Day 48/365

With the recent change in political power in the United States, there have also been a number of announcements regarding changes in U.S. immigration policy. President Trump recently signed an Executive Order that no longer allows visas to be issued to people from seven countries. The countries that are affected by this ban are Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. These restrictions are effective immediately and there is not yet a date in which the ban will be lifted.

As a result, the U.S. Department of State has been required to cancel all visa interview appointments with nationals of the previously mentioned countries. It is important that if you are affected, you do not pay any visa fees that may be associated with your application until this legislation is lifted if such a situation was to occur. However, if you are a dual national in the United States and of one of the restricted countries, the ban on visa appointments does not apply to you.

It is important that with the rapidly changing immigration policies that our country is facing, you pay attention to any further changes in legislation that may be announced. If you have questions or concerns about your status as a visa applicant or travel to a restricted country, you may want to speak with an experienced immigration attorney who can inform you of anything that may impact you. If you are from a country that falls under these restrictions, an immigration attorney will not be able to bypass any of the legislation that was made, but they may be able to answer other questions regarding the law that you may have.

The Law Office of Cheryl David practices immigration law throughout NYC. If you have questions as to whether consular processing is right for you, or you can maybe change your status in the United States instead of going home, please contact the office to discuss your situation and options.