Abigail Law Firm, PLLC

11/27/2019

"No new laws have actually been passed. This transformation has mostly come about through subtle administrative shifts—a phrase that vanishes from an internal manual, a form that gets longer, an unannounced revision to a website, a memo, a footnote in a memo. Among immigration lawyers, the cumulative effect of these procedural changes is known as the invisible wall."

A small but dedicated crew of hardliners have created bureaucratic barriers that are far harder to overcome than any hunk of concrete on the southern border.

10/20/2019

If you are applying for an immigrant visa, including a diversity visa, on or after November 3, 2019, you must demonstrate to the consular officer at the time of interview that you will be covered by approved health insurance within 30 days of entry into the United States or have the financial resour...

04/30/2019

USCIS Acknowledges That Its Own Policies Compound Case Processing Delays Posted by Jason Boyd | Apr 30, 2019 | 0 Earlier this month, USCIS responded to a February 2019 letter sent by 86 Members of the House of Representatives who demanded accountability for the agency’s crisis-level processing del...

02/06/2019

Today is the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Ge***al Mutilation.

If you have been or fear being subjected to FGM, you may qualify for asylum in the U.S. and should consult an immigration lawyer to review your case.

How the harmful practice affects millions of girls worldwide

02/01/2019

It's true that processing times have greatly increased in the past couple of years, in addition to the ever-changing policies that have made immigration law seem like a minefield lately. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel for many- for example, we had two clients approved the same day as their interview yesterday here at the local field office!

A national group of immigration lawyers studied federal data and found that legal immigrants are facing significantly longer wait times to process requests for visas, green cards and other documents.

12/03/2018

There are proposed changes to the H-1B program that, if enacted, could begin as early as this coming spring’s application period. First, applicants with advanced degrees from the U.S. will be favored in the lottery, which is expected to decrease the success of major IT outsourcing firms that have dominated the lottery in years past. It is also proposed that some trees be saved by moving the registration process online. The new registration process would have applicants first register, proceed through the lottery, and only if they are selected in the lottery to then submit the entire application in full.

The public is invited to comment on the proposed changes starting today through January 2, 2019.

The Department of Homeland Security (``DHS'' or ``the Department'') is proposing to amend its regulations governing petitions filed on behalf of H-1B beneficiaries who may be counted toward the 65,000 visa cap established under the Immigration and Nationality Act (``H-1B regular cap'') or...

12/01/2018

We had some I-751 (removal of conditions for newer marriages to receive the ten-year resident card after completing the requisite two-year period) and citizenship approvals this week! With the long processing times everyone is currently experiencing, those approvals are such a relief when they finally arrive.

Congratulations to our deserving clients!

11/05/2018

The U.S. is facing a growing physician shortage. Experts forecast that by 2025 there will be shortage of 124,000 primary care physicians.

Did you know that there is a pathway to legal permanent residency for physicians who work for five years in a designated underserved area?

While the immigration system as a whole certainly needs to be reformed, this is just one example of how immigrants can contribute to the U.S. in a meaningful way.

10/16/2018

Starting Nov. 1st, USCIS will be modifying its policy for medical exam validity periods. The exams will now be valid for TWO years after submission- but note that the exams also must be signed by the authorized civil surgeon within 60 days preceding the filing.

The exams were formerly valid for one year, but the processing time for most cases was over one year, causing medical exam expiration issues for many people.

This is a very fair and welcome move by USCIS (fingers crossed that case processing times will stay under the two-year mark!). No more scary bright yellow notices being sent to my clients that there is an issue in their cases!

Another very fair and welcome move by USCIS would be finally implementing the secure document delivery they promised earlier this year...PLEASE.

09/19/2018

Hey , so was this supposed to be a thing? It would be wonderful if this could be enacted ASAP!

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that the agency will begin phasing in use of the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery service to

08/30/2018

Due to unforeseen circumstances, our office will be partially closed through next week. If there is an emergency in the meantime, please email us at [email protected] with "URGENT" in the subject line. We will VERY greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.

Debido a circunstancias imprevistas, nuestra oficina estará parcialmente cerrada durante la próxima semana. Si hay una emergencia mientras tanto, envíenos un correo electrónico a [email protected] con "URGENTE" en el asunto. Apreciaremos MUCHO su paciencia y comprensión.