US Visas Publications
03 March 2017
Author: USA Visa Attorney Alena Shautsova
On January 27, 2017 President Trump signed an Immigration Executive Order banning people from seven countries (Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Syria and Yemen) from coming to the United States even if they had already possessed valid visas. Following the order, consulates around the world stopped proce ...
14 September 2016
Author: USA visa Attorney Alena Shautsova
A U visa is issued to qualified victims of criminal activities that have been helpful to the authorities in investigation and prosecution of the offenders.
While many are familiar with an application for a U status from within the United States, a person who is outside of the United States may apply, if q ...
05 March 2016
Author: US visa attorney Alena Shautsova
Electronic System for Travel Authorization or ESTA allows citizens of certain countries to enter the United States without the need of a formal visa application. Recently, CBP updated its ESTA form to reflect changes to the Visa Waiver Program occurred in connection with the Terrorist Travel Prevention Act ...
22 February 2016
Author: New York Immigration lawyer Alena Shautsova
A U visa is a non-immigrant status that can be bestowed on a victim of crime who cooperates with the law enforcement in its investigation. A U visa provides a path for the permanent residency, and an authorization to work in the United States. One does not need to be in a legal status to apply fo ...
06 February 2016
Author: New York Immigration Attorney Alena Shautsova
Usually, to come to one country from another, a person would have to obtain a visa, or permission. Citizens of the United States may travel without visas to many countries, but for some countries they do need to obtain visas. Non-U.S. citizens usually have to apply for a visa before coming to t ...
27 January 2016
Author: New York Immigration lawyer Alena Shautsova
Over time, a religious organization may encounter the need for a minister, religious worker in occupation, or religious worker in vocation who is currently stationed overseas. For religious organizations with an already established US bona fide non-profit organization the basic requirements for t ...
20 January 2016
Author: New York Visa Attorney Alena Shautsova
To receive an O visa, a US employer or agent has to submit a petition on behalf of the O visa / status beneficiary. Usually, USCIS considers such petitions within 4-6 months, and recently there were serious delays in adjudication of O petitions.
O status / visa petitioners have an option to "expedi ...
18 January 2016
Author: Visa Lawyer Alena Shautsova
The O visa classification was created for those who were not covered by the H1B work visa category and did not have to jump through hoops of Deportment of Labor. An O Visa can be a great alternative to other business and work visas. The benefits of the O visa process are absence of a “cap” (which is recently w ...
18 August 2015
Author: US Visa lawyer Alena Shautsova
Visa Fraud can be the result of sloppy proofreading or misrepresentation of material fact for the purpose of illegal gains. Either way, these “mistakes” can land you in big trouble from present until future. The most common “fraud” is omission of material facts. For Example you do not disclose that your relat ...
07 July 2015
Author: New York immigration lawyer Alena Shautsova
One of the common questions I receive through online inquires is related to bringing family members to the US. While I already have a number of articles regarding this topic (See Adjustment Of Status For K-1 Visa Entrants), I would like to focus here on a fiancé visa.
In most cases of family imm ...