Nearly 260 million people will be flying during the summer. If you’re one of them, traveling abroad to visit friends and family—and you also hold a visa or green card—there are a few things you should keep in mind. Check Your Expiration Date This may sound obvious, but make sure your visa, green card,…
Late last year, founding partner Sophie Alcorn wrote about the dramatic rise processing times for some forms by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Since then, the processing times have improved for many visa and green card categories. However, processing times for many employment-based and family-based green cards continue to steadily increase. USCIS takes 10…
For immigrants, establishing a strong credit score may prove necessary for more than just qualifying for a mortgage or auto loan. Last year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed using a credit score to determine whether an immigrant is “self-sufficient” and admissible. The Alcorn Immigration Law team only practices U.S. immigration law. Much of…
President Trump issued a memorandum aimed at placing new immigration restrictions on individuals who hold nonimmigrant (temporary stay) visas. The “Presidential Memorandum on Combating High Nonimmigrant Overstay Rates” orders the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security to immediately take “all appropriate actions that are within the scope of their respective authorities to…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently clarified that violating the federal controlled substance law, including violations involving marijuana, will make it difficult to establish a good moral character for the naturalization process. Marijuana can create other immigration difficulties as well. Founding partner Sophie Alcorn wrote about cannabis and immigration law last year. Even if…
Eliminating work permits for H-4 visa holders would result in an annual loss of $1.9 billion in federal tax revenue and $530 million in state and local tax revenue, according to a recent study. Researchers Ike Brannon, a senior fellow at the Jack Kemp Foundation, and M. Kevin McGee, Professor Emeritus at the University of…
We’re happy to introduce Caitlin Bohaboy, who joined the Alcorn Immigration Law team last year. At Alcorn, Caitlin works as an administrative assistant, helping to make sure that all of our clients’ cases and government correspondences are handled smoothly. She ensures that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) hasn’t let anything slip through the cracks…
The denial rate for initial H-1B petitions jumped to an unprecedented 32% during the first quarter of fiscal year 2019, according to a report by the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), which analyzed data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Since fiscal year 2009, the denial rate for initial H-1B petitions never exceeded…
A bipartisan group of senators reintroduced a bill earlier this year that would create a startup visa for international entrepreneurs. It also creates a visa with a path to a green card for international students earning a master’s or higher STEM degree at U.S. universities. U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Roy Blunt…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) sent its EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Modernization proposal to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. The EB-5 modernization proposal has been under discussion since the Obama administration. The EB-5 green card program generally offers two investment options: One requires investors to actively manage the company in…