Recently, the Department of State (DOS) announced it is taking a “pause” with all immigrant (permanent) visa cases to engage in more intrusive and strict vetting procedures before approval. The new procedure only applies to certain countries on a list which is now common knowledge.
What is important about this new program is that it only applies to immigrant visas at US consulates. It does NOT apply to non-immigrant (temporary) visas at consulates and, most importantly, it does NOT apply to cases adjudicated in the US by the Department of Labor (DOL) or the Immigration Service (USCIS).
If you have petitions of any kind (9089, I-129s, I-130s, I-140s, etc.) pending with DOL or USCIS, those cases will continue as they always have. There is no “pause” for cases in the US. Nor is there a “pause” for non-immigrant cases at US consulates such as H-1s, L-1s, E-2s, etc. This information also applies to any future cases filed in the US.
It is important to make these distinctions since, once again, the information on the internet is often wrong or misleading. If you must rely on the internet, only rely on information from our Firm or from any Board-Certified Immigration Attorney.
For further information, contact David Swaim directly, David@Immigration-Pros.com.
