By Sasha Westerman-Keuning, Esq.

As predicted in my July 2020 blog post, as of October 1, 2021, the CDC has added the COVID-19 vaccine as a required vaccination for immigration medical exams for all green card applicants, whether applying in the U.S. or abroad at a U.S. consulate.  The new vaccine requirement applies to all those who are age-eligible for the vaccine.   Outside the U.S, the vaccine requirements will be dependent on the available of the CDC-approved vaccines in the country of processing.

As explained in my previous blog, vaccine waivers are available to those who hold sincere religious or moral objections to all vaccinations.   A medical objection to the COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccinations is not sufficient for the approval of a vaccine waiver.  It is also important to note that applicants may only apply for a vaccine waiver where they are opposed to ALL vaccinations, not just the COVID-19 vaccine.  

Further, in positive news, the U.S. will lift all remaining travel bans for foreign nationals entering the U.S. as of November 8, 2021.  In lifting the travel ban, all foreign nationals seeking to enter the U.S. will need to provide proof of full vaccination (two doses, when applicable) to enter the U.S.    This restriction only applies to foreign nationals and not U.S. citizens traveling from abroad.

Contact us if you have any questions about the new vaccine requirements for U.S. green cards and travel!

¿ Qué es el Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS)?

El secretario de Seguridad Nacional puede designar a un país extranjero, como Venezuela, al Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS, por sus siglas en inglés) debido a las condiciones existentes en el país que pueden evitar que los nacionales regresen de manera segura, o en ciertas circunstancias, en las que el país no puede manejar el regreso de sus nacionales de manera adecuada. Podríamos otorgar TPS a:

·        Nacionales eligibles de Venezuela que ya están en Estados Unidos; y

·        Personas elegibles sin nacionalidad cuya última residencia fue en el país designado.

TPS protege a una persona de la deportación. También permite que la persona solicite un permiso de trabajo, si es necesario. Históricamente, el TPS se ha extendido para países designados durante muchos años, incluso décadas.

Para aquellos que actualmente tienen un estatus legal, cuenta como el mantenimiento del estatus que le permite al individuo mantener las puertas abiertas para la residencia en el futuro en muchas categorías diferentes.

Elegibilidad General

Para ser elegible a TPS, usted debe:

·        Ser un nacional de Venezuela, o una persona sin nacionalidad cuya última residencia habitual fue en el país designado;

·        Presentar su formulario I-821 durante el periodo inicial de inscripción o reinscripción (Marzo 9, 2021 hasta 5 de Septiembre 2021.

·        Ha estado físicamente presente de manera continua en Estados Unidos desde Marzo 9, 2021 (la fecha de efectividad de la designación para Venezuela); y

Recoja Sus Documentos Para Tu Solicitud

Tenga en cuenta que, a excepción de la prueba de nacionalidad, la lista de pruebas son ejemplos sugeridos y reconocemos que solo tendrá los elementos que se apliquen a usted.

Nacionalidad

·        Copia de página biográfica del pasaporte venezolano

·        Copia de Partido de Nacimiento de Venezuela con traducción

Evidencia de Entrada antes de Marzo 9, 2021

·        Pasaporte con sello de admisión

·        Formulario I-94 / I-95 / I-94W

·        Cualquier documento del Servicio de Inmigración y Naturalización o del DHS que indique su fecha de entrada (formulario I-862, Aviso de comparecencia)

·        Registros/Itinerarios de viajes

 

Evidencia de Residencia Continua desde Marzo 8, 2021 en EEUU

 

·        Recibos de alquiler/hoteles

·        Recibos de utilidades, facturas de teléfono celular

·        Estados de cuenta bancaria (o tarjeta de crédito) mostrando transacciones en EEUU a partir de esta fecha

·        Registros de empleo (cheques/talones de pago, formularios W-2, etc.)

·        Registros escolares (expedientes académicos, cartas, boletas de calificaciones, etc.)

·        Registros militares (formulario DD-214 o formulario 22 de NGB)

·        Copias de recibos de giros postales por dinero enviado dentro o fuera del país

·        Recibos o registro de licencia de automóvil

·        Titulos de casas, hipotecas, contratos de arrendamiento

·        Recibos de impuestos, pólizas de seguros de auto/salud

·        Registros/citas médicos, de vacunación y dentales

• Declaraciones de oficiales de su iglesia, unión u otra organización, que le conozcan y conozcan donde vive.

 

 

Historia Criminal

 

·        Copia de reporte de arresto para cada delito en EEUU o cualquier parte de mundo

·        Copia de disposición de corte para cada delito en EEUU o cualquier parte de mundo

 

Orden de deportación Previa o Proceso Activo de deportación

 

·        Casos Cerrados: Copia de Orden de deportación de corte de inmigración

·        Casos Activos: Copia de Noticia de Aparecer en corte y copia de noticia de audiencia para tu próxima audiencia

Asilo Pendiente

 

·        Copia de recibo de I-589 asilo

·        Copia de noticia biométrica de huellas para caso I-589 de asilo

 

Estatus Civil

 

·        Copia de Acto de Matrimonio (actual)

·        Copia de Acto(s) de Divorcio

 

Preguntas Frecuentes

Quiero contratar su bufete de abogados, ¿qué debo hacer?

Complete el formulario de Google Doc que se incluye en el correo electrónico para verificar la elegibilidad o haz click aquí: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1NC2Vw3sUU4Qnl2JXSoBQlQ8XGAaV8T8mLNGzzZZf5oA/edit?usp=sharing

Desde allí, nuestra oficina enviará todas las instrucciones para contratarnos. La gran mayoría de venezolanos no necesitará una consulta individualizada con nuestra oficina si cumplen con todos los requisitos básicos de elegibilidad.

 

Mi asilo afirmativo está pendiente, ¿debo solicitar el TPS?

 

Generalmente sí. Si no gana su asilo afirmativo, TPS lo protege de ser colocado en un proceso de deportación si la oficina de asilo niega su caso. Sin embargo, perdería la oportunidad de tener una segunda oportunidad de presentar su caso de asilo a un juez de inmigración. Nota que la ley permite que las personas presenten un caso de TPS tarde, fuera del período de registro, si tienen un caso de asilo pendiente en el momento de la designación inicial de TPS. No obstante, nuestra recomendación es completar un registro de TPS durante el período inicial.

 

Se me ordenó la deportación porque perdí mi caso de asilo, ¿puedo solicitar el TPS?

 

¡Absolutamente sí! TPS no prohíbe la solicitud a las personas con órdenes de deportación. TPS será una protección importante para evitar su deportación física de los EE. UU.

 

Mi asilo está pendiente en la corte, ¿debo solicitar el TPS?

 

Generalmente sí. Puede solicitar el TPS y solicitar que la corte cierre administrativamente sus procedimientos de deportación. Si tiene hechos muy sólidos para su caso de asilo, es posible que desee mantener su caso abierto con la corte de inmigración para continuar buscando su asilo. Recomendamos consultar con el abogado sobre este tema.

 

¿Puedo solicitar solo el registro de TPS y no un permiso de trabajo?

 

¡Sí! La tarifa del gobierno para solicitar solo TPS es de $ 135 ($ 50 de registro y $ 85 para biométrico). La tarifa del gobierno es de $ 410 adicionales para aquellos que también solicitan un permiso de trabajo. Si ya tiene un permiso de trabajo válido en otro tipo de caso, como asilo, no necesita gastar el dinero extra en un permiso de trabajo de TPS. Sin embargo, si desea un segundo permiso de trabajo en la categoría TPS, puede tener dos permisos de trabajo en dos categorías diferentes al mismo tiempo.

 

Estoy aquí con una visa de estudiante o visa de trabajo, ¿debo solicitar el TPS?

 

 Es su decisión si desea postularse ahora durante el registro inicial. La ley permite un registro tardío para aquellos que tenían un estatus de no inmigrante válido diferente durante el período de registro inicial, por lo que caerá en una excepción por presentación tardía. No obstante, nuestra recomendación es completar un registro de TPS durante el período inicial. Si busca mantener un estatus de estudiante válido en este momento, no recomendamos que solicite un permiso de trabajo al mismo tiempo. Puede solicitar un permiso de trabajo en el futuro bajo su TPS si decide renunciar a su condición de estudiante.

 

Soy doble ciudadano de Venezuela, ¿soy elegible para TPS?

 

La doble ciudadanía por sí sola no es un obstáculo para el estatus de TPS. Si tiene doble nacionalidad, ingresó con su pasaporte venezolano y residió por última vez en Venezuela, su TPS debe ser aprobado sin ningún problema. Sin embargo, si no ingresó a los EE. UU. Con su pasaporte venezolano, se le podría negar. También se le puede negar si su último país de residencia antes de llegar a los EE. UU. No era Venezuela. Si ingresó con un pasaporte no venezolano o su última residencia no fue Venezuela, debe reservar una consulta individualizada para discutir su elegibilidad.

 

Tengo antecedentes penales, ¿soy elegible?

Quizás.  Si ha sido condenado de algún delito (felony) o dos o más delitos menores (misdemeanor) cometidos en EE.UU. puede ser que no eres elegible. Recomendamos que reserve una consulta individualizada para discutir su elegibilidad con las copias completas de tu record criminal.

 

Quiero reservar una consulta con usted para ver si soy elegible, ¿cómo puedo hacerlo?

 

Puede reservar una cita por teléfono o video con nuestro abogado de habla hispana utilizando este enlace a nuestro sistema de calendario digital: https://rostovawestermanlawgroupcalendar.as.me/SashaWK

 

¿Cuáles son sus honorarios legales para aplicar?

 

Si cumple con todos los requisitos básicos de elegibilidad, las tarifas son las siguientes:

 

$1,250 : Registro de TPS solo

 

$1,500 : Registro de TPS con Permiso de Trabajo

 

¿Qué incluye ese servicio?

 

Recibirá orientación legal experta y un excelente servicio al cliente de nuestra oficina. El servicio incluye la preparación y presentación de todos los formularios de solicitud de inmigración y evidencia de respaldo. Una vez que se presente el caso, como sus abogados, recibiremos avisos duplicados en cada paso de su caso. Cada vez que nuestra oficina recibe una correspondencia en su caso, escaneamos y le enviamos una copia por correo electrónico con cualquier guía e instrucciones aplicables hasta que tenga su aprobación de TPS en la mano.

 

¿Cuáles son las tarifas de presentación del gobierno?

 

	Edad del solicitante	Tarifa del Formulario I-821	Servicios Biométricos	Tarifa del Formulario I-765	Total
Registro Inicial y solicitud de un EAD (permiso de trabajo)	Menor de 14 años de edad	$50	$0	$0	$50
Entre 14 y 65 años  de edad	$50	$85	$410	$545
66 años de edad en adelante	$50	$85	$0	$135

Registro Inicial pero no solicita un EAD (permiso de trabajo)	Menor de 14 años de edad	$50	$0	N/A	$50
14 años de edad en adelante	$50	$85	N/A	$135

 

También puede ver mi video de YouTube aquí sobre la implementación de TPS para obtener más información: https://youtu.be/RY29L29iR8s

 

Estamos muy emocionados de comenzar a trabajar en TPS para nuestra comunidad venezolana. Años de sufrimiento finalmente han sido reconocidos oficialmente y la ayuda está aquí. Deje que nuestra oficina lo ayude con su sueño americano.

 

 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

Vaccines and Immigration

  ***Please note that this article does not take any political or moral stance regarding vaccinations and is merely written for informational purposes so that individuals may understand their obligations and rights as related to vaccination requirements associated with U.S. immigration laws.***

As we stand by to see the impact of a second wave of COVID-19 cases as states continue the reopening process, the race to manufacture and produce an effective vaccine to protect against coronavirus has become more important than ever. Many argue that the world cannot return to “normal” until a coronavirus vaccine is developed and becomes widely available throughout the globe. As the world’s focus turns to a vaccination for COVID-19, apprehension regarding a fast-tracked vaccine [1]  has renewed concerns among many who oppose mandatory vaccinations. So what do vaccines have to do with immigration to the United States?

  Background on Vaccination Requirements

In 1996, the U.S. Congress added a ground of inadmissibility to the Immigration & Nationality Act, codified at INA §212(a)(1)(A)(iii) which states that every immigrant seeking permanent resident status—through either a U.S. Consulate abroad or through adjustment of status in the United States—must show proof that he or she was vaccinated against vaccine-preventable diseases. Should an immigrant not be able to provide proof of meeting all vaccination requirements, he or she is found inadmissible i.e. ineligible for permanent resident status.   This important vaccination requirement has kept Americans safe from the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases which are often more prevalent outside the United States. The vaccination process is part of the routine immigration medical exam (Form I-693) conducted by certified civil surgeons throughout the U.S. or the designated panel physician for the U.S. consulate in each country.

The Immigration & Nationality Act (INA) specifically lists several vaccines which are required by law. The INA requires proof of vaccination for the following diseases: 1) Mumps, measles, rubella (MMR); 2) Tetanus and diphtehria toxoids (Tdap or DTap); 3) Pertussis; 4) Haemophilius influenza type B; and 5) Hepatitis B.

In addition to those vaccines mandated by statute, the law has delegated authority to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to determine if any additional vaccines should be required for immigration to the United States in the interest of public health. To that end, the CDC presently requires the following additional vaccinations for U.S. immigration: Varicella; Influenza; Pneumococcal pneumonia; Rotavirus; Hepatitis A; and Meningococcal for a total of 10 mandated vaccines.

In determining which vaccinations should be required for immigration purposes, the CDC uses the following criteria: the vaccine must be an age-appropriate vaccine as recommended by the CDC for the general U.S. population and must fall into at least one of the following categories: 1) the vaccine must protect against a disease that has the potential to cause an outbreak; or 2) The vaccine must protect against a disease which has been eliminated in the United States, or is in the process of being eliminated in the United States.

A COVID-19 vaccination would squarely fit into the definition of a vaccine used to “protect against a disease that has potential to cause an outbreak.” It can be assumed from the authority granted to the CDC that the agency will most likely determine that a vaccine for coronavirus be added to U.S. immigration process should one become available.

  Blanket Waivers of Vaccination Requirements

For many individuals, vaccinations may not be medically appropriate or logistically feasible for a variety of reasons. Those individuals normally qualify for a blanket waiver which is listed directly on his or her immigration medical examination. Blanket waivers of vaccinations exist for those individuals who fall into one of the four following categories: 1) not medically appropriate: i.e. it is not flu season or individual has experienced a prior adverse reaction to a vaccine or vaccine is not age appropriate; 2) individual is pregnant or immunocompromised and it is not medically appropriate to administer a certain vaccination; 3) CDC has declared a nationwide shortage of a certain vaccine; or 4) the vaccine is not routinely available abroad where medical exam is conducted by consular physician.

  Individual Waivers of Vaccination Requirements for Religious Belief or Moral Conviction

Many individuals are very concerned, rightly or not, about perceived negative effects of vaccinations and possess strongly-held beliefs opposing vaccinations in any form. So what legal rights does an individual have who does not qualify for a blanket waiver yet seeks to waive the vaccine requirements with his or her medical exam? Fortunately, U.S. immigration laws provide for individual waivers of the vaccination requirements for individuals who are against vaccines due to their religious beliefs or moral convictions. The availability of this waiver stems from important first-amendment legal protections found in the U.S. Constitution relating to both freedom of religion and freedom of speech. No matter our own individual beliefs on vaccinations, it is important that these legal protections remain in place and that we as attorneys remain committed to upholding these individual rights.

Procedurally, when an individual does not consent to vaccination as part of his or her medical examination or as part of their minor child’s medical examination, the physician completing the medical exam marks the box on Form I-693 that the “individual will request an individual waiver based on religious or moral convictions.” If applying abroad at a U.S. consulate, the applicant then appears at their consular interview where they are determined to be inadmissible due to the failure to comply with vaccination requirements. The individual is then instructed to file a Form I-601 Waiver of Inadmissibility and await the approval of the inadmissibility waiver to obtain final visa issuance. For those individuals adjusting status in the U.S., the individual can choose to concurrently file an I-601 waiver of inadmissibility with his or her case or wait for a request for evidence (RFE) to be issued instructing the applicant to file a Form I-601 waiver with the appropriate fee and evidence.

Pursuant to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Policy Manual, the agency exercises caution to avoid any perceived infringement on personal beliefs and First Amendment rights to free speech and religion when adjudicating a waiver of the vaccination requirements. To strike a balance between individual rights and the protection of public health, USCIS, in consultation with CDC, has established the following three requirements that an applicant (or the parents of a minor applicant) has to demonstrate through documentary evidence to qualify for approval of his or her waiver:

  1)       The applicant must be opposed to all vaccinations in any form.

The applicant must demonstrate that he or she opposes vaccinations in all forms; the applicant cannot pick and choose between vaccinations such as not wanting to have an MMR vaccination but being open to tetanus vaccine. If the applicant is seeking a waiver, she must seek to waive all vaccination requirements, not the requirement as it pertains to one specific vaccine. It is important to note that the fact that the applicant has received certain vaccinations in the past but not others does not constitute automatic grounds for the denial of a waiver. Instead, the officer should consider the reasons provided for having received those vaccines, especially if prior vaccinations were administered when the applicant was a minor child.

Further, many applicant's religious beliefs or moral convictions may have changed substantially since the date prior vaccinations were administered, or the applicant is a child who may have already received certain vaccinations under the routine schedules before deciding as an adult to no longer vaccinate. As long as the applicant can show that he or she now opposes all vaccinations, the individual can meet the first prong of the inquiry.

  2)       The objection must be based on religious beliefs or moral convictions.

This requirement is handled with much sensitivity on behalf of USCIS. The applicant must be able to articulate his or her religious or moral objections to vaccination. For example, many religious denominations such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Scientists and Scientologists routinely reject forms of modern, Western medicine including vaccinations. Often small subsects of religious groups, such as Ultra-Orthodox Jews, will oppose vaccinations as interfering with the role of God or due to Biblical passages which reference our bodies as temples which have been interpreted as prohibiting practices such as tattoos, piercings and vaccinations. The USCIS officer must balance the applicant's religious/moral beliefs against the benefit to society as a whole.

  3)       The religious belief or moral conviction must be sincere.

 An applicant for the vaccination waiver must demonstrate that he or she holds the belief sincerely as a matter of conscience. As the USCIS Policy Manual states “[e]ven if these beliefs accurately reflect the applicant's ultimate conclusions about vaccinations, they must stem from religious or moral convictions, and must not have been framed in terms of a particular belief so as to gain the legal remedy desired, such as this waiver.” Therefore, applicant should be prepared to show that he or she has held this belief prior to applying for the waiver and that he or she belongs to a community which shares these beliefs, if applicable.  The focus on this prong of the waiver adjudication is on whether the applicant’s claimed belief or moral conviction is truly held and whether it is applied consistently in the applicant’s life. This can be supported by prior requests for exemptions to vaccine requirements for school or work purposes.

It is very important to note that the applicant does not need to be a member of a recognized religion or attend a specific house of worship to qualify for a waiver. The plain language of the statute refers to individual religious beliefs or moral convictions, not those only found within the confines of recognized religious or moral establishments.

Officers are trained to distinguish between strong religious beliefs or moral convictions and mere preference or desire not to be vaccinated. Religious beliefs or moral convictions are generally defined by their ability to cause a believer to disregard his or her interests in favor of the espoused religious or moral tenets. An applicant for the inadmissibility waiver has the burden of establishing a strong objection to vaccinations that is based on religious beliefs or moral convictions, as opposed to a mere preference against vaccinations. ​

Our law office understands that the topic of vaccinations can be a sensitive subject for people on all sides of the issue. We are here to assist individuals in pursuing their legal rights under the immigration law without casting any judgment as to the individual’s moral or religious beliefs regarding vaccines. Contact our office should you be interested in learning more about waivers of the vaccination requirements associated with obtaining your green card.

By: Sasha Westerman-Keuning, Esq.

Board Certified Immigration Attorney

  [1]  According to the New York Department of Health, development of a new vaccine normally requires 10-15 years of research.   See https://www.health.ny.gov/prevention/immunization/vaccine_safety/science.htm

A recent article from  The Star online newspaper has foreign citizens who live or travel to the U.S. asking themselves what are the potential consequences of using legal medical or recreational marijuana or working and investing in the marijuana industry.  See article "Canadians who smoke marijuana legally, or work or invest in the industry, will be barred from the U.S.: Customs and Border Protection official" at   https://tinyurl.com/yabtkpdv  

The answer is we truly do not know how far-reaching the implications will be, but let's take a look at our current U.S. immigration laws relating to marijuana.

First, it is important to note that our immigration enforcement laws are generally grouped into two categories:  1) deportability/removability: the ability of the government to deport a foreigner already physically present in the U.S.; and 2) inadmissibility:  the ability of the government to bar entry of a foreigner into the United States.  In the context of marijuana, the laws surrounding inadmissibility--entry into the U.S.-- are significantly harsher than the laws relating to deportability.   

In general, drug crimes as applied to the U.S. immigration laws are governed solely by federal law under the federal Controlled Substance Act.  As cannabis (marijuana) is classified as a Schedule I substance on the federal controlled substance act, it remains completely illegal under federal law despite any legalization by U.S. states or foreign countries.  Unless and until cannabis is removed from the controlled substance act, it will remain a serious issue for foreign citizens, including U.S. green card holders (lawful permanent residents).  If like me, you support the removal of cannabis from the Controlled Substance Act, you should encourage your Congressperson to support bills already in Congress which seek to remove marijuana as a federal controlled substance. 

The Immigration & Nationality Act (INA) Section 212 delineates classes of Inadmissible Aliens, including drug-based offenses.  Section 212(a)(2)(A)(i) mandates that "any alien  convicted of, or who admits having committed, or who admits committing acts which constitute the essential elements of... (II) a violation of (or a conspiracy or attempt to violate) any law or regulation of a State , the United States , or a foreign country relating to a controlled substance (as defined in section 802 of title 21 ), is inadmissible."  In layman's terms, this simply means that a foreigner (including green card holder) can be  permanently barred entry i.e. found inadmissible for  admitting to acts which constitute a violation of the controlled substance act.  No arrest or conviction is required for this inadmissibility law to come into effect.  Stating, "I use marijuana to control my glaucoma" could be interpreted by a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officer as a sufficient admission to bar entry into the U.S.   Arguably, a CBP officer finding a medical marijuana licensing card on a traveler entering the U.S. could be seen as a sufficient admission to bar U.S. entry.   Similarly, a business card evidencing that an individual works at or is an investor in a cannabis dispensary or grow house could be seen as sufficient evidence of an admission to a violation of a controlled substance offense.

A second ground of inadmissibility can also come into play to bar U.S. entry for those working in or investing in the legal cannabis industry in a U.S. state or foreign country.  INA Section 212(a)(2)(A)(C) relates to Controlled Substance Traffickers stating, "Any alien  who the consular officer  or the Attorney General   knows or has reason to believe — INA Section 237 which governs classes of deportable aliens normally requires a  conviction of an offense relating to a controlled substance which means without actually being arrested and convicted of a marijuana crime, the grounds of deportability will not apply to an individual.   Individuals legally present in the U.S. generally have less of a chance of having an immigration issue due to the requirement of a conviction for grounds of deportability and because of the due process rights that exist for all people inside the U.S.  Further, the controlled substance deportability provision specifically carves out an exception for one simple possession of marijuana less than 30 grams.  This means, for example, a green card holder who has a single marijuana possession conviction less than 30 grams would not be subject to deportation; however, if he or she traveled on his/her green card, the individual would be inadmissible and would be denied entry (perhaps detained by CBP officials as well), and placed in removal proceedings to have green card status taken away.  

A scary, but rarely used, provision of the INA deportability laws is found at INA 237(a)(1)(a) and states any alien is deportable who was  (1) Inadmissible at time of entry or of adjustment of status or violates status.- (A) Inadmissible aliens.-Any alien who at the time of entry or adjustment of status was within one or more of the classes of aliens inadmissible by the law existing at such time is deportable."  Should the U.S. government under Attorney General Jeff Sessions seek to find additional ways to bar and deport marijuana users, this provision could open the door to deport anyone who was inadmissible under the above provisions at the time of entry.  

Do these laws have any impact on the U.S. citizenship or naturalization process for green card holders?  Without a conviction for a marijuana offense (which is unlikely to  happen in a state that has legalized cannabis), a green card holder would not fall under any ground of deportability barring approval of his/her naturalization application.  However, all applications for naturalization require a showing of "Good Moral Character" for the five years preceding the application.  An overzealous USCIS officer could find that an individual lacks good moral character if they have been involved in the marijuana industry.  As the naturalization application requires truthful information regarding employment history for the past 5 years, green card holders working  or investing in the marijuana industry could be found to lack good moral character by USCIS, barring approval of their N-400 citizenship application.  

So what does this all mean?  First, green card holders should stay far away from marijuana even if legal in his or her state as it could lead to their inadmissibility or deportation as long as marijuana remains on the federal controlled substance list.  International travelers to the U.S. need to understand the risks of being denied entry if they are engaging in activities relating to legal cannabis.  They should remove any business cards and medical marijuana cards from their belongings before travel.  They should consider deleting electronic evidence from their phones and laptops which can be searched by CBP.  

Hopefully we will see positive changes in eliminating marijuana from the federal controlled substance list and these concerns will become a thing of the past.  Until that day, foreigners, including green card holders, must exercise extreme caution as it relates to U.S. immigration laws.  

If you have a specific question regarding your immigration status, please feel free to contact our office to schedule a consultation.  

USCIS has announced that as of September 17, 2018, it will only accept a new version of the I-765 application for an Employment Authorization Document (work permit).   The new version of the I-765 has increased from two simple pages (up from one page 2 years ago) to a total of seven pages!   The form has a much more complicated format and asks questions related to arrests if filing in certain categories.  USCIS seems to be ignoring the "paperwork reduction act", having introduced longer version of several USCIS forms during 2018.

This long seven-page form paired with a work permit processing time averaging 5-7 months has made one of the simplest immigration processing a difficult one.

Thanks USCIS!

I have finally decided to take the plunge and add a blog to my site. I always wanted an easy way to share information with visitors and I'm super excited to start this journey. Keep coming back to my site and check for updates right here on the blog.