DHS will be issuing new regulations that will allow certain immediate immigrant visa beneficiaries, that are subject to the 3/10 year bar, to apply for a waiver inside the US rather than outside the US at the consulate overseas. The benefit of this new regulation is 1) it reduces the time for which the Petitioner and beneficiary will be separated while going through the consulate process and 2) Beneficiary can get a provisional approval on the waiver of the 3/10 year bar before beneficiary departs the US therefore reducing the risk of uncertainty and being stuck outside the US for up to 10 years.

MARRIAGE for many persons is the culmination of one’s life.  Getting married signifies the beginning of a new phase in life, both socially and economically.  For those persons who lack permanent residency in the United States and have married a United States citizen, marriage also presents an opportunity to obtain permanent residency.  However, although the opportunity to obtain permanent residency arises in such situations, one must be aware of and comply with procedures in existence to obtain such status.  Due to concerns that persons were becoming married to United States citizens merely to obtain permanent residence status, a two-step procedure under the Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments of 1986 (IMFA) was set up to ensure such status was given to those only in marriages that are bona-fide and not entered into simply for immigration purposes.