Serotte Reich, LLP – Immigration Law

A controversial Canadian bill that expands the powers of U.S. border officers working in pre-clearance zones on Canadian soil was recently given Royal Assent and is set to become law. Championed by Canada’s centrist Liberal Party, Bill C-23—commonly referred to as the Pre-Clearance Act—has been criticized as overly broad, with the potential to open the […]Read More >

The Department of State recently announced that it has extended visa validity periods for Chinese citizens visiting the U.S. under certain visa classifications. Chinese applicants for a B-category non-immigrant visa may now be issued multiple-entry visas for up to 10 years for business and travel. Qualified Chinese students and exchange visitors who qualify for F, […]Read More >

Until recently, Canadians with approved I-192 waivers for business (B-1) or pleasure (B-2) could also use these waivers to enter the United States for other non-immigrant purposes (TN, L-1, H-1B, O-1, F-1, J-1, etc.). Recently however, the Admissibility Review Office (ARO), which adjudicates these types of waiver applications, is seeking to require that Canadian applicants […]Read More >

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) has asked the Departments of State and Homeland Security to investigate the B-1 visa program and its use by employers “to recruit foreign workers who are then not subject to the cap and the prevailing wage requirements of the H-1B program.” In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and […]Read More >

The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State (DOS) have announced the creation of an annotated version of the B-1 visa that will make foreign maritime workers eligible to apply for a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC). The TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric identification card that maritime workers must obtain to gain unrestricted access to […]Read More >