The Best Decision of My Life Involves Immigration, Romance and Adventure

Life always presents opportunities to try something new if you are looking for a bit of adventure. The key is to be open to go outside your comfort zone and then boldly say “yes - I’ll do this” and move...

Congratulations –– you’ve submitted your petition to USCIS! ????

And now you’re waiting for it to be processed...yea. It can feel like it takes forever.

The good news is you can check processing times online!

We lay out how to check USCIS processing times online below. We...

No one wants to wait on a long hold to speak with USCIS, and some questions are much easier answered in person. Fortunately, it’s possible to schedule an appointment to meet with a USCIS immigration officer in person using InfoPass. Even better –– an appointment can be scheduled...

Thank You Colleen and Welcome Francisco!

Our firm has been happily participating in the Lewis and Clark Law School’s externship program since this past summer. Our first extern was Colleen Munoz, a second year law student and highly experienced paralegal. Many of our clients got to...

A new USCIS policy requires medical exam results be submitted within 60 days of their completion.

As most of our clients know, anyone applying for permanent residency will need to visit a USCIS-approved physician. During this visit, the doctor will fill out Form I-693, Report of Medical...

Beginning in October 2018, USCIS may start removal proceedings on individuals who submit an application for a visa status or permanent residency in the United States but get the application denied.   This would only apply to those applicants who no longer have a valid visa status at the...

A new USCIS policy allows immigration officials to deny an application, petition, or request without first issuing a request for evidence (RFE).

According to Lee Francis Cissna, who is the Director of USCIS, the policy restores “full discretion to our immigration officers to deny incomplete...

Why A Great Song From a Kids Movie Shows Us the Way Forward on Immigration

My three kids loved the movie Zootopia and my wife and I also thought it was fantastic. The story features an eager young bunny protagonist named Judy Hopps who is committed to being an excellent police officer despite...

With holiday season quickly approaching, we're often asked how to protect data and devices while traveling internationally. If traveling wasn’t already an exhausting process, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has reported a five-fold increase in the number of electronic media...

By the terms of an agreement reached between the Trump administration, the ACLU, and other legal teams representing families separated at the border, some of the parents formerly prevented from doing so will likely be able to re-apply for asylum. The agreement must be approved by the presiding...

Life is short. This sad truth was reinforced recently when I read that Martin Luther King Jr (one of my heroes) was killed when he was only 39 years old. It’s remarkable, however, what he was able to accomplish without ever crossing into his forties. Dr. King made such a huge impact on the...