All Categories

Who Is John Kelly and Why Is He In Immigration News?

12/15/2016

This information is available at American Immigration Lawyers Association website in their Immigration Politics ticker:

President-elect Donald Trump has picked retired Marine General John Kelly to run the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), according to a report in The Washington Post earlier today. DHS is tasked with the enforcement of immigration laws and border security, among other responsibilities. Trump's pledges to curb illegal immigration and build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border would also fall to two of DHS's agencies, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

If you're asking yourself…who is General John Kelly? Kelly is an expert on Latin America and was head of the Southern Command, which is responsible for all U.S. military activated in Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean. During his tenure at Southern Command, Kelly focused on "teaching foreign militaries and law enforcement how to counter the powerful, wealthy drug cartels that perpetuate violence and drive people from their communities." For more on Trump's choice for DHS, read Military Times' profile piece.

0 Comments

Entry-level Part-Time Office Receptionist Position - Fluency in multiple languages preferred

6/13/2016

1 Comment

Status: Open

Schneck & Harley Immigration Law Group, LLP is hiring! We are looking to add a entry-level Part Time Office Receptionist at our Pittsburgh Office. If you are passionate about helping Immigrants, possess strong interpersonal skills, have a genuine interest in being of service to others, and have fluency in multiple languages, you should consider applying for this position. You can send your application to [email protected] for consideration. Please see the job description and requirements below.

1 Comment

Entry-level Immigration Office Secretary Position - Fluency in multiple languages preferred

10/29/2015

1 Comment

Status: Closed

Schneck & Harley Immigration Law Group, LLP is hiring! We are looking to add a entry-level Part / Full Time Office Secretary at our Pittsburgh Office. If you are passionate about helping Immigrants, possess strong interpersonal skills, have a genuine interest in being of service to others, and have fluency in multiple languages, you should consider applying for this position. You can send your application to [email protected] for consideration. Please see the job description and requirements below.

1 Comment

Five Things You Need to Know About President Obama's Immigration Announcement

12/29/2014

0 Comments

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has come out with a poster (in English and in Spanish) on five things you need to know about President Obama's Immigration Announcement:

No one can apply yet as of December 29, 2014. People should be able to apply for Expanded DACA around February 18, 2015. People should be able to apply for the new DAPA program around May 19, 2015.
Not everyone will qualify. Being the parent of a United States Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident child alone is not enough to qualify you for the DAPA program. Being a childhood arrival is not enough to show that you qualify for the DACA program. You must meet other requirements
Before you apply for any program, get legal help. Talk to someone who is qualified to give you legal advice, such as an immigration attorney
Submitting the wrong information can ruin your chances of being granted Deferred Action. Make sure all the information and documentation is true and correct. You can start collecting supporting documents now.
Don’t get scammed. There are notarios and other unscrupulous people who are already trying to take advantage of this news. They will make you promises they can’t deliver on, and could make you a target for deportation. Go to www.stopnotariofraud.org for more information.

0 Comments

How does the President's new Immigration Executive Action affect the Naturalization process?

12/10/2014

1 Comment

The President's Executive Action included provisions to promote the naturalization process for U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents to become U.S. Citizens. Among the provisions would be allowing for the applicants to pay the application fee by credit card, along with the potential for fee waivers for those who qualify. The government wants to promote citizenship education and public awareness. There are many benefits of U.S. Citizenship. Contact a Partner Attorney with Schneck and Harley to find out more.

1 Comment

Immigration Office Secretary Position - Fluency in Spanish preferred

10/20/2014

0 Comments

Status: Closed

Schneck & Harley Immigration Law Group, LLP is hiring! We are looking to add a Part / Full Time Office Secretary at our Pittsburgh Office. If you are passionate about helping Immigrants, possess strong interpersonal skills, have a genuine interest in being of service to others, and have fluency in Spanish, you should consider applying for this position. You can send your application to [email protected] for consideration. Please see the job description and requirements below.

0 Comments

Immigration Legal Secretary Position - Fluency in Spanish preferred

10/20/2014

0 Comments

Status: Closed

Schneck & Harley Immigration Law Group, LLP is hiring! We are looking to add a Part / Full Time Legal Secretary at our Pittsburgh Office. If you are passionate about helping Immigrants, possess strong interpersonal skills, have a genuine interest in being of service to others, and have fluency in Spanish, you should consider applying for this position. You can send your application to [email protected] for consideration. Please see the job description and requirements below.

0 Comments

Overview of the Fiancé(e) Visa Process: I-129F Petition, K Visa

4/18/2014

9 Comments

If you are a United States Citizen, you may petition for a visa for your foreign national fiancé(e), as long as you are both free to marry in the U.S. The petition is called I-129F fiancé(e) petition and the visa is often referred to as the K-1 visa. The visa is a non-immigrant visa so that you may bring your fiancé(e) to the U.S. and marry within 90 days of your fiancé(e)’s entry into the United States.

If you plan to marry a foreign national outside the United States or your fiancé(e) is already residing legally in the United States, you do not need to file for a fiancé(e) visa, but instead would file for lawful permanent residency.

Generally, you will need to have met each other, in person, at least once within 2 years prior to filing your fiancé(e) petition. There are two rare exceptions to the rule for the in-person meeting that require a waiver and we recommend that you consult with an attorney to see if the exception applies to your situation.

The fiancé(e) petition requires proof of a bona fide relationship and generally takes about 6 months to process with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). If your fiancé(e) has children under the age of 21, you can also petition for them. If the child is yours, you would need to consult with an attorney regarding recognizing the child’s status.

Once approved, the petition is then sent to the Consulate in the country indicated with the Department of States, where you as the petitioner will need to show proof that you can support your foreign national fiancé(e). A medical examination before an indicated Civil Surgeon will be conducted and police clearances will be required in order for your fiancé(e) to be granted the visa. The fiancé(e) visa (or K-1 nonimmigrant visa) allows your fiancé(e) to enter the United States for 90 days so that your marriage ceremony can take place.

Once you marry in the U.S., your spouse may apply for permanent residence and remain in the United States while USCIS processes the application. As part of this process, your spouse will need to again see a USCIS Civil Surgeon in the United States and prepare more forms, including further evidence that the petitioner (U.S. Citizen) meets the Affidavit of Support requirements. Some common questions that arise are below:

The spouse cannot obtain a Social Security number until he/she has either the Employment Authorization Document Approval or the Lawful Permanent Residency Card (i.e. green card).

For employment, he/she also cannot work until he/she has either the Employment Authorization Document Approval or the Green Card. It almost always takes the 90 days to process the Employment Authorization document. There is no maximum and sometimes it can take longer.

For travel abroad, he/she cannot do so until he/she has the approved Advance Parole Document or the Green Card. A K-1/K-2 visa is only valid for one entry and leaving before is problematic.

To ensure smooth and fast processing by USCIS, our immigration attorneys can work with you to ensure that all the forms, documents, and evidence are correctly prepared and filed with USCIS and give you the peace of mind that you are correctly following all procedures. Evidence gathering and presentation often will have a significant impact on the processing time. On average it takes about 90 days for the approvals of the work/travel permits and/or the scheduling of the interview if there is one.

Once approved, the Green Card is granted for a conditional period of two years. An application to remove the conditions on the residency will then be required within 90 days of the expiration date. Please contact one of our attorneys if you have any questions regarding the Removal of Conditions petition.

Disclaimer: Published on April 11, 2014 with latest available information. This is a blog article for general education and is not intended as legal advice. Please contact our attorneys for legal advice.

9 Comments

States and Countries that recognize Same-Sex Marriage for Immigrants

4/16/2014

0 Comments

As of April 2014, there are fourteen states (California, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New
Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington) that permit same-sex marriage. Washington, DC also recognizes same-sex marriage.

The countries of Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and Uruguay also currently recognize same-sex marriages.

Thus, same-sex couples who marry in one of these states or countries can apply for U.S. immigration benefits based upon this marriage. Please contact our attorneys if you have any questions.

Disclaimer:
Published on April 16, 2014 with latest available information. This is a blog article for general education and is not intended as legal advice.

0 Comments

DHS Final Rule Adding Chile to List of Visa Waiver Countries

3/31/2014

0 Comments

This final rule adds Chile to the list of countries authorized to participate in the Visa Waiver Program. Accordingly, beginning March 31, 2014, eligible citizens and nationals of Chile may apply for admission to the United States at U.S. ports of entry as nonimmigrant visitors for business or pleasure for a period of ninety days or less without first obtaining a nonimmigrant visa, provided that they are otherwise eligible for admission under applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

Contact our law firm if you have questions.

0 Comments

<<Previous

Who Is John Kelly and Why Is He In Immigration News?

Entry-level Part-Time Office Receptionist Position - Fluency in multiple languages preferred

Entry-level Immigration Office Secretary Position - Fluency in multiple languages preferred

Five Things You Need to Know About President Obama's Immigration Announcement

How does the President's new Immigration Executive Action affect the Naturalization process?

Immigration Office Secretary Position - Fluency in Spanish preferred

Immigration Legal Secretary Position - Fluency in Spanish preferred

Overview of the Fiancé(e) Visa Process: I-129F Petition, K Visa

States and Countries that recognize Same-Sex Marriage for Immigrants

DHS Final Rule Adding Chile to List of Visa Waiver Countries

Immigration Law Firm

Archives

Categories