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How to Bring a Successful U Visa Petition in California
If you or your loved one was the victim of a crime, the U visa offers a potential form of immigration relief. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) describes a U visa as a type of nonimmigrant status that is available to certain crime victims who suffered significant trauma and provided assistance to…
How K-1 Fiance Visas Will be Different Under Biden
I’ll tell you everything that’s going to happen Hey! It’s Josh here again. Yes, there’s no denying it has been quite the election week. And if you’ve been following me for a while already, you know where I stand in politics: I Stand With The Candidate Who’ll Do The Most For Immigrants! Of course, with Joe…
Do Unemployment Benefits Hurt Your Chances as a Visa Petitioner for Your Family?
Today, I’m going to talk about unemployment benefits. Right now, the economy is not doing well. Hopefully you’re gainfully employed. But if you’re not or if you lose your job, can you take unemployment benefits? And if you did so, would that affect your immigration case? I’ve gotten this question three times. And two of…
Delayed Asylum Decision – Would a Mandamus Lawsuit Be a Good Idea?
Going through immigration stuff can be really tough, especially if you’re waiting for your asylum case to be decided. This blog is all about delayed asylum decisions and understanding how hard it can be. We understand how tough it can be, so we’ll discuss what it’s like to wait for so long and offer some…
203(g) Visa Canceled – What Does It Really Mean?
I’m Josh Goldstein, an immigration lawyer based in Los Angeles, California. Today, I want to talk about a very important message that so many of my clients are getting about their 203(g) visas being canceled. Everybody is racing out to ask me questions about this. And chances are that you’ve been getting a very similar…
DACA Alternatives: Immigration options after DACA ends
Trying to follow the news about DACA can give you whiplash. First, Donald Trump decided to end DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), leaving some 800,000 young people without access to employment authorization and protection from deportation. Now it appears that Democrats and Trump may have reached a DACA Deal, which would make DACA the…
Understanding Immigration Law: Is it a Bad Sign to Receive a Request for Evidence?
A Request for Evidence (RFE) is a type of document issued by the USCIS that seeks additional information from a petitioner/applicant. RFEs are relatively common. As an example, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reports that a Request for Evidence is issued in nearly 25 percent of H-1B visa petitions. If you just…
Are Muslim Visa Applicants Dealing With Unfair Administrative Processing Delays?
Administrative processing is not something that’s exclusively for Muslims or people from majority Muslim countries. However, it does feel that way because so many of my clients are from Muslim countries or are Muslim. I think part of the explanation for why so many people are stuck in administrative processing is that administrative processing is…
What Can I Expect at an Immigration Biometrics Appointment in California?
Biometrics is a scientific term that describes the unique anatomical data that can be used to identify a person. Fingerprints are probably the most well-known example of a form of biometric data that is used by authorities. If you are applying to become a permanent resident, you will be required to attend a biometrics appointment…
Is Administrative Clearance The Same As Administrative Processing
Today, we’re talking about visa delays, 221G, and administrative processing. The question comes from one of the members of our Facebook group. It’s free to join and I’d encourage you to join if you’re interested in these sorts of things. The question says, “I am a petitioner green card holder. I filed for my spouse…