Immigration and Firm News

Naturalization applicants are seeing longer waiting times for interview and testing. This is because employment based immigration cases now must be interviewed, and those are being scheduled along with family immigration and naturalization cases.  In addition, there are huge numbers of people applying to become citizens.  Applicants need to be prepared to be asked about their entire immigration history from their very first visa application, extensions, changes of stay requests, the green card … [Read more...]

The Seattle Times reports today that the U.S. Passport Office in downtown Seattle will open its doors to the public on Saturday, March 12 from 9am to 3pm to encourage more people to apply for passports. Normally open by appointment only for expedited service or complex cases, the Seattle Passport Office is located at the Jackson Federal Building, 915 Second Ave., Suite 992. Usually, applicants can apply by mail or in person at post offices, city and county offices, or at Neighborhood Service … [Read more...]

Immigration enforcement legislation creates problems for U.S. citizens as well as for immigrants. Over the last few years, we have seen growth in our American citizen clientele because of new federal and state documentation burdens enacted under the guise of national security or to combat illegal immigration. The most common refrain we hear is: "I grew up in the U.S. I always thought I was an American but never had anything to show for it and I never needed the proof until now." Ironically, we … [Read more...]