Provisional Extreme Hardship Waiver is Not Yet in Effect

Provisional Extreme Hardship Waiver is Not Yet in Effect Not too long ago, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has made a proposed change to allow certain immediate relatives...

General Instructions: How to Apply for I-601 Extreme Hardship Waiver in Certain European Countries? What are Extreme Hardships?

Certain foreign nationals may be required to file for a Form I-601 Application for Waiver of Ground of Inadmissibility when applying for immigrant visa at the U.S. Consulate abroad. Immigrant visa is one of the processes for obtaining green card status in the United States. An I-601 extreme hardship waiver is required, for example, when an applicant was unlawfully present in the United States for a certain period of time and...

Proposed Policy to Expedite I-601 Extreme Hardship Waiver is Currently Under Review!

Recently, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is considering a proposal to expedite the adjudication, based on extraordinary circumstances, of I-601, Application or Waiver of Grounds of inadmissibility (“I-601 extreme hardship waiver”) filed by individuals outside the United States. Foreign nationals or non-U.S. citizens (including green card holders) with certain histories may need I-601 and/or other waivers,...

Haiti TPS Registration Extended Till January 18, 2011 (Can Apply for EAD & Advance Parole; Based on Separate Immigration Eligibility/Application, Approved TPS Beneficiary May Apply for Nonimmigrant Status or Green Card)

On July 12, 2010, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the registration period for Temporary Protection Status (TPS) for eligible foreign nationals from Haiti has been extended from July 20, 2010 until January 18, 2011; allowing Haitians up to January 18, 2011 to apply for registration of TPS. Eligible Haitian applicants must have been continuously present in the U.S. since January 12, 2010 to...

TPS for El Salvadorians Until March 9, 2012

On July 12, 2010, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will extend the temporary protection status (TPS) for another 18 months for eligible El Salvador nationals, from the current expiration date of September 9, 2010 to the new expiration date of March 9, 2012. To qualify, eligible applicants must submit their TPS applications to the USCIS between...

U.S. Citizen Pled Guilty to Marriage Fraud & Sponsored Wife is Now a Fugitive

As a result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), on June 22, 2010, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen pled guilty to marriage fraud in that he entered into a phony marriage with a Cambodian national for the purposes of assisting her to evade U.S. immigration law and to obtain U.S. permanent residency. In exchange for entering into the fraudulent marriage, the U.S. citizen was paid about...

Improvements in I-601 Waivers May Be Soon: Standards for Extreme Hardships, Concurrent Filings With I-130 Alien Relative Immigrant Petition, Adjudication, Processing Time!

On June 10, 2010, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Ombudsman has made formal recommendations to the USCIS to enhance its efficiency in processing applications for I-601 waivers of inadmissibility. USCIS Ombudsman is an independent agency of the Homeland Security to assist individuals and employers in resolving, and identifying areas of, problems with the USCIS; and it also proposes changes to USCIS to mitigate...

Permanent or long-term residency in the U.S. does not mean “permanent”, even for those with U.S. citizen spouse/child(ren), I-131 advance parole/re-entry permit, and/or green card!

Prior to traveling internationally or submitting United States (U.S.) immigration applications, foreign nationals or non-U.S.-citizens (including green card holders) with certain histories should have their immigration backgrounds analyzed and evaluated thoroughly, and/or their immigration applications properly prepared. These certain histories include, but are not limited to: (a) the commission of certain crime, or even possible...