What will change for immigrants.

Immigration policy changes that have come into force: what to be prepared for

We have already written more than once about the tightening of immigration policy, but now we can sum up the intermediate results — many changes have already entered into force and apply to everyone who is now coming to the United States.
What to be prepared for, what has changed for the worse, and what, on the contrary, for the better? Let’s tell you more.

Cancellation of social benefits

Previously, immigrants with insufficient income could receive free medical care, food, subsidized housing — now access to all these benefits is closed. Moreover, any state organization that provided them can contact the American relatives of the immigrant and demand a refund of the amount.

Additional information for petitions

Now, if you are applying for a range of visas — from H-1 to EB-2 — you will be required to provide additional information. The same goes for anyone who is seeking permanent US residence on the basis of exceptional ability and achievement.

At the same time, the information already received is often ignored. Because of this, you have to spend more days reissuing documents, and even longer waiting for them to be approved. Of course, sometimes an incomplete petition is a lawyer’s mistake, so we recommend that you carefully look for a suitable lawyer and only contact the pros.

Marriage checks

Fraud in this area is quite common. It happens that a couple signs, but does not live together, because in fact nothing connects people.

That is why checks of families in which one of its members is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States have recently become more frequent. They follow a clear pattern:

• immigration officers visit neighbors and sponsors, and often do not warn about the visit;
• ask questions that help to understand whether the couple lives together, whether they often go somewhere together, whether their neighbors regularly see them.

Social media checks

Attempts to move to the United States in order to find a job have become more frequent, while a person has only a tourist visa in his hands. To catch such people at the border, you may be asked to open social media profiles and show correspondence. Terrorists are also found in a similar way.

Moreover, it became known that now links to social networks must be added to the questionnaires if you are going to apply for a visa.

Denial of naturalization

These changes apply to US permanent residents who previously received social benefits.

Increased waiting times for interviews and higher rejection rates

Practice has shown that in recent years, those who are trying to obtain political asylum have been denied after an interview much more often. Also, calls for interviews now occur much later than expected — the immigration service was sure that due to the changes the number of petitions would decrease, but it increased several times. Delays in this case are inevitable.

To relieve employees, the immigration service moved some of the interviews to less busy offices, but this made life very difficult for immigrants: at best, they would have to leave a few hours before the appointed time, at worst, a day or two.

What to do to avoid complications?

First of all, find a competent immigration lawyer who will check all your documents and, if necessary, help correct mistakes. In the company of Elizaveta Samorukova, such specialists are waiting for you. Call!