How long do visas for family petitions take?

This week in my Consulta Migratoria column, I answer questions from readers. Each case is different and the answers vary depending on the immigration history of each person. Here I provide general answers to your questions. Please consult with an immigration attorney to receive personalized legal advice before starting any process. I am Salvadoran and I sent ... Read more

Can the law of punishment be forgiven again if it was previously denied?

This week in my Consulta Migratoria column, I answer readers' questions. Each case is different and the answers vary depending on the immigration history of each person. Here I provide general answers to your questions. Please consult with an immigration attorney to receive personalized legal advice before starting any process. I am Ecuadorian. In the ... Read more

How the new provisional pardon to the law of punishment works

This week in my Consulta Migratoria column, I answer a reader's question. Each case is different and the answers vary according to the immigration history of each person. Here I provide a general answer to your questions. Please consult with an immigration attorney to receive personalized legal advice before beginning any process. I am a citizen and ... Read more

USCIS Denies Applications for Provisional Waiver of the Punishment Act

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has rejected many applications for the provisional waiver of punishment law (Form I-601A) because people are not following instructions. For example, many people have not sent proof that they have already paid the immigrant visa fee to the Department ... Read more

Form I-94 will be available electronically

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced today through the Federal Register that it will begin offering an electronic version of Form I-94, Entry-Departure Record, to streamline the admissions process for nonimmigrants traveling to the United States. This change ... Read more

New green card processing fee

Effective February 1, 2013, USCIS will charge a new fee of $$165 for processing permanent resident visas filed abroad. According to USCIS, the new "immigrant fee" is to recoup the costs of processing immigrant visas after ... Read more

Readers ask about punishment law

Questions continue to be asked about the proposed change to the penalty law. Unfortunately, the USCIS proposal has not yet been approved. As soon as a decision is made, I will be updating you. In my La Opinión column this week I answer several questions from readers, including two about the punishment law. Here I answer from ... Read more

Can you obtain a work permit while waiting for an immigrant visa?

This week in my column in La Opinión I answer questions from readers. Remember that I respond in a general way to your doubts. Each case is different, so you should consult an attorney for personalized legal advice. I am a permanent resident and I was arrested in the past, can I apply for U.S. citizenship? - Ingrid R. ... Read more

2013 Visa Lottery Registration Period Opens

Tuesday, October 4, 2011 marks the beginning of the registration period for the "diversity visa" lottery, as the U.S. Department of State's annual visa lottery is commonly known. Through this program, approximately 50,000 visas will be raffled for fiscal year 2013. ... Read more

Judge Rejects Lawsuit; New Visa Lottery Results Announced

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by a group of people who were wrongly shortlisted in May of this year for the Diversity Visa Lottery Program. Judge Amy Berman's decision cleared the way for the State Department to publish the results of the second lottery held ... Read more

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