Tenorio Law, PC

06/16/2026

Small and mid-sized businesses often tell me, ‘Sponsoring foreign talent is just for big tech companies.’

That’s not always true.

If you genuinely need someone with specialized skills, there may be options—H‑1B, L‑1A, or other categories—depending on the role and the company’s situation. The key is planning ahead: clear job descriptions, accurate wage levels, realistic timelines, and a willingness to be patient with the process.

I’ve seen local businesses bring in the people they need and grow in ways they couldn’t have without that talent.

If you’re a business owner who’s hesitating because immigration feels too complicated, send us a message. We can talk about whether sponsorship is realistic for your specific situation and what it would actually involve.

06/13/2026

In light of the new memo regarding consular processing instead of adjustment of status for green card applications, we are seeing (and preparing clients for) more detailed questions at local interviews for cases that are not consular cases, such as:

• Why did you choose to marry in the U.S. instead of abroad?
• How did you decide whether to consular process or adjust status here?
• How did you first enter the U.S., and what were you planning at that time?
• When did you first start discussing marriage and permanent residence with each other?
• Why did you file when you did, and not earlier or later?
• How do you divide day‑to‑day responsibilities (finances, household chores, childcare, pets)?

None of these factors automatically mean a denial, but they do need context and explanation so your story makes sense from the officer’s point of view.

If you have a marriage interview coming up, especially an adjustment of status interview in the U.S., and your stomach drops every time you think about it, you’re not alone. Reach out and we can walk through the kinds of questions you might see under the new guidance, and how to answer confidently, truthfully, and with the context your case deserves.

06/11/2026

H‑1B status opens doors, but it doesn’t guarantee nearly as much as people think.

It does not automatically guarantee:
A green card
A smooth, risk‑free job change
Hassle‑free international travel while certain changes are pending

I spend a lot of time helping fix situations that started with something like: ‘My friend said it would be fine if I just…’ Every case and timeline is different, and what worked for someone else might put you at risk.

Before you accept a new offer, switch employers, or book travel, it’s worth asking specific questions about your situation.

If you’re on H‑1B and you’re about to make a big move: job change, travel, or long‑term planning, message us and we’ll help you navigate the immigration side of your decision before you’re stuck with the consequences.

06/10/2026

U.S. Embassy Consular Update: Nonimmigrant Visa applicants with incomplete or inaccurate DS-160 visa forms must reschedule.

Carefully review your DS-160 application form to ensure all information is complete and accurate. Applicants whose DS-160 contains incomplete or incorrect information will not be interviewed and must reschedule their interview via usvisascheduling.com.

Ensure the following information is entered accurately:
•Name and passport number
•CEAC number
•Local address and phone (a valid local number must be provided)
•Current and previous employment, education, and training
•Family and spouse information
•U.S. contact
•Previous travel(s)
•Name and location of visa application preparer

Please review our DS-160 frequently asked questions at travel.state.gov. For more information, visit our visa application website (https://www.ustraveldocs.com/ph/en/step-2).

06/10/2026

I wish I could say immigration processing times are predictable right now—but they’re not.

Lately we’ve been seeing work permits, green card cases, and family petitions sitting far longer than the posted ‘normal’ times. Behind each of those files is a real person: a spouse who can’t travel, a parent missing milestones, an employee stuck in limbo waiting to start or keep a job.

These delays aren’t just an inconvenience. They affect paychecks, school plans, deployments, and mental health.

If your case has been pending well beyond the posted processing times, you don’t have to just sit and hope. There are steps you can consider, like service requests, escalating through the proper channels, and sometimes asking for help from your congressional office.

If that sounds like your situation, check https://egov.uscis.gov/processing-times. At minimum, you deserve to know whether your timeline is still normal or truly outside the range.

06/08/2026

This is a major win for skilled workers, employers, and the communities that depend on the H-1B program — but the battle isn't over. The government is expected to appeal quickly.

What this means for you:
✅ The $100K fee has been struck down — for now
⚠️ An appeal is likely, so stay informed
📋 H-1B cases already in process may still be affected

At Tenorio Law PC, we're closely monitoring this development and are here to help you navigate what comes next.

📞 Have questions about your H-1B or employment-based immigration case? Contact us today.

🔗 Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2026/06/08/court-strike-down-trumps-h-1b-100000-fee/

A judge declared President Donald Trump’s fee unlawful. The fee narrowed a major pathway for legal immigration that is used by tech companies, hospitals and universities.

06/06/2026

Fridays at my Carlsbad office are not glamorous, but they are important.

It’s usually me, a big mug of coffee, and a stack of cases to triple-check before anything goes out the door. I look at the forms, the supporting documents, the cover letters—line by line—because one wrong date or a missing page can cause months of delay, or worse, a denial.

This morning, I reviewed a package for a military family trying to keep everyone together during an upcoming deployment, and another for a professional whose approval will finally give him some peace of mind about his status.

Immigration paperwork feels overwhelming for a lot of people, and that’s completely normal. You don’t have to organize it perfectly before you ask for help.

If you’ve been putting off your own case because you don’t know where to start, contact us. We’ll break it down into clear, manageable steps.

06/03/2026

What they really look for at marriage interviews.

Couples often worry about giving the ‘perfect’ answer at a marriage-based green card interview.

In reality, officers are looking for something much more basic: does your life together make sense on paper and in person?

They look at things like:

1. Whether your relationship timeline lines up with your forms and your answers
2. How you actually live day to day (housing, finances, routines)
3. Whether you’ve built a life together in your community

The officer is not grading how romantic your story is. They’re checking whether there is honest, consistent evidence that this is a real marriage. Not a shortcut around the law.

If you have a marriage interview coming up, sit down together and review:

- Your relationship timeline and important dates
- Your forms (so you both remember what was written)
- Your shared financial accounts, lease, utilities, and any updated evidence since filing
- You don’t need to memorize a script. You do need to be familiar with your own story and your own documents.

If that feels overwhelming, you don’t have to prepare alone. Reach out and we can do a focused prep session so you walk in feeling informed instead of blindsided.

05/23/2026

USCIS just released a new policy memo that could significantly impact both employment-based and family-based green card cases filed through adjustment of status inside the U.S.

In simple terms, USCIS is reminding officers that getting a green card through adjustment of status is not a right and not the default path. It is described as “extraordinary” relief and a matter of discretion. Officers are being nudged to view consular processing abroad as the normal route, and to look closely at issues like status violations, overstays, unauthorized work, and decisions to stay in the U.S. instead of pursuing consular processing. Even if a person is technically eligible, officers now have clearer cover to deny on discretion.

This matters a lot for employment-based and family-based applicants who are counting on staying in the U.S. to complete their green card process. The strength of their equities, their immigration history, and how well their case is documented and framed will be more important than ever.

If you (or your employee or family member) are planning to file, or have already filed, an employment-based or family-based adjustment of status case, now is the time to get a risk review. Contact our office to discuss how this memo could affect your specific situation, what red flags an officer may see in your history, and how to strategically position your case before filing, or before attending an interview.

USCIS is applying long-standing law and prior court decisions to require certain aliens with temporary visas who decide they want to permanently reside in the U.S. to return to their home countries to apply for permanent visas through the U.S. Department of State.

We're returning to the original intent of the law to ensure aliens navigate our nation’s immigration system properly.

Here’s what you should know: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-will-grant-adjustment-of-status-only-in-extraordinary

04/01/2026

New U.S. Embassy alert: even more visa applicants now face expanded social media screening including F, M, J students, H-1B/H-4, fiancé(e), religious workers, domestic workers, and certain humanitarian visas. All applicants must set profiles to public and list every social media handle used in the last 5 years, or risk visa denial or future ineligibility.

If you have upcoming visa plans, now is the time to review your online presence and get personalized legal guidance before you apply. Send us a message to schedule a consultation.

Announcement of Expanded Screening and Vetting for Visa Applicants

https://ph.usembassy.gov/announcement-of-expanded-screening-and-vetting-for-visa-applicants/

Effective March 30, in addition to Students and Exchanges (F, M, and J), and Specialty Occupations (H-1B and their H-4 dependents), the following visa applicants, regardless of age, must also now change their privacy settings and profiles to “public” on all social media platforms to complete the visa process.

·Fiancé(e) Visa Applicants (K-1, K-2, and K-3 visas).
·Certain Personal Employees or Domestic Workers (A-3, C-3, and G-5 visas)
·Trainee or Special Education Exchange Visitors (H-3 and their H-4 dependents)
·Cultural and Religious Visitors (Q, R-1, and R-2 visas)
· Informant, Witness, and Victims of Crimes (S, T, and U visas)

The U.S. Embassy uses this information to determine applicants’ eligibility to receive a visa. Since 2019, the United States has required visa applicants to provide social media usernames on immigrant and nonimmigrant visa application forms.

Visa applicants are required to list all social media usernames, handles, or identifiers for every platform they have used in the last 5 years on the visa application form. Applicants certify that the information in their visa application is true and correct before they sign and submit. Omitting social media information could lead to visa denial and ineligibility for future visas.