Category Archives: Humanitarian

Immigration Insider articles in the humanitarian category include information about deferred action like DACA, temporary protected status, asylum and refugee status.

Trump Administration Pushes for Massive Immigration Fee Increase

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uscis immigration fee increase 2019

The next wave of Trump administration policy designed to reduce immigration is here. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has proposed major increases in the immigration fee structure. The USCIS immigration fee increase would nearly double the cost of some applications.

The Trump administration is simultaneously squeezing immigrants with a new public charge rule and changes to the fee waiver rules that make it more difficult for low-income immigrants and their families. To add insult to injury, some of the new fees would go to pay for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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DACA Green Card through Marriage

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Green Card Marriage for DACA

Since September 2017 the Trump Administration has had a policy to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Although the decision to wind down DACA has been stopped in the courts for now, the future of the program is uncertain. The policy is being challenged in the highest court. Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case (McAleenan v. Vidal ) that will likely determine the future for more than 700,000 DACA recipients. This has put a renewed emphasis for many DACA recipients to find other paths to legal status. Obtaining a DACA green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen is one of the most common ways to gain legal status.

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Immigration Papers: Your Proof of Immigration Status

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Immigration Papers

It is becoming increasingly important to have proof of your immigration status in the United States. Having immigration papers, documentation or proof of your legal status is essential if you have contact with law enforcement or immigration officials. In the current environment, even natural-born U.S. citizens can run into problems with identification. What’s more, immigration paperwork can be necessary to gain access to many government benefits, secure housing, obtaining driving privileges, just to name a few. Continue reading →

USCIS Receipt Number Explained

Citizenship, Humanitarian, Travel Documents, Working in the U.S.
USCIS Receipt Number Explanation

After you’ve filed almost any application or petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), they will respond by mailing you a Form I-797C, Notice of Action, within approximately 1-3 weeks. (It may take longer to receive the I-797C for some other forms like Form I-751.) The I-797C, Notice of Action, is commonly known as a receipt letter.

For applicants who have incorrectly filed or included the wrong payment, the receipt letter will indicate that USCIS has rejected your case. You will need to refile. If you’ve prepared the form correctly and followed the USCIS directions carefully, the receipt letter will indicate that USCIS has accepted your case. Once the form has been accepted, USCIS will begin reviewing your case.

The receipt letter contains a unique 13-digit receipt number. Also known as a case number, it’s a very important number to help you track the progress of your case or identify a particular immigration filing.

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How to Get a Copy of Your Immigration File

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Getting an Immigration FileThe Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) allows you to obtain copies of the records and documents in your alien file (immigration file). As a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you may also request the immigration records of other people (provided that person consents to the search).

You may obtain specific documents inside your records or even a complete copy of your entire immigration file. Continue reading →

Long-Term Immigration Solutions for Dreamers

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Dreamer Long-Term Immigration SolutionsLast week House Democrats announced a new immigration proposal that would give 2 million dreamers and other immigrants a path to citizenship. The Dream and Promise Act of 2019 would also provide protections for beneficiaries of the Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure programs. It’s a long-term immigration solution for dreamers and other beneficiaries of programs that the Trump Administration is trying to cancel.

Under the rules of the proposed law, dreamers would generally be able to apply for a 10-year conditional green card if they came to the United States when they were younger than 17 and if they have lived in the country for Continue reading →

4 Actions To Reduce Your Taxes When Moving to the United States

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immigration taxes

If you’ve already moved to the United States or if you are planning to move to the U.S., there are actions you can take to get your tax affairs in order. It’s important to plan your finances before you become liable for U.S. taxes or find the U.S. trying to tax your worldwide income.

If you’re planning to stay in the United States for an extended period, it’s best to know what your tax status would be and plan accordingly. If you are planning to immigrate, you should assess if you can afford the tax burden.

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3 Things You Need To Know About Taxes Before Moving To The U.S.

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tax resident status in united states

Whether you are a temporary nonresident alien in the United States or you’re planning to move to the U.S. permanently, there are actions you can take to get your tax affairs in order. It’s important to know your tax resident status and what specific tax obligations some with your situation.

Planning your finances before you become liable for U.S. taxes or find the U.S. trying to tax your worldwide income can save you a significant amount of money. Taxes can be expensive and burdensome, but there are ways to minimize your tax liability the legal way.

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USCIS Lost My Application

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uscis lost my applicationUnfortunately, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is no different than any other massive government organization – they are heavily burdened with a large workload and aren’t the most efficient organization. In fact, several agencies make up the overall immigration system. Consular offices, Department of State and the National Visa Center all play a role. Over 6 million forms are filed with USCIS each year alone. Even if you’ve used our tips for preparing USCIS forms, it’s not uncommon for these agencies to lose parts of your application package or even the whole thing. But there are some preventive measures so that you don’t have to call us to say, “USCIS lost my application!” Continue reading →

How to Prepare for a DACA Renewal Application

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DACA Renewal Application is ReadyThe initial application for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was an exhaustive and challenging process for many. But you should be pleasantly surprised to know that the DACA renewal application is significantly less complicated.

In fact, many DACA applicants are now able to prepare the DACA renewal application by themselves.

Eligibility for DACA Renewal

An individual may be considered for renewal of DACA if he or she met the guidelines for consideration of initial DACA and meets all the following guidelines: Continue reading →