Greenspoon Marder Immigration Alert: New Developments December 28, 2021

Immigration Blog Dec 28, 2021

U.S. Expands Interview Waiver for Key Immigration Classifications

The consular officers are now temporarily authorized, through December 31, 2022, to waive in-person interviews for certain individual petition-based non-immigrant work visas and their qualifying derivatives in the following categories: Persons in Specialty Occupations (H-1B visas), Trainee or Special Education Visitors (H-3 visas), Intracompany Transferees (L visas), Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement (O visas), Athletes, Artists, and Entertainers (P visas), and Participants in International Cultural Exchange Programs (Q visas), added U.S. State Department release. The State Department, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, has expanded and extended its nonimmigrant visa interview waiver program. Note that U.S. consular posts are permitted to adopt interview waiver policies at their discretion; they are not compelled to implement the new policies. U.S. consulate websites should be consulted regarding whether and to what degree a particular post is implementing an interview waiver program.

Additionally, the Secretary of State, Antony Blinken has extended consular officers’ current ability to waive the in-person interview, through December 31, 2022, for the following other categories of non-immigrant visas: Temporary Agricultural and Non-agricultural Workers (H-2 visas), Students (F and M visas), and Student Exchange Visitors (Academic J visas). The authorization to waive the in-person interview for applicants renewing a visa in the same visa class within 48 months of the prior visa’s expiration has been extended indefinitely as stated in the release.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in profound reductions in the Department’s visa processing capacity. As global travel rebounds, the U.S. is taking these temporary steps to further commitment to safely and efficiently reduce visa wait times while maintaining national security. We will continue to monitor the situation.

U.S. Lifting Ban on Certain Southern African Countries

The U.S. will lift restrictions on Southern African countries on December 31 now that officials better understand the threat of the omicron variant of COVID-19, the White House said Friday through White House Spokesman Kevin Munoz. This decision was recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. President Biden is expected to lift the ban on travel from eight Southern African countries effective 12:01 am ET on December 31, 2021. Individuals traveling from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe after the ban is lifted will remain subject to U.S. COVID-19 vaccination and testing requirements.

Please reach out to your Greenspoon Marder LLP Immigration & Naturalization Practice Group attorney for any questions or concerns. Click here to stay updated on our weekly alerts.

About Greenspoon Marder

Greenspoon Marder LLP is a full-service law firm with over 240 attorneys and more than 20 office locations across the United States. With operations from Miami to New York and from Denver to Los Angeles, our firm attracts some of the nation’s top talent in key markets and innovation hubs. Our core practice areas include Real Estate, Litigation, and Transactional Services, complemented by the capabilities of a full-service firm. Greenspoon Marder has upheld a spot on The American Lawyer’s Am Law 200 as one of the top law firms in the U.S. since 2015, and our goal is to provide exceptional client service by developing a thorough understanding of each client’s business needs and objectives in order to provide strategic, cost-effective solutions.

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This Greenspoon Marder LLP Client Alert is issued for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed or used as general legal advice nor a solicitation of any type. Please contact the author(s) or your Greenspoon Marder LLP contact if you have any questions regarding the currency of this information. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision. Before you decide, ask for written information about the lawyer’s legal qualifications and experience.

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Greenspoon Marder Immigration Alert: New Developments December 28, 2021

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