Blog

In the Ombudsman Report of 2019, we discover that the USCIS has quietly killed the InfoPass process for getting an in-person meeting with a USCIS agent to get an update about a dragged-out or stalled case. The process is now called InfoMod.

Unfortunately, no you cannot choose the processing center or USCIS office where your paperwork is sent to. It’s going to be sent to one of two lock boxes either in Phoenix, Arizona or Chicago, Illinois. From here, they’ll receive your documents and then they use a process which we refer to as “load balancing” to distribute them to various centers.

"I'm about to go through the AOS (adjustment of status) process. When is the best time to get the medical examination?" If the alien beneficiary entered on a K1, they should file for adjustment of status after getting married, but before the medical examination expires, which is one year from the time the DS-3025 was […]

"How many days after we send them the RFE documents do we receive the NOA2?" First, NOA2 is Notice of Action 2, the approval notice. Currently, it's usually about two to three weeks after submitting the requested documents along with the original RFE letter they're issuing the approval notice. This is just an estimate, and […]

The White House recently issued a memorandum on the enforcement of legal responsibilities of immigrant sponsors & joint sponsors. The memo directs relevant federal agencies to update procedures, guidance, and regulations to comply with current law and ensure that ineligible immigrants do not receive federal means-tested benefits.

"What is the CFO Seminar (Philippines) and why is it required?" The CFO (Commission on Filipinos Overseas) Seminar is a Philippine government requirement for Filipinos leaving the country. It's partially for their internal counting of people expatriating, but also it gives a crash-course on a few things Filipinos should know when emigrating out of the […]

As a self-employed individual or person who owns a business, it’s natural to take advantage of all the tax deductions you can to reduce your taxable income. You have every right to do it. Unfortunately, for USCIS and tax purposes, your income is basically what you pay taxes on.

"My relationship is going south with my spouse. Can I get a divorce without affecting my status (I-751 pending)?" If you've already filed the removal of conditions, it's not likely to affect anything. It would be rare that you would get an interview for that. If you did, of course, you'd have to be honest […]

Unfortunately the K1 is a single-entry visa. This means once you enter through a port of entry, it is essentially useless. It does not allow you to leave the country and re-enter. It’s best to avoid leaving the country while on a K1 visa. Technically you could apply for a travel document (advance parole), but by the time you get it, your K1 visa will likely be expired anyways.

On July 5th, 2019, USCIS will permanently close its field office in Manila, Philippines, as part of the Trump Administration’s efforts to reduce legal immigration. After this date, there will be no USCIS international field office located in the Philippines.