VISA PROCESSING FOR RUSSIAN NATIONALS

Due to the capacity limit in Warsaw, Poland, in March 2023, the State Department designated U.S. Consulate General Almaty and U.S. Embassy Tashkent as the processing posts for Russian immediate relative applicants who are parents of U.S. citizens (IR-5). Embassy Warsaw remains the processing post for Russian applicants applying for other IV categories. Other Russian IV applicants may request a discretionary transfer from Embassy Warsaw to another IV processing post. The Department is continuously evaluating further expansion of visa services for Russian applicants.

BE AWARE OF SCAMS

Here are two examples. First, there have been scams due to the humanitarian parole program. Take time to read the government requirements. Do not rely only on promoters. Second, there was a private donation program created during Trump administration because construction of a border wall was a key element of Trump’s hardline immigration policies. An associate of Donald Trump’s former adviser Steve Bannon was sentenced on Wednesday to at least 4 years in prison after admitting helping defraud donors to a campaign to build the wall along the U.S.-Mexican border pursued by the former president. Brian Kolfage, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Manhattan after pleading guilty last year to misappropriating funds for the “We Build the Wall” campaign, an effort that solicited public donations and, according to prosecutors, raised about $25 million. Judge Torres also sentenced Andrew Badolato, 58, another former Bannon associate, to three years in prison following his guilty plea. Another defendant, Timothy Shea, 52, was convicted at trial in October. His sentencing is scheduled for June 13. Despite being pardoned, Bannon still faces New York state money laundering and conspiracy charges over the wall under an indictment from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Bannon has pleaded not guilty. Trump’s pardon covered federal crimes but not state crimes.

H1B VISA SELECTION STATISTICS

USCIS announced that for FY2024, it received 758,994 eligible registrations (compared to 474,421 registrations in FY2023), and that 110,791 applications were selected. This means only 14.5% of registrants were selected for the opportunity to apply for H1B visa. If you are a person who was not selected and you need to learn other options, contact Ting Law Group 720-740-4247.

NEED MORE PRIVATE SPONSORS FOR PAROLE PROGRAM

U.S. is making efforts to expand the number of people in organizations who are willing to sponsor immigrants from Cuba and other countries as part of the Biden administration’s effort to control the flow of migration. Over 16,000 Cubans have emigrated to the U.S. through a humanitarian parole program since it began in January 2023. The goal of the program is to have “legal, orderly and safe migration.” In addition, the U.S. embassy in Havana resumed full immigrant visa processing in January after being closed since 2017, but nonimmigrant visas are still on hold. This was under the Trump Administration. Due to that, over 220,000 Cubans arrived at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2022, 

DHS notice of implementation of a change to the parole process for Cubans in 88 FR 1266 (1/9/23).

The change provides that those who have been captured at sea after April 27, 2023 will be ineligible for the announced parole process. Read about the legal requirements to be eligible for parole program. There is no shortcut.

DOS SUSPENDS SERVICES IN SUDAN

As of 4/22/23, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum suspended its operations, and all immigrant and diversity visa interviews are canceled until further notice. Nonimmigrant visa applicants may apply in any county in which they are physically present and where there are appointments available.

NEW EDITION FOR ASYLUM APPLICATION

beginning May 1, you must use the latest version of the Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal. Always check USCIS’s website for the latest information.