Visa – The Immigration Bulletin

About our Immigration Practice

Shumaker is proud to introduce our recent Immigration Practice Group video featuring our blog authors Maria del Carmen Ramos and Mechelle Zarou.

Our immigration practice handles all areas related to immigration, including the full range of family and employment-based visas and green cards, compliance, government agency interaction, outbound immigration and consultation regarding foreign travel. Shumaker’s immigration attorneys design solutions around our clients’ needs and constantly provide updates on the latest news and trends surrounding this ever-changing area.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYGaBAAhjco&w=560&h=315]

Client Alert: Visa and Passport Delays Expected to Continue Through Next Week

On June 12, 2015, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs (the “Bureau”) first announced that a hardware failure on June 9 had led to technical problems with overseas passport and visa systems. The hardware failure had halted the flow of security clearance requests from the overseas posts to the State Department’s Consular Consolidated Database (“CCD”). Continue reading “Client Alert: Visa and Passport Delays Expected to Continue Through Next Week”

2016 Diversity Visa Lottery Program Details Announced

The State Department has released the Diversity Visa Program details for fiscal year 2016. Registration will open at noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Wednesday, October 1, 2014 and will close at noon Eastern Standard Time (EST) on Monday, November 3, 2014. Eligible applicants must submit applications electronically—paper submissions will not be accepted. Continue reading “2016 Diversity Visa Lottery Program Details Announced”

The Infamous EB-5 Visa

Late last month, the U.S. Department of State announced that as of August 23, 2014, immigrant visa numbers for Chinese nationals in the EB-5 category would be unavailable through September 30, 2014. This notwithstanding, when the U.S. Department of State issued its October Visa Bulletin, the EB-5 category showed as current for all nationalities. Continue reading “The Infamous EB-5 Visa”

The EB-5 Program: The Road to Citizenship Less Traveled

Bipartisan immigration reform in an election year? And it creates jobs without adding to the deficit? Too good to be true? Well, earlier this year, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt) introduced legislation—co-sponsored by five Republicans (Sens. Collins, Grassley, Hatch, Lee & Rubio) and three Democrats (Sens. Conrad, Kohl & Schumer)—to extend the EB-5 Regional Center Program for three years.[1] After several amendments, that legislation was passed unanimously by the United States Senate.[2] It later passed the House of Representatives by a 412-3 vote and was ultimately signed into law by President Barack Obama. The legislation, as enacted, extends the EB-5 Regional Center Program—which had been set to expire on September 30, 2012—for an additional three years.[3] Continue reading “The EB-5 Program: The Road to Citizenship Less Traveled”