immigrant visa before your priority date is current. 

Two charts per visa preference category will be posted in the DOS Visa Bulletin:

• Current priority dates for particular visa categories; and
• The earliest dates for filing application for adjustment of status (earliest dates when applicants may be able to apply).

See October 2015 Visa Bulletin here. However, the priority dates in the Visa Bulletin can retrogress in November. Consult an attorney about your specific case so you won't miss the opportunity of applying earlier.

When filing an application for adjustment of status, I-485, an applicant can concurrently file an application for a work permit and advance parole. This is great news for many immigrants waiting for many years for their priority dates to become current. However, it's a good idea to consult an immigration attorney before applying.

Each month, in coordination with DOS, USCIS will monitor visa numbers and post the relevant DOS Visa Bulletin chart. Applicants can use the charts to determine when to file their Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

To determine whether additional visas are available, USCIS will compare the number of visas available for the remainder of the fiscal year with:

• Documentarily qualified visa applicants reported by DOS;
• Pending adjustment of status applications reported by USCIS; and
• Historical drop off rate (for example, denials, withdrawals, abandonments).

About the Visa Bulletin.

DOS publishes current immigrant visa availability information in a monthly Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin indicates when statutorily limited visas are available to prospective immigrants based on their individual priority date.

• The priority date is generally the date when the applicant’s relative or employer properly filed the immigrant visa petition on the applicant’s behalf with USCIS. If a labor certification is required to be filed with the applicant’s immigrant visa petition, then the priority date is when the labor certification application was accepted for processing by Department of Labor.
• Availability of an immigrant visa means eligible applicants are able to take one of the final steps in the process of becoming U.S. permanent residents. 

Read more here.  

On August 17 2015, USCIS published L-1B adjudications policy memorandum. New memo provides guidance on the adjudication of the L-1B classification, which permits multinational companies to transfer employees who possess "specialized knowledge" from their foreign operations to their operations in the United States. 

New memo provides consolidated guidance on the L-1B program, superseding and rescinding all prior L-1B memoranda. This memo applies only to L-1B visas/employees with specialized knowledge (not L-1A visas).

"Preponderance of the Evidence" Standard of Proof: a petitioner seeking approval of the L-1B visa, must establish that they meets each eligibility requirement of the L-1B classification by preponderance of evidence. This standard of proof is lower than that of "clear and convincing evidence" or "beyond a reasonable doubt" standards. 

Elements of the L-1B Classification:

In order to establish eligibility for approval, the L-1B petitioner must show: 
(1) that the beneficiary possesses “specialized knowledge”; 
(2) that the position offered involves the “specialized knowledge” held by the beneficiary; and 
(3) that the beneficiary has at least one continuous year of employment abroad in a managerial, executive, or specialized knowledge capacity with the petitioning employer and/or any qualifying organization (collectively referred to as the “petitioning organization”) within the preceding 3 years. 

If the beneficiary will be located primarily at the workplace of an unaffiliated company, the petitioner also must establish that the beneficiary is eligible for L-1B classification under the requirements of the L-1 Visa Reform Act, discussed below in section VI.

The new memo provides definition of "specialized knowledge".

A petitioner can demonstrate “specialized knowledge” by establishing either one of two statutory criteria. Under the statute, a beneficiary is deemed to have specialized knowledge if he or she has: 
(1) a “special” knowledge of the company product and its application in international markets; or 
(2) an “advanced” level of knowledge of the processes and procedures of the company. 
INA 214(c)(2)(B). 

The corresponding regulation similarly defines specialized knowledge in terms of “special” or “advanced” knowledge:
[S]pecial knowledge possessed by an individual of the petitioning organization’s product, service, research, equipment, techniques, management, or other interests and its application in international markets, or an advanced level of knowledge or expertise in the organization’s processes and procedures.
8 CFR 214.2(l)(1)(ii)(D).

Other important things to keep in mind:
>>Specialized knowledge generally cannot be commonly held, lacking in complexity, or easily imparted to other individuals. 
>>Specialized knowledge need not be proprietary or unique to the petitioning organization. 
>>The L-1B classification does not involve a test of the U.S. labor market.
>>Specialized knowledge workers need not occupy managerial or similar positions or command higher compensation than their peers.

The memo notes the following "non-exhaustive" list of factors USCIS may consider when determining whether a beneficiary’s knowledge is specialized:

• The beneficiary possesses knowledge of foreign operating conditions that is of significant value to the petitioning organization's U.S. operations.
• The beneficiary has been employed abroad in a capacity involving assignments that have significantly enhanced the employer's productivity, competitiveness, image, or financial position.
• The beneficiary's claimed specialized knowledge normally can be gained only through prior experience with the petitioning organization.
• The beneficiary possesses knowledge of a product or process that cannot be easily transferred or taught to another individual without significant economic cost or inconvenience (because, for example, such knowledge may require substantial training, work experience, or education).
• The beneficiary has knowledge of a process or a product that either is sophisticated or complex, or of a highly technical nature, although not necessarily unique to the petitioning organization.
• The beneficiary possesses knowledge that is particularly beneficial to the petitioning organization's competitiveness in the marketplace.

Other evidence that a petitioner may submit to demonstrate that an individual’s knowledge is special or advanced, includes, but is not limited to:
• Documentation of training, work experience, or education establishing the number of years the individual has been using or developing the claimed specialized knowledge as an employee of the petitioning organization or in the industry;
• Evidence of the impact, if any, the transfer of the individual would have on the petitioning organization’s U.S. operations;
• Evidence that the alien is qualified to contribute significantly to the U.S. operation’s knowledge of foreign operating conditions as a result of knowledge not generally found in the petitioning organization’s U.S. operations;
• Contracts, statements of work, or other documentation that shows that the beneficiary possesses knowledge that is particularly beneficial to the petitioning organization’s competitiveness in the marketplace;
• Evidence, such as correspondence or reports, establishing that the beneficiary has been employed abroad in a capacity involving assignments that have significantly enhanced the petitioning organization’s productivity, competitiveness, image, or financial position;
• Personnel or in-house training records that establish that the beneficiary’s claimed specialized knowledge normally can be gained only through prior experience or training with the petitioning organization;
• Curricula and training manuals for internal training courses, financial documents, or other evidence that may demonstrate that the beneficiary possesses knowledge of a product or process that cannot be transferred or taught to another individual without significant economic cost or inconvenience;
*Evidence of patents, trademarks, licenses, or contracts awarded to the petitioning organization based on the beneficiary’s work, or similar evidence that the beneficiary has knowledge of a process or a product that either is sophisticated or complex, or of a highly technical nature, although not necessarily proprietary or unique to the petitioning organization; and
• Payroll documents, federal or state wage statements, documentation of other forms of compensation, resumes, organizational charts, or similar evidence documenting the positions held and the compensation provided to the beneficiary and parallel employees in the petitioning organization.

A petitioner may submit any other evidence it chooses. In all cases, USCIS will review the entire record to determine whether the petitioner has established by a preponderance of the evidence that the beneficiary has specialized knowledge under the totality of the circumstances. Merely stating that a beneficiary’s knowledge is somehow different from others or greatly developed does not, in and of itself, establish that he or she possesses specialized knowledge. Ultimately, it is the weight and type of evidence that establishes whether the beneficiary possesses specialized knowledge.

USCIS can issue a RFE (Request for Evidence) for various reasons to I-129 Petitioner. Denial rate is high, RFE rate is even higher for L-1B petition. The new memo is intended to help to solve many difficulties with obtaining a L-1B visa for qualifying applicants.

See August 17, 2015 memo at http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Memoranda/2015/L-1B_Memorandum_8_14_15_draft_for_FINAL_4pmAPPROVED.pdf

In Russian: 

Российская газета "Новые Известия" опубликовала дельную статью про опасность "бесплатных юридических консультаций". Журналисты проинтервьюировали некоторых моих московских партнеров и коллег. 

Как известно, бесплатный сыр бывает только в мышеловке. Ты получаешь то, за что заплатил.

Хороший компетентный и этический адвокат НЕ будет предоставлять консультацию (давать юридический совет) бесплатно. В оказании юридических услуг самое главное - это получить правильный совет и знать что делать и как поступить.  

Среди "юридических фирм" и "иммиграционных консультантов" попадается немало мошенников или недобросовестных и малограмотных "специалистов". Особенно много вебсайтов на интернете, которые в поисковике выходят в самом начале как реклама (так как вебсайт платит за такое выгодное размещение) и нелицензированных "иммиграционных консультантов" или "нотариусов", которые предлагают "первую" консультацию бесплатно и готовы перезвонить потенциальному клиенту в течение 5 минут. Что следует дальше, об этом люди не задумываются. А им навязывается контракт на завышенную сумму, с ненужными сервисами или предлагаются ненужные или вредные для дела действия (которые дорого стоят). После предоставления бесплатной консультации, такому специалисту ведь нужно как-то заработать на клиенте (на которого было потрачено время) -- если уж не брать оплату за консультацию, то ее используют как ловушку для доверчивых граждан, готовых повестись на обман.

Следует иметь в виду, что хороший опытный адвокат не будет и не имеет права давать "гарантии" успеха или гарантии выигрыша вашего дела. Опытный адвокат ценит свое и ваше время, и для того, чтобы проконсультировать клиента ей/ему нужно изучить ваши обстоятельства и проанализировать возможные варианты и осложнения перед тем как давать платный (ни в коем случае не бесплатный совет). 

Хорошая статья обо всем этом в Новых Известиях, с консультациями моих Московских партнеров и коллег.

On November 20, 2014, the President announced a series of executive actions. However, not all of these initiatives have been implemented, and USCIS is not accepting any DAPA or expanded DACA applications at this time. 

Beware of anyone who offers to help you submit an application or a request for any of these actions before they are available. You could become a victim of an immigration scam. 

If you need legal advice on immigration matters, make sure that the person you rely on is an attorney who is authorized to give you legal advice. Only an attorney or an accredited representative working for a Board of Immigration Appeals-recognized organization can give you legal advice. An immigration attorney can be licensed in any state because immigration law is federal law. It's important to consult an experienced and knowledgeable attorney before submitting any immigration applications.

The Internet, newspapers, radio, community bulletin boards and local businesses storefronts are filled with advertisements offering immigration help. Not all of this information is from attorneys and accredited representatives. There is a lot of information that comes from organizations and individuals who are not authorized to give you legal advice, such as “notarios” and other unauthorized representatives. The wrong help can hurt. Here is some important information that can help you avoid common immigration scams.

Here are some examples of common immigration scams:

**Telephone Scams**.

Do not fall victim to telephone scammers posing as USCIS personnel or other government officials. In most instances, scammers will:

• request personal information (Social Security number, Passport number, or A-number);
• identify false problems with your immigration record; and
• ask for payment to correct the records.

If a scammer calls you, say “No, thank you” and hang up. These phone calls are being made by immigration scammers attempting to take your money and your credit card information. USCIS will not call you to ask for any form of payment over the phone. Don’t give payment over the phone to anyone who claims to be a USCIS official.

If you have been a victim of this telephone scam, please report it to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Learn more about telephone scams and telephone scammers’ techniques by visiting Federal Trade Commission-Telemarketing-Scams. 

**"Notario Publico"**.

In many Latin American countries, the term “notario publico” (for “notary public”) stands for something very different than what it means in the United States. In many Spanish-speaking nations, “notarios” are powerful attorneys with special legal credentials. In the U.S., however, notary publics are people appointed by state governments to witness the signing of important documents and administer oaths. "Notarios publico,” are not authorized to provide you with any legal services related to immigration.

Please see the National Notary Association website "What is a Notary Public" for more information.

**Local Businesses who are not law firms and not attorneys or lawyers**.

Some businesses in your community “guarantee” they can get you benefits such as a:

• Visa
• Green Card
• Employment Authorization Document

These businesses sometimes charge you a higher fee to file the application than even a licensed attorney (but will tell you that attorneys charge more "for the same work"). They claim they can do this faster than if you applied directly with USCIS. These claims are false. 

**Dot-com websites - operated by non-attorneys or people not authorized to give legal advice**.

Some websites offering step-by-step guidance on completing a USCIS application or petition will claim to be affiliated with USCIS. Many of these websites are scammers or fraudsters, often taking money for blank forms or minimal assistance without attorney supervision.

USCIS has its own official website: www.uscis.gov with:

• Free downloadable forms
• Form Instructions
• Information on filing fees and processing times

Do not pay for blank USCIS forms either in person or over the Internet. You can download forms for free at www.uscis.gov.

Do not pay to a non-attorney (not a lawyer) for help with immigration paperwork, applications, affidavit. Oftentimes, they give you wrong advice and can potentially damage your chances of ever becoming a permanent resident (getting a green card).

**Green Card Lottery or DV Lottery scams**.

Once a year in fall, the Department of State (DOS) makes 50,000 diversity visas (DVs) available via random selection to persons meeting strict eligibility requirements and who come from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. During this time or often around the year, it is common for immigration scammers to advertise in emails or websites that reference either the:

• DV lottery
• Visa lottery
• Green Card lottery

These emails and websites often claim that they can make it easier to enter the annual Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Some scammers even identify you as a DV lottery “winner” and ask for significant amount of money "helping get a visa". These emails and websites are fraudulent. 

The only way to apply for the DV lottery is through an official government application process (Department of State website, and only when it's open, during an application period which is usually in October-November only). DOS does not send emails to applicants. 

On or after May 1st, you can visit the Department of State website to verify if you are actually a winner in the DV lottery. 

If need help, consult a licensed attorney (not one of the "green card lottery" websites).

**INS doesn't exist. It's been replaced by DHS and USCIS**.

To this day, some local businesses, websites, "notarios"  and individuals make reference to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). This agency no longer exists! 

If someone refers to USCIS as "INS", it's a sign that they are not an attorney, but rather someone unqualified with little knowledge in immigration matters.

INS was dismantled on March 1, 2003, and most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly formed Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the component that grants immigration benefits. The other two components are U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

All official correspondence regarding your immigration case will come from USCIS. USCIS will communicate with you and your attorney by mail, by mailing you notices, approved work permit and green card through USPS (postal service).

If you need a legal assistance, we will be glad to help. Our contact information is here.

Read here. 

Big news for Cuba: on May 29, 2015, U.S. Department of State rescinded Cuba's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. 

Cuba’s removal from the list of countries – now confined only to Iran, Sudan and Syria – is an important step in Obama's administration effort to move past the Cold War era hostility. 

In December 2014, the President instructed the Secretary of State to immediately launch a review of Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, and provide a report to him within six months regarding Cuba’s support for international terrorism. On April 8, 2015, the Secretary of State completed that review and recommended to the President that Cuba no longer be designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.

Accordingly, on April 14, 2015, the President submitted to Congress the statutorily required report indicating the Administration’s intent to rescind Cuba’s State Sponsor of Terrorism designation, including the certification that Cuba has not provided any support for international terrorism during the previous six-months; and that Cuba has provided assurances that it will not support acts of international terrorism in the future. 

The 45-day Congressional pre-notification period has expired, and the Secretary of State has made the final decision to rescind Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism, effective today, May 29, 2015.

The rescission of Cuba’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism reflects our assessment that Cuba meets the statutory criteria for rescission. While the United States has significant concerns and disagreements with a wide range of Cuba’s policies and actions, these fall outside the criteria relevant to the rescission of a State Sponsor of Terrorism designation.


Read at: http://m.state.gov/md242986.htm

Nebraska will start issuing driver's licenses to DREAMers or young people who were granted deferred action under DACA  ("DACA grantees"). 

Nebraska is the last state to join the other 49 states who are already issuing driver's licenses to young people with approved DACA deferred action. This program has been in effect since 2012.

On Tuesday, Nebraska Legislature overrode Governor's veto on this bill by 34 to 10 vote.

Read here. 

Obama administration’s immigration policy faces a shake-up next week—and the court’s ruling could reverberate in the 2016 presidential campaign.

At issue is whether it’s legal to essentially lock up women and children who have crossed the border illegally, part of the administration’s response to summer 2014 unaccompanied-minors crisis. 

Lawyers for some of these families sued the government, and last month, a U.S. District judge in Los Angeles issued a tentative ruling, a summary of which was obtained by Newsweek, stating that the administration policy violates a settlement in a 1997 immigration case, Flores v. Meese.

Judge gave the two sides 30 days to negotiate an agreement that would lead the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency to release the minors and their parents from the family detention centers where they are being held. Those 30 days run out on Sunday, May 24, 2015.

The judge issued a gag order, so it’s quite difficult to know whether or not there will be a real settlement by May 25, 2015. 

Obama’s detention and deportation of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants remains a sore spot for immigrant rights and Latino activists, even after the president granted a reprieve, via executive order and under DACA program, to millions of young people who came to the United States as children and to those who have children who were born here and thus are American citizens (DAPA, which is not effective yet, pending another court case). 

The practice of holding thousands of women and their children in detention for many months—it’s just mothers and their kids in these detention facilities (in Texas and Pennsylvania), most of them fleeing dire circumstances in Central America—has prompted a particularly strong backlash.

Immigrant rights groups have been very critical of this practice.

Read more at Newsweek.