On September 28, 2012, USCIS announced a new Canadian TN filing option, and also reminded US employers of current filing options for Canadian L-1 intracompany transferees. more »

On October 2, 2012, DHS designated Taiwan into the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). This streamlines travel for thousands of eligible Taiwan passport holders. The designation takes effect on November 1, 2012. more »

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program takes effect on August 15, 2012. The program will enable certain young people who came to the United States as children and who meet a set of other qualifications to receive “deferred action” (relief from deportation) on a case-by-case basis. more »

On June 15, 2012, in an exercise of prosecutorial discretion, DHS announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) initiative. DACA offers relief from deportation for certain undocumented young people who are in the US. The program does not offer a path to a US green card or US citizenship. But DACA closely resembles various versions of legislation introduced over the last decade known generally as DREAM. It allows qualifying individuals to temporarily remain and work legally in the US. more »

On June 11, 2012, President Obama signed bipartisan legislation making Israeli investors eligible for the E-2 Investor Visa. The law adds Israel to a list of 80 countries whose citizens are eligible for the E-2 Investor Visa. The E-2 investor visa allows the US to grant E-2 visas to investors from countries that have treaties with the US. more »

On February 9, 2012, USCIS announced that eVerify Self Check, a free online service of E-Verify that allows workers to check their own US employment eligibility status, is now available in all 50 US states, Washington, DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. more »

DHS will expand TSA PreCheck (TSA Pre√™), a passenger pre-screening initiative, to additional airports across the US following its success at seven pilot locations. TSA PreCheck has screened more than 336,000 passengers through PreCheck lanes. The program enhances security by enabling TSA to focus on passengers they know less about while providing expedited screening for travelers who volunteer information about themselves prior to flying. more »

Global Entry became a permanent program on February 6, 2012. Global Entry is a voluntary initiative of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) allowing expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers. Its goal is to streamline the arrivals and admission process at airports for trusted travelers through biometric identification. more »

On January 17, 2012, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued information on obtaining a Drivers Licence or Social Security Number in the US: “Timing is Everything: Getting Your Driver’s License or Social Security Number.” more »

DHS announced on January 6, 2012, that they will issue new regulations for processing of unlawful presence waivers of the 3 and 10 year bar to re-entry for certain immediate relatives of US citizens who wish to file immigrant visa applications (green card applications) abroad. more »