The Department of State recently updated the Foreign Affairs Manual at 9 FAM 302.9-4(B)(3) with a new 90-day rule on misrepresentation, related to those in the United States "who conduct themselves in a manner inconsistent with representations they made to consular...
Topic: Immigration Updates
State Dept. Changes Standard for Assessing ‘Residence Abroad’ for F-1 Nonimmigrant Students
The Department of State recently changed language regarding the way in which F-1 student visas are adjudicated. An amendment to the Foreign Affairs Manual at 9 FAM 402.5-5(E)(1) revises the "Residence Abroad Required" provision. The new provision states: b. Examining...
Registration for Diversity Visa Program for FY 2019 Begins in October
Registration for the Diversity Visa Program for fiscal year 2019 (DV-2019) will begin at noon ET on October 3, 2017, and end at noon ET on November 7, 2017. For FY 2019, 50,000 diversity visas will be available. There is no cost to register for the DV program. For...
EB-1, EB-3 Categories Show Progress in Visa Bulletin for October
Several developments in employment-based categories were announced in the Department of State's Visa Bulletin for the month of October 2017. For the past several months, there has been a backlog for Chinese-mainland and Indian nationals for EB-1. With the new fiscal...
Ninth Circuit Rules Grandparents, Cousins, Others Exempted from Travel Ban; Supreme Court Intervenes
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on September 7, 2017, that certain relatives from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen banned by the Trump administration from entering the United States should be admitted while the...
ICE Temporarily Suspends Unspecified Enforcement Actions in Wake of Hurricanes; DHS States that Immigration Status Will Not Be a Factor during Rescues
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) released a statement on September 7, 2017, that appears to temporarily suspend unspecified enforcement actions in areas affected by recent hurricanes: While we generally do not comment on future potential law enforcement...
President Signs Legislation Extending Several Programs under Disaster Relief Act
The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives recently passed the "Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017" as part of an appropriations bill to increase the debt limit, fund the government through a continuing resolution, and provide emergency funding for hurricane...
President Orders End of DACA in Six Months, with Mixed Signals about Future for ‘Dreamers’; Two Lawsuits Challenge Program’s Termination
On September 5, 2017, President Donald Trump ordered the end of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an Obama administration program that allowed certain people who came to the United States as children, known as "Dreamers," to continue to live, go to...
USCIS Invitation: EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Stakeholder Engagement in NYC
USCIS invites stakeholders to discuss the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program at a stakeholder engagement on Tuesday, November 7, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EST. Participants may attend in person at the USCIS New York City Field Office or may join the teleconference. Program...
Form I-924A: Practical Considerations for EB-5 Regional Centers November 2017 Update
On August 24, 2017, USCIS held a webinar on changes to Form I-924A. A full recording of the webinar may be downloaded at: https://millermayer.boxcn.net/s/54sx5qhynei6k20yhmq4poa5vm6e8p6n. The webinar presentation is available at:...
