Application Procedures

On May 13, the Department of State published a final rule that will allow third parties like attorneys of record to attend certain visa appointments. Read more here: https://travel.

USCIS has clarified their Policy Manual regarding criteria for certain TN occupations as found here: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-2-part-p-chapter-6 

Meanwhile, the Regulation listing all TN USMCA occupations appears here:

The biological sex of a person will control the gender option on federal immigration documents. See updated USCIS manual here: https://www.

As the result of an Executive Order issued in January, USCIS will now require noncitizen immigrants to undergo a new “alien registration” process.

For more information on this process, see the USCIS policy update here: https://www.uscis.

The U.S. State Department no longer requires COVID-19 vaccination for green card applicants. Updated vaccination requirements can be found here:

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published a Federal Register notice providing updated procedures for submitting a Form I-140 whether for PERM, Schedule A Occupations or NIWs. Read more here:

These new requirements mandate that specialized knowledge gained from a diploma or degree should link more clearly to the profession. Read more here: https://www.uscis.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced updated policy guidance on applications submitted under the International Entrepreneur Rule. Read more here:

Extraordinary Ability Green Card category has some new policy guidelines, allowing some people to meet threshold requirements more easily. Read more here: https://www.uscis.

The US Department of Labor tags a case once it is certified, denied, withdrawn or denied or certified-expired (they expire 6 months after approval so file your I-140 within that 6 months).  Trackitt posts statistics about DOL here:  http://stats.trackitt.com/

The latest update on PERM processing time as of June 1, 2015 is as follows:

Unauthorized practice of law is an issue in every practice area of law. The practice, however, is especially common in the area of immigration law. Unauthorized individuals who represent themselves as immigration attorneys and notarios often take advantage of immigrants who are not knowledgeable about the legal issues in question, nor about standards governing the practice of law in the United States. A great deal of harm can result from going to a notario, who is not a licensed attorney and who may not have the correct knowledge of immigration law.

On Wednesday, June 4, 2014, AILA’s DC UPIL Committee held a presentation on this issue and taught the attendees, many of whom were Brazilian and Jamaican nationals, the importance of hiring an attorney as well as the dangers of using a notario.

Foreign nationals who need assistance with their immigration matters should always seek assistance from a licensed attorney knowledgeable on immigration law, rather than a notario, to prevent harm to their legal status and cases.  And, please report unlawful notario fraud to an organization under the American Immigration Lawyers’ Association (AILA) at http://www.stopnotariofraud.org/.