I recently wrote about the implementation by USCIS of a new Immigrant Fee, effective February 1, 2013. Immigrants who receive their visas at U.S. Embassies and Consulates abroad have been paying this fee through the USCIS intake page on Pay.gov. However, USCIS recently announced that effective May 19, 2013, the online payment of the USCIS… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Visas
Subscribe to Visas RSS FeedUSCIS Announces Implementation of New Immigrant Fee
Posted in Family Immigration, Immigration Enforcement, VisasToday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that effective February 1, 2013, it will begin collecting a new USCIS Immigrant Fee of $165.00 from foreign nationals seeking permanent residence in the United States. The new fee is in addition to fees charged by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) for processing an individual’s immigrant… Continue Reading
U.S. Visa Application Fees to Change on April 13th
Posted in VisasOn March 29, 2012, the Department of State (DOS) published an interim final rule in the Federal Register to adjust visa processing fees. Effective April 13, 2012, the fees for most nonimmigrant visa applications and Border Crossing Cards will increase, while fees for E visas (treaty-traders and treaty-investors) and K visas (for fiancé(e)s of U.S…. Continue Reading
High Denial Rates of L-1 & H-1B Petitions Compromise American Global Competitiveness
Posted in Employment Based Visas, VisasA National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) Policy Brief published this month, analyzed data reported by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and found a rising trend in the issuance of Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and denials of visa petitions for L-1 (intra-company transferees) and H-1B professionals over the past four years. The brief… Continue Reading
Homeowners’ Visas: Attracting Foreign Investors to the U.S. Residential Real Estate Market
Posted in Real Estate, VisasMargo D. Beller of CNBC reported last month about a congressional bill introduced by Senator Charles Schumer (New York), and Senator Mike Lee (Utah), aimed at attracting foreign investment to the U.S. housing market in another legislative effort to jumpstart the U.S. sputtering economy. The Visa Improvements to Stimulate International Tourism to the United States… Continue Reading
2013 Diversity Visa Registration Opening Soon
Posted in VisasEach year, the U.S. Department of State administers the Diversity Visa Program to allow foreign nationals the opportunity to become permanent U.S. residents. Like any lottery, the odds of winning are extremely low, yet it offers a free opportunity to throw your name in the proverbial hat that is simply too good to pass up… Continue Reading
Visa Applications: Get it Right the First Time
Posted in VisasMany people can be somewhat complacent when it comes to filling out applications. Let’s face it, we seem to be required to fill out applications for everything these days from jobs, to licenses, bank accounts, and loans, visits to the doctor…even gym memberships. Filling out the same information over and over again is tedious; plus,… Continue Reading