The Department of State raised eyebrows earlier this month when it released information that it will be reducing the waiting period for 221(G) “administrative processing,” in an effort to process visas more efficiently. While this is welcome news, in practice it may not mean much. Consulates and Embassies have been…
Articles Posted in O1 Visas
UPDATE: USCIS Extends Comment Period to the Proposed Rule Increasing USCIS Filing Fees until March 13, 2023
In this blog post, we give you an update on the status of the proposed rule increasing the filing fees for certain applications and petitions filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). As you may remember, on January 4, 2023, USCIS published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking…
What’s happening in the world of immigration? USCIS Announces Proposed Increase in Immigration Filing Fees in the New Year
Welcome back to Visalawyerblog! We hope you had a wonderful holiday break and wish you a prosperous new year ahead. We kick off the new year with some important updates in the world of immigration. Today, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officially announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that…
State Department Announces Continuation of its Interview Waiver Policy for Certain Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants until December 2023
Welcome back to Visalawyerblog! We hope you had a wonderful Christmas break with your families. In this blog post, we share a new update from the State Department regarding the continuation of its interview waiver policy for certain nonimmigrant visa types. In a new announcement, the Secretary of State has…
Status of Worldwide Consular Visa Operations, October 2022
Our readers will be happy to know that the Department of State has released a new update in the month of October on the status of worldwide consular visa operations. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a period of uncertainty and created tremendous backlogs at the Consular level. As most of you…
Success Story Roundup: Three Case Studies of Victorious O-1 visas for Individuals of Extraordinary Abilities in Business and the Arts
Have you ever wondered: can I apply for a visa to the U.S., as a musician from a foreign country, a major social media influencer, or a serious business entrepreneur with recognition in the major media, with features in Vogue Magazine, YouTube, and Oprah Winfrey’s Supersoul Class? In this blog…
Department of State/AILA Liaison Committee Meeting Q&A Highlights: What is DOS doing to eliminate the Visa Backlogs? What is the status of processing at missions in China? & More!
In today’s blog post, we share some interesting Question and Answer responses recently provided by the Department of State’s Office of the Assistant Legal Adviser for Consular Affairs (L/CA), in a meeting with the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). The responses below provide some important insight into current immigration policies…
DOS Proposed Rule to Raise Several Consular Service Fees including E Visas, B1/B2, J-1 Waivers, BCC, and More
It’s the start of a brand-new year! On behalf of the Law Offices of Jacob J. Sapochnick we would like to wish you and your loved ones a very Happy New Year. It has been a challenging time in the world of immigration law but we at the Law Office…
USCIS Announces Continued Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests Through March 26, 2022
Welcome back to Visalawyerblog! In this post, we share with you an exciting new update from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that will provide relief to those who have received a Request for Evidence, Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID), or such similar request. USCIS RFE/NOID Flexibility…
Department of State Releases Information Regarding Waiver of the In-Person Interview Requirement for Certain Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants
We have very exciting news for nonimmigrant visa applicants. Today, December 23rd, the Department of State announced that the agency has granted Consular officers the discretionary power to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain temporary employment nonimmigrant visa applicants, provided such applicants have a petition approved by USCIS. This…