It was a wild and crazy 2020!  The Law Office of Julia L. Stommes briefly merged with the San Francisco office of Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP.  It was a wonderful experience, but it was not a long-term fit.  Accordingly, as of May 1, 2021, the Law Office of Julia L. Stommes has reopened!  Our Legal Assistant, Ms. Linda Harrell, also has rejoined our office.  We look forward to continuing to provide specialized, attentive boutique immigration service to our clients and also to providing Consultations and Second Opinions to foreign nationals who might be considering a career move; or foreign students planning for their future after graduation; or US Citizens engaged or married to foreign nationals and planning their day-to-day short term events and/or moves abroad.  

We are excited to announce that we have joined our business immigration practice with the world's largest immigration law firm:  Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP!   

www.fragomen.com/about/news/julia-l-stommes-joins-fragomens-northern-california-practice

On September 18, 2019, the October Visa Bulletin was finally released.  Many categories became current again, but the biggest news is that the USCIS has agreed to accept employment-based Adjustment of Status filings with Filing Eligible Dates rather than just Final Action Dates in October.  This is exciting news, as it is an extremely rare occurrence.  www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo

This article describes how the current Administration is chipping away at LEGAL immigration behind the scenes.  www.yahoo.com/finance/news/worker-visas-doubt-trump-immigration-150219937.html

The USCIS published proposed Public Charge regulations that would affect nonimmigrant and immigrant workers.  In addition, the USCIS also hopes to roll out new proposed changes to the H-1B, H-4 Spousal Work Permit and EB5 visa programs.   The plans for the H-1B program could include:  a proposal to create a pre-registration program for employers; a new definition of "specialty occupation"; a continued demotion of computer programmers as "specialty occupations"; and requiring staffing companies to provide full itineraries.  The H-4 Spousal Work Permit program changes would involve phasing out the program.  The EB5 changes would increase the investment threshold and focus more on rural areas.   For more information on the possible changes, please refer to the following article:  
​www.bna.com/workplace-immigration-rules-n73014482760/

We are starting to see Green Card processing times lasting up to 3 years.   The Naturalization backlog has doubled since the Trump Administration took over.  As noted deep in the article below:  

​“The proof is in the pudding,” he said. “There are a lot of changes in how applications are being accepted processed and decided, and there’s been no change in the law.”
USCIS was built to roll out legal residency and citizenship for those who qualify and distribute the benefits that come with each, but Meyer said it’s just not happening.
“There’s an intent behind that, and the intent is to delay and slow down and frustrate and complicate the existing immigration process,” he said. “It’s been under the Trump administration that those processes have, in many ways, ground to a halt, and that hasn’t been due to a change in law. That’s been due to a change in agency implementation.”

denverite.com/2018/08/29/denver-families-face-separation-as-legal-immigration-processes-grind-to-a-halt/

As of September 11, 2018, the USCIS will be suspending Premium Processing for certain H-1B Petitions filed at the Vermont and California Service Centers.   This suspension does not apply to cap-exempt H-1B filings or H-1B Extensions filed at the Nebraska Service Center where there has been no change in employment with the same employer.  

It will apply to all H-1B Change of Employer filings, H-1B Amendment, and H-1B Extensions where there has been a change in the conditions of employment.  

For more information, please refer to the link below: 

www.uscis.gov/news/uscis-extends-and-expands-suspension-premium-processing-h-1b-petitions-reduce-delays

Building a wall and the Muslim Ban make headline news, but shutting down legal immigration from the inside out is something the public does not hear about- unless it happens to their employer or colleagues.  We have seen a SUBSTANTIAL increase in Requests for Evidence (RFEs) since President Trump was elected and Attorney General Sessions took over the Department of Homeland Security.    
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www.bostonglobe.com/business/2017/12/05/trump-administration-slows-visa-approvals/jMunwvFWmF8JJnGFVW5NPN/story.html?s_campaign=bdc:globewell:trending&s_campaign=bdc:globewell:trending

Residents of New York, California, Illinois and Missouri, along with several other states, may need to obtain a U.S. Passport or Passport Card to fly domestically in 2018.  

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/might-need-passport-card-travel-domestically-2018-141115032.html
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