Why Legal Immigration to the U.S. Has Decreased, and How it Affects You

Legal immigration to the U.S. was significantly down in 2018:

https://www.npr.org/2019/03/10/701987091/why-u-s-visa-numbers-are-down

In 2018, approvals of all types of visas and green cards were down. For example, approvals of green cards for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (such as spouses) were down 7%, and fiance visa approvals were down a whopping 29%.

Why is this occurring? 

A wide range of incremental changes inside our government bureaucracy are primarily to blame. These changes are often unknown to, or misunderstood by, the public. They are not changes to the law and do not always require a formal legal procedure.

How does the decrease in legal immigration affect you as a prospective immigrant?

-It is more challenging to get any visa or green card application approved

-Green card applications are being denied due to minor errors, without the government providing an opportunity to correct the issues

-It is more likely that someone currently or previously in F-1 student visa or J-1 exchange visitor visa status will be prohibited from obtaining a green card due to a previous minor (and often unknown to the immigrant) noncompliance issue

-If a visa or green card application is denied, there is a greater risk of being placed into deportation proceedings.

How can we help?

We keep current on government policy changes. We know which questions to ask you, what documentation to provide to the government, and what to expect moving forward.

Contact us today at TheTeam@huwelaw.com or 415-496-9040 for help with your employment visa or family-based green card. We are here to help!