Beginning January 22, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will require non-U.S. individuals entering the U.S. via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico borders to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and to present proof of vaccination. These new requirements will apply to non-U.S. individuals traveling both for Read More »
Travel
Update to COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions: Vaccination Requirement on November 8
October 15, 2021: The Biden Administration plans to lift travel restrictions for international travelers coming to the U.S. from countries that are currently subject to COVID-19 travel restrictions (as well as National Interest Exception [NIE] waivers) on November 8. In place of the travel restriction and/or NIE requirement, all international travelers, including those coming from Read More »
New Proclamation Suspending Certain H-1B (and other) Entries
**UPDATE** On February 24, 2021, President Biden rescinded Presidential Proclamation 10014 (issued in April 2020), which suspend entry of certain immigrant visa applicants. HOWEVER, please note that Presidential Proclamation 10052, which suspended the entry of certain nonimmigrant visa applicants through March 31, 2021, is still in effect. **UPDATE** On December 31, 2020, President Trump Read More »
Travel and USCIS Updates
**UPDATE** On October 20, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) indicated that it will continue to implement the ban on non-essential travel across U.S. land borders with Canada and Mexico through January 21, 2022. However, these restrictions will be lifted on November 8, 2021 for fully COVID-19-vaccinated foreign nationals only, to align with the Read More »
New Travel Restrictions Related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19)
**UPDATE** On April 30, President Biden issued a proclamation suspending entry into the U.S. of certain nonimmigrants who were physically present in India during the 14-day period immediately preceding their attempted entry. This proclamation takes effect on May 4. On the same day, the U.S. Department of State made a national interest determination regarding categories Read More »
Updates on Executive Order “Travel Bans”
**UPDATE** On Wednesday, January 20, 2021, President Biden issued a new Presidential Proclamation that revoked the previous travel bans related to people from predominantly Muslim and African countries. A link to this new proclamation is available here. The State Department has been charged with creating a plan for immigrant visas denied under the prior ban Read More »
New Social Media Information is Required on all Visa Applications
June 3, 2019 – The following summary is provided courtesy of Fragomen Worldwide: The State Department now requires foreign nationals to disclose five years of social media and contact history when applying for a nonimmigrant or immigrant visa. New questions about social media use, prior email addresses and prior phone numbers were added late last Read More »
U.S. State Department to Reduce H Visa Interviews in China to Three Locations
February 4, 2019: Starting March 1, 2019, H and L visa interviews in China will be limited to the U.S. Embassy in Beijing or the U.S. Consulates in Guangzhou or Shanghai. Since H interviews will only be conducted in these three locations, visa applicants will probably experience longer wait times to make visa appointments and Read More »
New visa/entry restrictions on certain visitors from Burma and Laos
July 10, 2018: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in coordination with the U.S. Department of State, has announced the implementation of visa sanctions against two countries due to lack of cooperation in accepting their citizens who have been ordered removed from the U.S. Please see https://www.dhs.gov/news/2018/07/10/dhs-announces-implementation-visa-sanctions for the full announcement. BURMA: As of July 9, 2018, Read More »
Nonimmigrant visa suspension in Turkey
*UPDATE* December 28, 2017: the U.S. Department of State issued a Press Release to state that it has allowed “full resumption of visa services in Turkey.” *UPDATE* November 10, 2017: the U.S. Mission toTurkey has resumed issuing nonimmigrant visas. Visa interviews will take place on a limited basis at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara Read More »