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Tag: #colombia

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Family Reunification, the reality to be able to apply

Family reunification is only for citizens of Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras who have approved family petitions. A family petition refers to when a parent petitions for their children, a married couple petitions for their spouse, or a child petitions for their parents.

It is important to note that you cannot apply for this program as you would normally apply for any type of immigration application; instead, the Federal Government will select the families that have approved family petitions and are on the National Visa Center's waiting list.

Citizens applying to the program must also be outside the United States, meet medical and screening requirements, and not have received an immigrant visa. What if I'm eligible?

If they are deemed eligible, they will be considered for parole to remain in the United States for up to three years while their process to become legal permanent residents continues.

Did this help clarify your doubts about family reunification? Let us know in the comments!

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New Family Reunification Parole for Colombians, Guatemalans, Hondurans, and Salvadorans in the United States

The State Department (DOS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Thursday a new regional immigration strategy from the Biden administration, a plan that aims to promote legal immigration to the United States, reduce pressure on the southern border with Mexico, and increase penalties for undocumented immigration.

This new policy seeks to control a massive exodus of migrants that could trigger the lifting of Title 42 on May 11, a policy that was implemented to stop the spread of COVID-19, but which has been used by the Trump and Biden administration to expedite the expulsion of immigrants at the border, affecting more than 2.2 million in 3 years.

The goal of this new policy is to reduce the opportunities for undocumented immigrants and create new pathways through Advance Parole* for El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia. *Advance Parole is a document issued by USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) that allows you to legally leave the U.S. This document is for certain immigrants who intend to travel and do not want to jeopardize their immigration status.

Lifting Title 42 will not give free rein to migrants who wish to enter illegally across the border, as they will continue to use Title 8 to expedite the deportation of inadmissible aliens, especially those who enter irregularly across the US border.

Those who do not follow the established rules will face serious consequences, including a re-entry ban of at least 5 years and possible criminal prosecution for repeated attempts to enter the USA illegally.

Those eligible for family reunification will receive parole in the USA, as well as the possibility of applying for a work permit.

At AsisVisa, we can advise you on family reunification processes, as well as on Humanitarian Parole applications. To do so, we need to schedule a consultation with our lawyer to review your case and determine the best course of action.

Source: Univision, Telemundo and Caracol.

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The United States seeks to expand legal avenues to regulate the irregular flow of migrants in the Darien Gap

Some 90,000 people have crossed this dangerous jungle between Panama and Colombia. More than 87,000 migrants crossed the Darién Gap in the first three months of the year, mainly from Venezuela, Haiti, and Ecuador—nearly 14,000 more than in the same period last year.

Following the end of Title 42, the plan to reduce the irregular flow of migrants has three elements: the campaign against human trafficking, the expansion of legal pathways to receive migrants, and investment to create better conditions in countries of origin, thereby controlling migration to the USA.

In light of the uncontrolled migration in the Darién Gap, the United States is seeking to focus its efforts, along with Panama and Colombia, on curbing the growing flow of migrants by arresting the leaders of human trafficking networks, explained Katie Robin, director of cross-border affairs at the White House National Security Council, on Thursday. However, it remains to be seen how much of this political rhetoric can be translated into practical action.

These legal pathways include expanding refugee programs, employment opportunities, and family reunification. The US is also asking other countries in the region to contribute to the plan, such as Canada's recent initiative to legally receive approximately 15,000 more people from the Americas this year.

The plan is to welcome migrants to the USA and offer them more legal pathways, hoping to dissuade them from risking their lives without knowing if they will have any legal support from the United States. Will this strategy actually work?

In 2022, a record 250,000 migrants crossed the Darién Gap, 60% of them Venezuelan. The UN estimates that 400,000 migrants will cross the Darién Gap in 2023.

Faced with the surge in migrants, the Biden administration used Title 42 to prevent Venezuelans from seeking asylum at the border. Instead, it announced it would accept up to 24,000 Venezuelans arriving by plane after their Humanitarian Parole application was approved.

With this new plan, it is hoped that measures can be taken against irregular migration and to ensure the safety of those who seek opportunities in the American country at all costs.

Source: Telemundo

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Appointments at the Embassy, don't let them pull this stunt on you

During the last few months, news has been circulating regarding the advancement of appointments at the American embassy in Colombia, stating that scheduling times have been reduced from 2 years to 2 months.

How true is this?

The U.S. government constantly updates average wait times for scheduling appointments. Furthermore, the U.S. Embassy in Colombia is working tirelessly to reduce wait times for tourist visa interviews; in fact, they have even deployed an additional team to support them.

This mission has already begun to yield results. Currently, applications from people who do not require a consular interview for the granting of their tourist visa have an estimated wait time of 23 calendar days.

Who does NOT require a consular interview?
Visa renewals that have expired in the previous 48 months, children under 13 years old and adults over 80 years old. However, not everyone in this group qualifies; the appointment scheduling system decides whether or not you should proceed with the process, just like most people in the 2-year-old group.

Why some yes and others no?

Many people have already been able to reschedule their appointment, however, others have not. This may be because, despite being on the correct team, you have obtained a new passport, your fingerprints have not been taken in the past, or you have been denied another visa recently.

Waiting times according to visa type

In the case of the most common visas, which are the B1 (for visitors arriving in the United States for business) and the B2 (for tourists), the waiting time for an interview appointment at the embassy of that country in Colombia is currently 799 days.

However, if the applicant is requesting a different type of visa, the processing times are much shorter. For students or visitors participating in an exchange program (F, M, and J visas) and for petition-based temporary workers (H, L, O, P, and Q visas), the waiting time for an appointment is only 13 calendar days.

If you are eligible to be exempt from an interview (check the website of the United States embassy), the waiting time for any type of visa is on average 23 calendar days.

It is important to remember that the estimated wait time to receive an interview appointment at a U.S. embassy or consulate can change weekly and is based on the actual incoming workload and staffing levels.

The U.S. government clarifies that the above are only estimates and do not guarantee appointment availability. Interview waiver application wait times refer to the average number of days between acceptance of an interview waiver application and its adjudication by a consular officer; they do not include the time required for passport or other document processing.

Consular sections abroad can expedite your interview date if there is an urgent and unforeseen situation, such as a funeral, a medical emergency, or the start date of classes.

News written from: Portfolio, USCIS

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Silent transfer of Venezuelan migrants in the United States

During the last few weeks, the United States has quietly transferred Venezuelan migrants to Colombia.

According to two national security officials, President Joe Biden's administration has expelled Venezuelans from the U.S. who were detained at the border with Mexico and is sending them to Colombia, as part of an administration strategy to try to stem the flow of migrants.

It should be noted that the flights on which they were transported were not previously reported, and in December the United States Customs and Border Protection office registered more than 13,000 single adults from Venezuela at the southern border of North America.

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