Same-sex couples are now eligible for marriage-based green cards and dependent visas on the same basis as opposite-sex couples. On June 26, 2013, in United States v. Windsor, the US Supreme Court struck down Section 3 of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This prohibited the government from providing federal benefits to same-sex couples. Since US immigration law is federal (national), prior to Windsor, DOMA prevented same-sex couples from receiving marriage-based US immigration benefits. more »

April 26, 2013, CBP will eliminate the paper-based Form I-94 arrival/ departure admissions record across US airports and pre-flight inspections stations nationwide. The I-94 admissions record is the white card that individuals receive on a US-bound flight. Currently, the border officers stamp the I-94 and staple it to the passport upon entry to the United States. more »

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 »

The US Embassy New Delhi has announced that under a new initiative, in select circumstances, qualified visitorsmay be eligible to renew US visas without an interview. 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 »