Updates on the Corona Virus & Immigration

By: Harlan York
March 17, 2020

A MESSAGE FROM ALL OF US AT HARLAN YORK & ASSOCIATES:

We are working remotely during these trying times to make sure we can still support you in your immigration process. Please know you can call us or schedule online appointments for any of your immigration needs.

HERE ARE THE UPDATES RE: CORONAVIRUS & IMMIGRATION

The Corona Virus has impacted people’s lives and the economy around the world. Even faster than it’s spreading, businesses are shutting, and people are in self-quarantine in many countries.

How has this impacted the Immigration Service?

[Note that this blog post is NOT referring to the Immigration Courts which have postponed all non-detained aliens’ master calendar hearings scheduled from March 16 through April 10, 2020.]

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: USCIS HAS SUSPENDED ALL FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS

To protect our workforce and to help mitigate the spread of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in our communities, effective immediately, USCIS is suspending all routine face-to-face services with applicants of all of our offices, including all interviews and naturalization ceremonies.

All USCIS field offices, asylum offices, and Application Support Centers ( ASC’s) will not provide in -person services until at least April 1.

This includes:

  • interviews
  • naturalization ceremonies
  • biometric collection appointments

IMMIGRATION REQUESTING YOU RESCHEDULE ANY APPOINTMENTS IF YOU FEEL SICK.

The wording is: If you become ill for any reason, regardless of whether you were exposed to COVID-19 corona virus, you should not come to appointments at any USCIS office

There should be a number on your appointment notice to reschedule.

USCIS IS REQUESTING YOU RESCHEDULE ANY IMMIGRATION APPOINTMENTS IF YOU:

  1. Have traveled internationally to any country outside the U.S. within 14 days of your appointment;
  2. Believe that you may have been exposed to COVID-19 (even if you have not traveled internationally);
  3. Are experiencing flu-like symptoms (such as a runny nose, headache, cough, sore throat or fever) or otherwise feel ill.

SOME USCIS OFFICES ARE CLOSING.

Before any immigration appointment you should check to make sure the office is still open. Here is the link to the the USCIS page that let’s you know which offices are closed.

IMMIGRATION IS SAYING THEY WILL HELP YOU RESCHEDULE WITHOUT PENALTY WHEN YOU ARE BETTER.

Do not worry about being penalized if you feel sick and need to reschedule, or if the office of your appointment is closed. This is currently a national emergency, and you will not be penalized for not making it to your appointment as long as you are sure to call in before.

We will keep this page updated as this progresses. Bookmark this page so you can stay current if you have any immigration dealings in the near future.

About Harlan York

The first-ever attorney in New Jersey to win “Immigration Lawyer of the Year” from Best Lawyers, Harlan York is former immigration chair of the NJ State Bar Association and former co-chair for the NY State Bar Association CFLS Committee on Immigration. He currently serves on the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) National Practice Management Committee.

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Harlan York & Associates practices law in the areas of Immigration, Deportation Defense, Family Immigration, Corporate Immigration, Naturalization throughout Essex County – Hudson County – Morris County – Passaic County – Somerset County – Middlesex County – Bergen County – New Jersey -Immigration Lawyer – NJ Immigration Lawyer – Jersey City-Newark-Paterson Passaic Elizabeth Edison Woodbridge Toms River Hamilton Trenton Camden Clifton Passaic Garfield Wallington Cherry Hill East Orange Passaic Union City Bayonne Irvington Old Bridge Lakewood North Bergen Vineland Union Wayne Parsippany-Troy Hills New Brunswick Plainfield Bloomfield Perth Amboy East Brunswick West New York West Orange Hackensack Atlantic City Kearny Mount Laurel Montclair Essex Hoboken North Brunswick Belleville. In addition to serving clients in New York, Pennsylvania, the greater United States, and Internationally.

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