Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Good News for Spouses and Children of Lawful Permanent Residents

The U.S. Department of State recently released the August Visa Bulletin. You can find a copy of this Visa Bulletin at United State government web site: visa bulletin. Immigrant visas will be current for the F2A category, which includes spouses and children of lawful permanent residents (i.e. LPR's or Green Card Holders) regardless of the beneficiary's native country. It is important to keep in mind that the term child is specifically defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) as unmarried son or daughter under the age of 21. If your son or daughter has turned 21 while the immigrant visa petition has been pending, it is important you contact an experienced immigration attorney as soon as possible to determine if he or she still qualify for an immigrant visa under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA).

If your spouse and/ or children are currently residing outside the United States, it is important that you take the time to notify U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or the National Visa Center (NVC) of any changes in contact information. You do not want to cause undue delay in immigrant visa application process, because you did not receive notifications from USCIS or the NVC. You can find information on notifying USCIS of a change of address at USCIS government web site. You can find contact information for the NVC at immigrants travel state government visa info. However, if your spouse and/or children are currently in the United States, you should consult an experienced immigration attorney about their eligibility to seek adjustment of status in the United States.

Please visit the nyc immigration lawyers website for further information. The Law Offices of Grinberg & Segal, PLLC focuses vast segment of its practice on immigration law. This steadfast dedication has resulted in thousands of immigrants throughout the United States. 

Lawyer website: http://myattorneyusa.com

Friday, July 5, 2013

USCIS to Review Immigrant Visa Petitions Filed By Same Sex Spouses

In rather rapid development a week after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Windsor, overturning Article 3 of DOMA, President Obama has instructed USCIS to start immediately reviewing immigrant petitions filed by same sex spouses. “President Obama directed federal departments to ensure the decision and its implication for federal benefits for same-sex legally married couples are implemented swiftly and smoothly.” Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano wrote on the DHS website.

DHS also provided a short Q&A, were the answers where rather vague. For instance, to the question of whether I-130 can be filed by the same sex spouse, the answer was that it can be and will not be “automatically denied as a result of the same-sex nature of your marriage.” The Secretary added, that USCIS Director was instructed to now start reviewing I-130 petitions filed by the same sex spouses. Whether reviewing means duly processing and approving those on the merits, which warrant approval remains to be seen.

Read Full text of the Secreatry's Statement and the Q&A.

Please visit the nyc immigration lawyers website for further information. The Law Offices of Grinberg & Segal, PLLC focuses vast segment of its practice on immigration law. This steadfast dedication has resulted in thousands of immigrants throughout the United States.

Lawyer website: http://myattorneyusa.com