Public Charge Rule Update: Changes at USCIS, Department of Justice, and Department of State
As a result of recent federal court rulings, USCIS, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of State have issued new guidance on how the Public Charge Rule (originally implemented on February 24, 2020) will be applied. In sum, USCIS has announced that it will not apply the February 24, 2020 Public Charge…
Exemptions for F-1 and M-1 Students taking Online Classes during the 2020 Fall Semester.
UPDATE: The Trump administration reversed its position on July 13, 2020 which would require F-1 and M-1 students to take at least one in-person course during the fall semester. Thus, the information in this blog post below has been superseded and is no longer applicable. This content, however, will be maintained for historical purposes. In…
USCIS Extends March 30, 2020 Flexibility for Applicants and Petitioners Responding to Agency Requests
In its continued effort to extend leniency to those directly affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will continue to extend the flexibility measures that it previously announced on March 30, 2020 in order to help applicants and petitioners who are responding to certain: Requests for…
USCIS Offices will Reopen on June 4 for In-Person Services
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced that it is readying field offices to reopen on or after June 4, 2020 for In-Person services, including Interviews, Naturalization Oath Ceremonies, and InfoPass appointments. Although these offices have been closed to the public since March 18, 2020, USCIS reports that its employees in these offices have been…
COVID-19 Related Delays in I-539 Extension/Change of Status Applications
The Department of Homeland Security has issued an advisory acknowledging that temporary non-immigrants are facing challenges in regards to maintaining their immigration status due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While nonimmigrants are generally advised to depart the U.S. before their authorized period of stay expires, where COVID-19 related circumstances cause them to remain in the U.S….
USCIS announces Flexibility for Requests for Evidence and Notices of Intent to Deny
In recognition of the challenges and difficulties that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have brought to the Immigrant Community, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced that it will adopt certain “flexibility” measures to assist applicants and petitioners who are responding to Requests for Evidence; Continuations to Request Evidence (N-14); Notices of Intent to Deny; Notices…
USCIS announces that Coronavirus testing will not be considered in the Public Charge Rule analysis
On March 13, 2020, after President Trump declared a national emergency on account of the Coronavirus pandemic, USCIS made the following announcement to confirm that it will not count Coronavirus testing against aliens applying for immigration benefits: “USCIS encourages all those, including aliens, with symptoms that resemble coronavirus (COVID-19) (fever, cough, shortness of breath) to…
