Strategy

Earlier this month, I had the honor of presenting in Vienna, Austria on “Unusual Visas.” I was asked to speak about consular processing T and U visas since these are rarely seen at U.S. Embassies and Consulates. Foreign nationals who have T or U status tend to stay in the United States and don’t travel […]

When people think of attorneys and what we do to fight for our clients, they typically think of courtrooms, judges, “I object!” and other Hollywood movie images. Even for those immigration attorneys who often appear in Immigration Court, the reality is far different than what you may see on your favorite TV show or in

Lately, I’ve received a lot of questions about the I-751. Actually, it’s been the same question over and over again. Why does it take so long to get a decision? Good question. When someone needs to remove the conditions on their residency, they must file an I-751. Once it’s filed, the applicant receives an automatic one-year

I’ve talked about Parole in Place (PIP) before and what an amazing program it is. In short, it allows certain family members of current and former military service members to be granted “admission” to the United States so they can apply for a green card here instead of having to leave the country and apply for a waiver in

Winning the lottery, being struck by lightning, seeing an albino giraffe – the chances of all of these things happening seem higher to me than getting an S visa. S visas were created for criminal informants – people involved in criminal activity, but who could turn into witnesses for the prosecution. I sometimes call it

The holidays are often a time of magic, love, family, and travel. It’s no wonder that many couples get engaged this time of the year. I met with a couple last week that reminded me of this, and how immigration, romance and the realities of life don’t always work together seamlessly. They didn’t know what

VAWA stands for Violence Against Women Act. But don’t let the name fool you. VAWA can be an option for men. I had a consultation recently for a man from West Africa. He and his wife had filed for him to get his green card several times and had always been denied. It looked like they

Despite the changes that President Obama announced last week, for many immigrants and their families, the immigration process continues unchanged and as planned. This includes going to interviews for citizenship and permanent residency at USCIS offices. The Atlanta USCIS Office is like a second office to me. Seriously – some of the officers have joked

Every immigration situation presents its own special timelines. Is it ever too late to hire an attorney? Is it ever too soon? When should you hire a licensed attorney to assist with your immigration matter? To use my favorite lawyer’s answer: It depends. SCENARIO: MY GIRLFRIEND LIVES IN ITALY AND WE WANT TO GET MARRIED.

One of the most common questions I receive is “How long will it take USCIS to decide my case?” This is a great question, but it’s not always an easy one to answer. USCIS is a massive organization. They have local offices, service centers, and a national benefits center. They are scattered across the country