Need a US Tourist Visa Faster? What You Need to Know About the New $750 Expedited Appointment Program

Beginning September 15, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will implement significant changes affecting many F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, and certain I visa holders. These new regulations will change how long many individuals may remain in the United States, when they must file extension applications, and the importance of monitoring their Form I-94. Until September 15, 2026, the current "Duration of Status" (D/S) rules remain in effect. If you are currently studying in the United States or plan to begin your studies in the near future, understanding these upcoming changes is essential to maintaining your lawful immigration status. What Is Changing? For many years, F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors were generally admitted to the United States under a system known as "Duration of Status" (D/S). As long as students maintained their academic program and their school properly updated their SEVIS records, they generally remained in lawful status. Beginning September 15, 2026, that will no longer be the case. Instead, most F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrants will be admitted until the program end date listed on their Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, generally not to exceed four years, plus the applicable arrival and departure periods. Why Is Your Form I-94 More Important Than Ever? Under the new rule, your Form I-94 admission record becomes one of the most important documents you have. In the past, many students focused primarily on keeping their Form I-20 current. Under the new regulations, an updated I-20 alone will no longer automatically extend your authorized stay. If your I-94 is set to expire before you complete your academic program, you may need to timely file an Extension of Stay (EOS) application with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or seek a new period of authorized admission. Many students have never had to regularly monitor their Form I-94. Under these new rules, your I-94 expiration date may become the single most important deadline to track. Missing that deadline could result in falling out of status and create serious immigration consequences. The F-1 Grace Period Has Been Reduced Another important change affects students after they complete their studies. The traditional 60-day grace period for F-1 students will be reduced to 30 days. This means students will have less time after graduation or completion of practical training to: Prepare to depart the United States; Transfer to another school, where permitted; Apply for a change of status; or Take other steps necessary to maintain lawful immigration status. Careful planning before graduation will become more important than ever. What If Your Academic Program Lasts More Than Four Years? Many educational programs, including doctoral programs, medical training, research appointments, and other long-term academic programs, extend beyond four years. Under the new rule, students who need additional time beyond the expiration of their authorized admission period will generally need to timely file (at least 90 days before expiration) an Extension of Stay application with USCIS before their I-94 expires or depart the United States and seek a new period of authorized admission. An updated Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 alone will no longer extend an individual's authorized stay. Families May Also Be Affected Students with dependent family members should also be aware of another important change. When family members apply together to extend or change their status, the approved period of stay may now be limited by the family member with the shortest allowable admission period, such as the earliest passport expiration date or a dependent child's age-out date. Because every family's circumstances are different, careful planning before filing may help avoid unnecessary complications. Will This Affect Students Already in the United States? The answer depends on your individual circumstances. DHS has adopted transition provisions for individuals who are already in F and J status before the new rule takes effect. Whether and when the new admission framework applies may depend on factors such as your current immigration status, future travel, and the timing of your admission to the United States. Because these transition rules can be complex, students should review their situation before making travel plans, extending their academic program, or assuming their current immigration status will continue unchanged. What Should You Do Now? If you are an international student, exchange visitor, or the family member of someone studying in the United States, now is the time to prepare. Under the new regulations, it will be more important than ever to: Monitor your Form I-94 expiration date; Plan ahead for any necessary Extension of Stay applications; Understand the shortened 30-day grace period; and Seek legal advice before your authorized stay expires. The Bottom Line The elimination of Duration of Status (D/S) represents one of the most significant changes to student visa regulations in years. Although the eligibility requirements for F-1 and J-1 visas remain largely unchanged, the procedures for maintaining lawful status will be substantially different. Careful planning, timely filing of any necessary applications, and close attention to your Form I-94 will be essential to avoiding unnecessary immigration problems. At Sandra Boogaard Law Office, we understand that even small changes in immigration regulations can have a significant impact on your future. We help international students, exchange visitors, and their families navigate complex immigration laws and develop strategies to maintain lawful status. If you have questions about how these new regulations may affect you or your family, contact our office today to schedule a consultation. Phone: (330) 329-7134 Email: sandra@sandraboogaardlaw.com

Traveling internationally in 2025 presents new challenges for immigrants, visa holders, and even U.S. citizens due to heightened border security measures. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has increased scrutiny at ports of entry, which may include detailed questioning, searches of electronic devices, and reviews of social media activity. These measures can affect travelers regardless of their immigration status, and inconsistencies between travel purposes and carried items can lead to denial of entry. ​ To prepare for international travel, ensure all documentation is current and accurately reflects your travel intentions. Be ready to explain your trip's purpose and consider minimizing sensitive content on electronic devices. While you are not obligated to unlock your devices, refusal may result in confiscation or denial of entry. Those with prior immigration issues or unusual travel patterns should be especially cautious, as they may face additional inspections or detention.​ Be careful of what you post on social media and ensure that you do not break the law! Given the evolving nature of immigration policies, staying informed and prepared is crucial. For personalized advice, consider reaching out to a qualified immigration attorney who can provide guidance based on your specific circumstances. It's advisable to consult with an immigration attorney before traveling and to inform someone of your travel plans in case legal assistance becomes necessary. Sandra Boogaard Law Office- Phone: (330) 329-7134 Email: sandra@sandraboogaardlaw.com

Immigration and Taxes, Removal/Deportation Orders

Is Birthright Citizenship Dead?

Undocumented Immigrants MUST REGISTER THEIR PRESENCE WITH USCIS OR FACE ! On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued the Protecting the American People Against Invasion executive order, reinforcing the requirement for noncitizens to register with the government under Section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 1302) . This mandate applies to most noncitizens over the age of 14 who were not previously registered when applying for a visa and remain in the U.S. for more than 30 days. Parents and guardians are responsible for ensuring registration of children under 14, and all registered individuals must carry proof of registration once issued. Failure to comply may result in civil and criminal penalties , including fines and possible misdemeanor prosecution. To facilitate compliance, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is introducing a new form and online registration process , set to launch on February 25, 2025 . Most noncitizens, such as lawful permanent residents, visa holders, and individuals with work authorization, have already met this requirement. However, those present in the U.S. without inspection, certain Canadian visitors, and some applicants for benefits like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) may need to register. While registration does not grant immigration status or employment authorization, it is a legal obligation. Noncompliance could lead to enforcement actions , making it crucial for affected individuals to prepare by creating a USCIS online account in advance. For legal guidance and assistance in navigating this requirement, contact an experienced immigration attorney. Sandra Boogaard Office Phone- (330) 329-7134 Email- sandra@sandraboogaardlaw.com

Keeping Families Together- President Biden's parole

The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 establishes a new system to responsibly manage and secure our border, keep our families and communities safe, and better manage migration across the Hemisphere. President Biden is sending a bill to Congress on day one to restore humanity and American values to our immigration system. The bill provides hardworking people who enrich our communities every day and who have lived here for years, in some cases for decades, an opportunity to earn citizenship. The legislation modernizes our immigration system, and prioritizes keeping families together, growing our economy, responsibly managing the border with smart investments, addressing the root causes of migration from Central America, and ensuring that the United States remains a refuge for those fleeing persecution. The bill will stimulate our economy while ensuring that every worker is protected. The bill creates an earned path to citizenship for our immigrant neighbors, colleagues, parishioners, community leaders, friends, and loved ones—including Dreamers and the essential workers who have risked their lives to serve and protect American communities. FEATURES OF THE CITIZENSHIP ACT: PROVIDE PATHWAYS TO CITIZENSHIP & STRENGTHEN LABOR PROTECTIONS • Create an earned roadmap to citizenship for undocumented individuals. The bill allows undocumented individuals to apply for temporary legal status, with the ability to apply for green cards after five years if they pass criminal and national security background checks and pay their taxes. Dreamers, TPS holders, and immigrant farmworkers who meet specific requirements are eligible for green cards immediately under the legislation. After three years, all green card holders who pass additional background checks and demonstrate knowledge of English and U.S. civics can apply to become citizens. Applicants must be physically present in the United States on or before January 1, 2021. The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may waive the presence requirement for those deported on or after January 20, 2017 who were physically present for at least three years prior to removal for family unity and other humanitarian purposes. Lastly, the bill further recognizes America as a nation of immigrants by changing the word “alien” to “noncitizen” in our immigration laws. • Keep families together. The bill reforms the family-based immigration system by clearing backlogs, recapturing unused visas, eliminating lengthy wait times, and increasing per-country visa caps. It also eliminates the so-called “3 and 10-year bars,” and other provisions that keep families apart. The bill further supports families by more explicitly including permanent partnerships and eliminating discrimination facing LGBTQ+ families. It also provides protections for orphans, widows, children, and Filipino veterans who fought alongside the United States in World War II. Lastly, the bill allows immigrants with approved family-sponsorship petitions to join family in the United States on a temporary basis while they wait for green cards to become available. • Embrace diversity. The bill includes the NO BAN Act that prohibits discrimination based on religion and limits presidential authority to issue future bans. The bill also increases Diversity Visas to 80,000 from 55,000. • Promote immigrant and refugee integration and citizenship. The bill provides new funding to state and local governments, private organizations, educational institutions, community-based organizations, and not-for-profit organizations to expand programs to promote integration and inclusion, increase English-language instruction, and provide assistance to individuals seeking to become citizens. • Grow our economy. This bill clears employment-based visa backlogs, recaptures unused visas, reduces lengthy wait times, and eliminates per-country visa caps. The bill makes it easier for graduates of U.S. universities with advanced STEM degrees to stay in the United States; improves access to green cards for workers in lower-wage sectors; and eliminates other unnecessary hurdles for employment-based green cards. The bill provides dependents of H-1B visa holders work authorization, and children are prevented from “aging out” of the system. The bill also creates a pilot program to stimulate regional economic development, gives DHS the authority to adjust green cards based on macroeconomic conditions, and incentivizes higher wages for non-immigrant, high-skilled visas to prevent unfair competition with American workers. • Protect workers from exploitation and improve the employment verification process. The bill requires that DHS and the Department of Labor establish a commission involving labor, employer, and civil rights organizations to make recommendations for improving the employment verification process. Workers who suffer serious labor violations and cooperate with worker protection agencies will be granted greater access to U visa relief. The bill protects workers who are victims of workplace retaliation from deportation in order to allow labor agencies to interview these workers. It also protects migrant and seasonal workers, and increases penalties for employers who violate labor laws. PRIORITIZE SMART BORDER CONTROLS • Supplement existing border resources with technology and infrastructure. The legislation builds on record budget allocations for immigration enforcement by authorizing additional funding for the Secretary of DHS to develop and implement a plan to deploy technology to expedite screening and enhance the ability to identify narcotics and other contraband at every land, air, and sea port of entry. This includes high-throughput scanning technologies to ensure that all commercial and passenger vehicles and freight rail traffic entering the United States at land ports of entry and rail-border crossings along the border undergo pre-primary scanning. It also authorizes and provides funding for plans to improve infrastructure at ports of entry to enhance the ability to process asylum seekers and detect, interdict, disrupt and prevent narcotics from entering the United States. It authorizes the DHS Secretary to develop and implement a strategy to manage and secure the southern border between ports of entry that focuses on flexible solutions and technologies that expand the ability to detect illicit activity, evaluate the effectiveness of border security operations, and be easily relocated and broken out by Border Patrol Sector. To protect privacy, the DHS Inspector General is authorized to conduct oversight to ensure that employed technology effectively serves legitimate agency purposes. • Manage the border and protect border communities. The bill provides funding for training and continuing education to promote agent and officer safety and professionalism. It also creates a Border Community Stakeholder Advisory Committee, provides more special agents at the DHS Office of Professional Responsibility to investigate criminal and administrative misconduct, and requires the issuance of department-wide policies governing the use of force. The bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the impact of DHS’s authority to waive environmental and state and federal laws to expedite the construction of barriers and roads near U.S. borders and provides for additional rescue beacons to prevent needless deaths along the border. The bill authorizes and provides funding for DHS, in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and nongovernmental experts, to develop guidelines and protocols for standards of care for individuals, families, and children in CBP custody. • Crack down on criminal organizations. The bill enhances the ability to prosecute individuals involved in smuggling and trafficking networks who are responsible for the exploitation of migrants. It also expands investigations, intelligence collection and analysis pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act to increase sanctions against foreign narcotics traffickers, their organizations and networks. The bill also requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and DHS, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to improve and expand transnational anti-gang task forces in Central America. ADDRESS ROOT CAUSES OF MIGRATION • Start from the source. The bill codifies and funds the President’s $4 billion four-year inter-agency plan to address the underlying causes of migration in the region, including by increasing assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, conditioned on their ability to reduce the endemic corruption, violence, and poverty that causes people to flee their home countries. It also creates safe and legal channels for people to seek protection, including by establishing Designated Processing Centers throughout Central America to register and process displaced persons for refugee resettlement and other lawful migration avenues—either to the United States or other partner countries. The bill also re-institutes the Central American Minors program to reunite children with U.S. relatives and creates a Central American Family Reunification Parole Program to more quickly unite families with approved family sponsorship petitions. • Improve the immigration courts and protect vulnerable individuals. The bill expands family case management programs, reduces immigration court backlogs, expands training for immigration judges, and improves technology for immigration courts. The bill also restores fairness and balance to our immigration system by providing judges and adjudicators with discretion to review cases and grant relief to deserving individuals. Funding is authorized for legal orientation programs and counsel for children, vulnerable individuals, and others when necessary to ensure the fair and efficient resolution of their claims. The bill also provides funding for school districts educating unaccompanied children, while clarifying sponsor responsibilities for such children. • Support asylum seekers and other vulnerable populations. The bill eliminates the one-year deadline for filing asylum claims and provides funding to reduce asylum application backlogs. It also increases protections for U visa, T visa, and VAWA applicants, including by raising the cap on U visas from 10,000 to 30,000. The bill also expands protections for foreign nationals assisting U.S. troops. NOTE THAT THIS BILL IS NOT YET LAW! IT WILL LIKELY TAKE A WHILE BEFORE ANY PART OF IT BECOMES LAW! YOU CANNOT APPLY FOR ANY OF THESE BENEFITS YET. What you can do is make sure that you are staying out of trouble, paying your taxes, gather documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates etc. If you have questions about any part of this PROPOSED BILL, please speak with a reputable immigration attorney. Sandra Boogaard Law Office; Phone- (330) 329-7134 or (646) 588-2747 Email: sandra@sandraboogaardlaw.com

If you are likely to become a “public charge” or become a financial burden to the U.S. government, your green card application could be denied!. Before you apply for immigration benefits, contact us to determine if you are jeopardizing your case! The new public charge rule applies to the specific adjustment of status (also known as green cards) candidates, as well as certain nonimmigrants looking to change their status or extending their stay.

ICE is about to start tracking license plates across the US! Follow the law! The Department of Homeland Security, DHS has reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has procured query-based access to a vendor-owned commercial License Plate Reader (LPR) data service that stores recorded vehicle license plate data from cameras equipped with license plate reader technology. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has officially gained agency-wide access to a nationwide license plate recognition database, according to the DHS. The system gives the agency access to billions of license plate records and new powers of real-time location tracking. The commercial database receives data from a variety of governmental and private sources, including: • Toll road cameras; • Parking lot cameras; • Vehicle repossession companies; and • Law enforcement agencies.3 ICE agents would be able to query that database in two ways. A historical search would turn up every place a given license plate has been spotted in the last five years, a detailed record of the target’s movements. That data could be used to find a given subject’s residence or even identify associates if a given car is regularly spotted in a specific parking lot. ICE agents can also receive instantaneous email alerts whenever a new record of a particular plate is found — a system known internally as a “hot list.” Immigrants should ensure that they follow the law at all times to avoid being brought into deportation proceedings because the government now has access to even more technology that can invade your privacy. Call an attorney if you believe your due process rights are being infringed upon. By: Sandra Boogaard Esq. Phone: (330) 329-7134 Email: sandra@sandraboogaardlaw.comA