As a New York immigration lawyer guiding EB-1 filings for researchers, founders, artists, and executives, I’m seeing clear patterns in how USCIS and the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) are reading the rules right now. Below I unpack the latest USCIS policy guidance and very recent AAO non-precedent decisions—and translate them into practical, ...
By New York Immigration Lawyer Alena Shautsova On August 15, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0188, instructing officers to apply a rigorous, holistic “totality of the circumstances” review when deciding Good Moral Character (GMC) for naturalization. In plain terms: officers must now consider ...
By New York Immigration Lawyer Alena Shautsova What Changed? On August 19, 2025, USCIS updated its Policy Manual (Volume 1) to direct officers to assign “overwhelmingly negative discretionary weight” to applicants who have “endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused the views of an anti American or terrorist organization or group,” incl ...
New York Immigration Lawyer: ALENA SHAUTSOVA When love crosses borders, U.S. immigration law offers a few paths to unite couples. Two of the most common are Form I-129F (Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)) and Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative). At first glance, they may seem interchangeable—but they serve very different purposes, and choosing the ...
Author: EB2 NIW Attorney Alena Shautsova Understanding EB-2 NIW RFEs A Request for Evidence (RFE) is issued by USCIS when they believe a petition may be approvable but lacks sufficient documentation to make a decision. It explicitly outlines what’s missing or unclear, giving you a chance to strengthen your case rather than being outright denied. ...
By Alena Shautsova | New York Immigration Lawyer Helping immigrants build a life in the United States—one case at a time. Adjustment of Status (Form I-485) is the final step in many U.S. immigration journeys. Whether based on family, employment, asylum, or other categories, it allows immigrants already in the U.S. to apply for ...
By Alena Shautsova, Immigration Waiver Lawyer | Call 917-885-2261 Helping families stay united through strategic immigration waiver representation. The United States immigration system offers several pathways to lawful status—but it also imposes strict rules. Sometimes, a person applying for a visa or green card is found inadmissible due to cer ...
By Alena Shautsova, New York Immigration Lawyer The Best Immigration Lawyer in the USA Securing asylum in the United States requires more than just filing Form I-589. For many applicants, the most critical stage is the Individual Merits Hearing before an Immigration Judge (IJ). This is where your case will be decided. At the heart of that ...
By Alena Shautsova, New York Immigration Lawye Helping immigrants in New York and across the USA When it comes to adjusting status in the United States, few areas of immigration law are more nuanced and misunderstood than adjustment of status for arriving aliens, especially those who were once in exclusion proceedings. With the passage of th ...
By Alena Shautsova, New York Immigration Lawyer When facing removal proceedings, especially due to criminal convictions, many immigrants feel their options are limited. Traditional reliefs like asylum or withholding of removal often have stringent bars related to criminal history. However, the Convention Against Torture (CAT) remains a crucia ...
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