Aug
22

USCIS Announces Ebola Outbreak-Related Immigration Relief Measures

Last week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the availability of limited immigration relief measures to nationals of three West African countries affected by the current Ebola virus outbreak.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak began in Guinea in December 2013.  The virus has since spread to neighboring Liberia and Sierra Leone and become the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded.  Experts report 2,473 suspected or confirmed cases, including 1,350 deaths, prompting WHO to declare a public health emergency of international concern.

In...

Aug
18

Are Prostitution Stings by the Police “Entrapment?”

Wilson Law Group has posted about solicitation of prostitution issues in the past, but we are still seeing new clients come in whom the police have caught in backpage.com stings. Law enforcement uses that controversial website to lure unsuspecting “johns” to hotels in the metro area and records the entire interaction to ensure criminal prosecution. If you are caught soliciting prostitution at a hotel, which qualifies as a “public place” under Minnesota law, the State will charge you with a gross misdemeanor. The maximum sentence for a gross misdemeanor is one year in jail and/or a...

Aug
15

Obtaining a Passport for a Minor Child

When planning an international vacation, travelling parents should ensure that their U.S. citizen children have passports and be aware of the special requirements for minors under the age of 16.  There may be hurdles if the child’s parents are not married; renewing a passport can be an issue since passports for children under 16 are only valid for 5 years and the parents’ relationship may have changed since the issuance of the first passport so mutual consent (or even communication) is nonexistent.  To make it even more cumbersome, parents of minors under 16 must apply in person for...

Aug
1

Visa Interview Waiver Program Continues to Expand & Streamline Nonimmigrant Visa Process

The Interview Waiver Program (IWP) was first introduced in 2012 as a pilot program in an effort to promote travel and tourism to the United States for certain nonimmigrant applicants.  The IWP was made permanent this year in 2014.  The criteria for the IWP is published in the Foreign Affairs Manual, although it is important tocheck the consulate’s requirements because they can vary. 

Generally, all foreign nationals applying for a nonimmigrant visa (e.g. B-1/B-2, E, L, TN visa, etc.) must appear in person at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad for an interview by a consular officer. ...