What does the Credible Fear Interview entail in the United States? The credible fear interview is essential in the US immigration system to assess if asylum seekers genuinely fear persecution or torture upon return to their home country based on race, religion, nationality... This article offers a detailed guide on the interview process, covering common questions and support services from organizations like Serving Immigrants. The Interview Eligibility Requirements For the credible fear interview to be approved, the applicant must demonstrate being at risk of sexual abuse, physical harm, or other significant harm. The Biden Administration justifies these restrictions by arguing they will benefit those with legitimate claims of protection while attempting to reduce the impact of unfounded applications that congest the system. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) considers "credible fear of persecution" as a real possibility that the applicant will face persecution if returned to their country, based on reasons such as race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group (including discrimination…Read More
Introduction of the Initiative Starting on August 19, 2024, the application process for the program announced by the Joe Biden administration will open, which offers the possibility of settling status for some spouses of American citizens without having to leave the country. In the program, which was announced in July, each case will be evaluated individually. Eligibility criteria include demonstrating continuous residency for at least 10 years prior to June 17, 2024, being present in the U.S. without admission or temporary presence permit, not posing a security threat, and being in a valid marriage to a US citizen before June 17, 2024. Addressing Challenges The new parole program tackles these challenges by allowing eligible individuals to apply for adjustment of status within the U.S., thus eliminating the requirement to depart the country for visa interviews, which could otherwise trigger extended reentry bans. Importantly, even if the program is suspended or reversed in the future, individuals granted parole will retain a pathway to pursue lawful permanent…Read More
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a new law that toughens penalties for driving without a valid license in the state, primarily affecting immigrants. The law, which comes into effect on July 1st, increases the maximum penalty for this offense from 60 days to one year in jail in cases of recidivism, with a minimum penalty of 10 days for those caught driving without a license for the second or third time. This legislation, known as HB1589, does not allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a legal license in Florida and is part of a more restrictive stance on immigration, according to the policies of Governor DeSantis. Additionally, the law also impacts licenses issued by other states that are specific to unauthorized immigrants and are not recognized as valid in Florida.Read More
For almost 20 years, our team at Serving Immigrants has been dedicated to providing our immigration law services, resulting in many happy clients. In doing so, our commitment and focus have taken us on a fabulous journey of growth – both personally and for our business. We are pleased to announce that our law firm has been named a 2022 Law Firm 500 Honoree awarded to the Fastest Growing Law Firms in the US. Although this recognition is calculated on growth, it could not be possible without the continued operational excellence and commitment to client service exhibited by our team every day. We are ranked 45th on the 2022 Law Firm 500 and have grown 227%. This is the third consecutive year that Serving Immigrants has ranked on the list. Thank you so much to our loyal clients and partners who have supported us as we have grown. Serving Immigrants, Inc. is a dynamic, full-service immigration law firm that is dedicated to assisting immigrants and their loved ones with their…Read More
Magdalena Cuprys, founder and CEO of Serving Immigrants, a leading immigration law firm, is proud to announce her and her team’s presence as an exhibitor at the “Expo Brazil Orlando” business-to-business trade show. The event will take place on Saturday, March 25th, 2023, at the Osceola Heritage Park Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Cuprys has 20 years of experience in the immigration law area, including helping businesses, investors, and other petitioners obtain the necessary documents and visas. Through Serving Immigrants, she has helped countless clients achieve successful outcomes in their legal matters. During the event, Magdalena and Serving Inmigrant will focus on the US businesses whishing to establish a connection with Brazilian nationals to improve their workforce and hiring process, as well as individuals who want information on how to be successful on their immigration. Expo Brazil is the largest trade show for Brazilian companies in the US. It brings together leading Brazilian businesses from across industries to display their goods and services. The exhibition…Read More
Two weeks after he announced that he would keep in place Trump’s limit of 15,000 refugees, President Biden announced that he would raise the limit of refugees allowed in the United States. This came after the president faced backlash for his original announcement. President Biden said he would now allow as many as 62,500 refugees into the United States over the next six months. This eliminates the sharp limits placed by Trump on the number of individuals escaping war, violence, or natural disasters from coming into the country. Backtracking Biden faced harsh criticism after his original announcement that he would keep Trump’s limits in place. Democrats and refugee advocates accused Biden of reneging on a campaign promise to welcome refugees in need. Biden quickly backtracked, announcing hours later his intent to increase the limit. His later announcement demonstrated that the president had finally bowed to pressure. Biden stated that the previous cap on refugees did not comport with America’s values as a nation to welcome…Read More
On June 22, 2020, President Trump signed an executive order suspending new H-1B, L-1, J, and other temporary work visas for the rest of the year. These work visas apply to skilled workers, managers, and executives. The goal is to protect half a million jobs to make up for the loss caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Affected Visas L-1 visas are primarily focused on managers and executives for large corporations who are looking to work in a division of their company overseas. H-1B visas apply to highly skilled workers and are an important part of the workforce in the tech industry. Other workers, such as au pairs who provide childcare, will also be affected by the ban. The order is not expected to affect visa holders who are already in the United States. Businesses are expected to oppose the measure which may have a detrimental effect on their workforce and ability to move employees around. Visas such as the L-1 and H-1B are used to…Read More
International businesses rely on L-1 visas to transfer certain employees from a foreign office to one in the United States. However, now the US State Department is tightening restrictions on L-1 visa transfers and making it more difficult to utilize these visas. L-1 Visas L-1 visas are used by companies with a parent/subsidiary, affiliate, or branch office in the United States to transfer employees to that office. L-1A visas are used to transfer qualified executives or managers. L-1B visas are used to transfer employees with specialized knowledge. The typical L-1 application process is done in two steps. First, an application is filed with the USCIS, and once that is approved, an application can be filed with the U.S. Embassy or consulate abroad. Transferring an employee can take some time. The application process typically takes between two to nine months. With the suspension of premium processing, there’s not much that can be done to get around the wait times. In addition, there has been an increase…Read More
A controversial proposal that would boost the number of wealthy immigrant investors allowed in the United States under the EB-5 investor program is now under consideration by the Trump administration. The proposal would significantly boost up the capped total from 10,000 to 75,000 and reduce the required investment by half from $900,000 to $450,000. More than half of the investors who come to the United States on an EB-5 visa are from China. Many other investors come from South Korea and Taiwan. The EB-5 visa began in 1990 as an effort to help rural areas and economically distressed urban areas. However, over the years, some investors have found a way to increase investment in higher-income areas. For instance, EB-5 visas are sometimes used by property developers in New York City. It is believed by the administration that increased investment in projects in the United States that could create jobs would be especially helpful at a time when unemployment rates have soared. Critics Critics who are…Read More
Navigating immigration processes can be stressful at any time. During a global pandemic, the situation can become even more complicated. For instance, what do you do if you’re in the United States and at risk for overstaying your visa? Overstaying Your Visa Overstaying your visa can come with a cost. In the worst-case scenario, you may be prevented from entering the United States or from applying for another visa. If you overstay your visa from between 6 months to a year, you may be banned for at least three years. If you overstay longer than a year, you can be barred for ten years. Given the travel restrictions, it’s difficult to just book yourself a flight to your home country. So what do you do? The USCIS has issued a set of guidelines. If your case is complicated, you will want the assistance of an experienced immigration attorney. Apply For An Extension If you intend to remain in the United States, then you can apply for…Read More