COVID-19 has given rise to a number of changes that have dramatically transformed the practice and procedure of immigration law. New interview protocols have changed who can accompany clients to their citizenship and marriage interviews. In most cases, family...
Green Cards
I-944 Now Required Again with I-485 Green Card Applications
Now that the dust has temporarily settled, USCIS has finally updated its website and made the I-944 available again under its list of available forms. Since all preliminary injunctions against the public charge rule have been lifted, the government will resume...
Not Carrying Your Green Card Is A Criminal Offense
A very disturbing article came out last Thursday that perhaps accounts for the interminable delay some individuals are experiencing in waiting for their green cards. According to the article which appeared in The Washington Post, USCIS has apparently cut back on the...
How Can I Prove My Status While My Green Card Renewal Is Processing?
One common misconception that many permanent residents believe is that permanent residence expires when their cards expire. This is not necessarily accurate. It is true that conditional permanent residents are in serious jeopardy of losing their status if they fail to...
What is The New Public Charge Rule Affecting Green Cards?
Now that the Public Charge is a reality, anybody intent on applying for permanent residence must understand that immigration just got a whole lot harder. Under the new guidelines, which some have loosely called a "wealth test," immigration officers are vested with...
New Public Charge Law Will Also Apply to Consular Cases | Form DS-5540
Applicants for permanent residence should be aware that the new public charge guidelines are intended to apply to all applicants for admission. Technically speaking, the new I-944 Declaration of Self Sufficiency and revised guidelines will be going into effect...
Immigration Filing Fees Going Up
Last week, the government announced a series of proposed fee increases that are staggeringly steep. At the moment, the proposal is undergoing a public comment period, but unless there is some sort of litigation to block the changes, applicants may have to dig deeper...
TPS Holders with Deportation Orders Applying for Green Card After Advance Parole
TPS applicants who are applying for adjustment of status with outstanding removal orders should be aware that the New Jersey District Office has reversed its policy with respect to these cases. Of course, every case is fact and circumstance specific, but in general,...
File Parent Green Card Cases Before October 2019
A recent podcast by our west coast colleague attorney John Khosravi brought up a very insightful point that is worth repeating. As we previously discussed, the new public charge rules go into effect October 15 of this year. The rule is extraordinarily complex and well...
No Birth Certificate for Green Card Case | School Leaving Certificates
For most green card applications, an applicant will ordinarily be required to submit his/his birth certificate. Unfortunately, it is very common for older individuals to not have birth certificates. We see this especially with our Indian clients who were born during...
