Visa Processing

New Details: Stateside Visa Renewal Pilot Begins on January 29, 2024

Earlier this afternoon the Department of State (DOS) shared the Federal Register notice with details of the highly-anticipated stateside visa renewal pilot program which will begin on January 29, 2024 and will end on April 1, 2024.     We [...]

By |2023-12-22T08:53:21-05:00December 20th, 2023|Articles, News, News Alert, Visa Processing|

Visa Administrative Processing: What Is It, How Long Does it Take and What Should I Expect?

A U.S. visa stamp refusal under “administrative processing” means that the U.S. Consulate is unable to approve and issue the visa stamp immediately and needs additional time for review of the application or other [...]

By |2023-11-10T18:01:44-05:00November 10th, 2023|Articles, News, News Alert, Visa Processing|

The Visa Interview Waiver Process Explained

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) rules require every nonimmigrant visa applicant between ages of 14 and 79 to apply in person and be interviewed by a consular officer (see 9 FAM 403.5-2 , the "FAM").   But there are certain specific exceptions allowing a waiver of the interview requirement.   With the current long interview scheduling [...]

By |2022-09-01T08:03:53-04:00September 1st, 2022|Articles, News, News Alert, Travel, Visa Processing|

USCIS Delays Plans to Furlough 73% of Its Entire Workforce Starting Until August 31st – Major Delays and Disruptions Expected

Update August 26, 2020: USCIS has called off the scheduled furlough. See update. Update July 24, 2020: USCIS has announced that they have agreed to delay the start of the staff furlough until August 31st (from August 3) due to funding estimates showing surplus for the fiscal year and not the previously-projected $571 million deficit. [...]

By |2020-08-26T20:40:59-04:00July 25th, 2020|Articles, News, News Alert, Visa Processing|

Nonimmigrant Visa Services Suspended at US Consulates in Russia

The U.S. Embassy in Russia has announced that starting August 23, 2017, all nonimmigrant visa (NIV) operations across Russia will be suspended. Beginning September 1, 2017, nonimmigrant visa interviews will be conducted only at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and interviews at the St. Petersburg, Yekaterininburg and Vladivostok will be cancelled. What is the Reason [...]

By |2017-08-23T13:14:35-04:00August 23rd, 2017|Articles, News, News Alert, Students, Travel, Visa Processing|

Executive Order Suspends (at Least Parts of) the Visa Interview Waiver “Dropbox” Program

There has been a tremendous amount of discussion and comment on President Trump's executive order banning certain travelers from the seven countries; however, one provision of the executive order which has a significant impact on many visa holders from all countries is the suspension of the interview waiver program (commonly called "dropbox") which allows visa stamp [...]

By |2017-05-20T21:46:59-04:00February 2nd, 2017|Articles, News, News Alert, Travel, Visa Processing|

U.S. Consular Officers Told To Enforce Simeio H-1B Amendment Requirements

In response to the changed H-1B petition amendment requirements following the Simeio decision, the U.S. State Department has circulated a cable to U.S. Consulates worldwide with specific guidance to consular officers on how to address H-1B visa stamping petitions where there is change of employment.      While the cable does not create new policies, it specifically [...]

By |2017-05-20T21:47:07-04:00December 22nd, 2015|Articles, Employees, Employers, H-1B, News, Visa Processing|

Visa Interview Waiver Program at U.S. Consulates in India

With the end of the year quickly approaching, many of our clients will travel abroad during the Holiday season to visit their homelands and will need to renew their current U.S. visas. We would like to remind our Indian clients and friends about the Interview Waiver Program (IWP) which allows some qualified individuals to apply [...]

By |2017-05-20T21:47:07-04:00December 11th, 2015|H-1B, News, Visa Processing|

The Automatic Visa Revalidation Program Allows Travel to Contiguous Territories Without Needing a Visa Stamp

Foreign nationals who are in the U.S. on a nonimmigrant status are aware (we hope) that normally they need to have a valid U.S. visa stamp in order to reenter the U.S. after a trip [...]

By |2017-05-20T21:47:08-04:00November 11th, 2015|Articles, News, Students, Travel, Visa Processing|

National Visa Center No Longer Requires Original Civil Documents

In an important (and surely welcome by many) announcement, the National Visa Center (NVC) has announced that as of November 12, 2014, they would no longer start requiring and collecting original civil documents in support of immigrant visa (green card) cases.     Most applicants will simply need to submit photocopies of the applicable required civil documents [...]

By |2014-11-14T10:16:09-05:00November 14th, 2014|AOS, Articles, News, Visa Processing|

Consultation Options

We offer a number of engagement and consultation options. Initial case evaluations and quotes are always free.

Live Chats and Webinars

We provide many opportunities for clients and readers to learn about new developments, ask questions or simply comment. Join us for our weekly live chat or our monthly (or more often) webinars.

Contact and Quote Forms

Go to Top