COVID-19 has disrupted our communities and it has changed how we work. We at the firm have changed how we do our business so we can continue to provide services to our clients while protecting our clients and our staff from unnecessary risks. We are open and are working remotely. We continue to schedule consultations
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USCIS temporarily suspends all in-person services until April 1, 2020
USCIS is cancelling all in-person services until April 1. This includes all biometrics (fingerprinting) appointments, naturalization interviews, and green card interviews. The immigration courts and ICE have already made changes to their hearings and appointments. The government may extend this beyond April 1. USCIS will provide further updates as the situation develops and will continue…
How we are meeting clients while practicing social distancing
The safety and health of our clients, their families, and their businesses and employers are important to the Law Offices of Douglas R Penn. Therefore, we are honoring requests to minimize direct contacts (social distancing) while we work to contain COVID-19 (Coronavirus). We will schedule consultations and meetings with clients via Zoom, Skype, or telephone.…
Who Counts? You do.
The 2020 Census is upon us. Ever since the administration threatened to put the citizenship question on the census, the overriding questions facing the immigrant community have been, “Is it safe to respond?” and “Should I even respond?” Immigrants, especially immigrants who are unlawfully present in the United States or who have family in the…
The H-1B cap for Fiscal Year 2020 has been reached
USCIS announced yesterday that the H-1B cap for next fiscal year (starting October 1, 2019) was reached. Again. We will find out in the coming months how many petitions were submitted. This is ridiculous. In a robust economy where workers are scarce, employers should not have to spend thousands of dollars on a lottery ticket…
Love knows no boundaries
We all feel it. It is one of the universal emotions. Whether you say say, “love,” “ti amo,” “حب (Habb),” amor,” “அன்பு (Anpu),” “愛 (Ai),” “Grá,” “Kocham cie,” or another word from hundreds of languages, we all understand the feeling. We all know why people want to be with their loved ones. Sometimes there are…
USCIS is open despite January 2018 government shutdown
From USCIS: The current lapse in annual appropriated funding for the U.S. government does not affect USCIS’ fee-funded activities. Our offices will remain open, and all applicants should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled. Some USCIS programs are affected until they receive appropriated funds or are reauthorized by Congress. These include: • EB-5 Immigrant Investor…
Married to United States Citizen vs. Green Card Holder
What’s the difference between being married to a United States citizen compared to married to a lawful permanent resident (a green card holder)? Spouses of lawful permanent residents and spouses United States citizens can often obtain lawful permanent residence (the green card) in the United States. The forms are the same and the process is…
Do I Have to Mention My Children on a Visa Application or an Immigration Application?
This question comes up surprisingly often. The answer is clear and obvious: You must mention every child you have on any application that asks for your children. However, because this is such a common question, I will review the different scenarios. The answer does not change, though: You must list all children on any visa…
What Happens After I Apply for the Green Card?
Immigrating to the United States is a multi-step process. However, even the final application for the Green Card (becoming a lawful permanent resident) has multiple steps. As a general rule, you have to be in lawful status to apply for the Green Card in the United States. This process is called adjustment of status and…