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USCIS – Closed until June 4th

April 24, 2020

USCIS – Closed until June 4th

As suspected, the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) is not going to re-open anytime soon. In the release copied below, USCIS confirms it will be closed at least until June 4th. If the pandemic situation is no better by then, the closing will be extended.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is this going to affect my case?

A: Yes. There will be longer delays. Please be patient.

Q: Is this just USCIS-Boston?

A: No, this closure covers the entire United States. While USCIS Officers are working from home, all offices are closed to the general public. There will be no interviews, no oath ceremonies, no biometric appointments. USCIS is closed.

Q: Is there anything you can do to get my case through the USCIS system?

A: No.

Q: As we wait for our appointment/interview, what should I do?

A: Continue to create and collect evidence to document the bona fides of your case. Continue to take photographs to document your relationship, save pay stubs, save insurance paperwork, save anything with both of your names on it to prove you are a real couple.

Q: What else should I be doing?

A: You should be taking care of yourself and your family. The best way to do that is to stay at home so you don’t catch the virus. Be safe.

Q: If I have specific questions about my situation, can we talk?

A: Yes. Just call my cell phone number or send me an e-mail if you want to FaceTime.

We have been fielding calls having to do with a wide variety of issues. If you have a problem and you don’t know what to do, please let us help you. Call me at (617) 378-8540.

Thanks & Be Well!

John Foley

USCIS CLOSED

On March 18, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services temporarily suspended in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and application support centers (ASCs) to help slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). USCIS is readying offices to re-open in compliance with local and state orders, on or after June 4. Employees in these offices are continuing to perform mission-essential services that do not require face-to-face contact with the public while the offices are temporarily closed. During this time, individuals may still submit applications and petitions to USCIS. Online filing remains the most convenient and interactive way to submit forms, check the status of your case, and receive notices.

Field Office and ASC Appointments, Naturalization Ceremonies, InfoPass

USCIS field offices will send notices to applicants and petitioners with scheduled appointments and naturalization ceremonies impacted by the extended temporary closure. When USCIS again resumes normal operations, USCIS will automatically reschedule ASC appointments due to the temporary office closure. Individuals will receive a new appointment letter in the mail. Those who had InfoPass or other appointments must reschedule through the USCIS Contact Center once field offices are open to the public again.

Asylum Office Interviews

USCIS asylum offices will send interview cancellation notices and automatically reschedule asylum interviews. When the interview is rescheduled, asylum applicants will receive a new interview notice with the new time, date and location of the interview.

Please check to see if the respective office has been reopened before calling the USCIS Contact Center.

In-Person Public Engagements

Additionally, USCIS is postponing all in-person public engagement and outreach events for the duration of the temporary office closure. Please contact public.engagement@uscis.dhs.gov if you have an immediate engagement question during this time.

For More Information

USCIS will provide further updates as the situation develops and will continue to follow CDC guidance in response to this situation. Please visit uscis.gov/coronavirus for updates.

Education and precautions are the strongest tools against infection. Get the latest facts by visiting the CDC’s COVID-19 website. Continue to practice good health habits, refrain from handshakes or hugs as greetings, and clean hands and surfaces appropriately.

Kind regards,

Public Engagement Division

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

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Driver Licenses for Those in Massachusetts Without Legal Immigration Status

May 10, 2022

The Massachusetts State Senate passed a bill that may allow people without legal immigration status to get Massachusetts driver’s licenses beginning next year. The Massachusetts House passed a similar bill two months ago by a veto-proof margin. The out-going Governor of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker has repeatedly said he doesn’t support allowing people without legal immigration status to obtain driver licenses. If the Legislature over-rides Governor Baker’s expected veto, people without legal immigration status could obtain a driver’s license by providing two documents that prove their identity. The documentation could be a foreign passport and a birth certificate with a certified English translation or a foreign passport and a marriage certificate. If it becomes law, the new identification requirements would take effect on July 1, 2023. The bill’s passage would mean Massachusetts would join 16 other states and the District of Colombia where undocumented individuals are allowed to receive driver licenses. While it has been considered before, the Massachusetts legislation now has the support of a number of interested parties including a majority of the state’s Sheriffs and district attorneys and the Massachusetts Major Cities Chiefs of Police Association. While the new law will not be implemented for more than a year, Foley Law Offices is compiling a list of individuals who plan to apply for a driver’s license as soon as they are legally able to do so. Attorney John Foley said “these are people who are out of immigration status but they drive every day because they work or they have kids. They are your neighbors. Allowing them to get driver licenses will make our roads safer and it will allow them to breath a bit easier as they go about their day.” For more information on what documents you need to provide to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license and to get on the filing waiting list, call Foley Law Offices at (617) 397-4787.

A Long Journey Powered by Love

April 14, 2022

After a long journey over many years, I was delighted to welcome Souleymane Conde to Boston, Massachusetts and the United States of America. Souleymane is married to Esther King who lives in the Dorchester section of Boston. Esther was a teenager living in Liberia in west Africa when a brutal civil war forced her to walk over 250 miles north to an international refugee camp in Guinea. There Esther met Souleymane where he was working as a teacher. Esther’s refugee status took her to the United States but, in her words “I never forgot the love of my life, Souleymane.” After she had built a life for herself in the U.S., Esther returned to Guinea to find Souleymane. She said “despite the years it was as if we had never been apart.” On a later trip, Souleymane and Esther were married. Esther is a U.S. citizen and she tried to bring Souleymane to the United States in 2014 but for unknown reasons the U.S. Consulate denied her petition. We were hired in 2019 and despite the pandemic and a previous U.S. administration that didn’t want to bring in immigrants from Africa, we were able to make it through the U.S. immigration gauntlet and Souleymane’s case was finally approved. Souleymane arrived in the U.S. on March 18th and was welcomed into the loving arms of his wife, Esther. It was a long journey but they were finally together. It can be a struggle dealing with U.S. immigration and the different U.S. Consulates around the world but when you are able to help re-unite a family ---- it is worth it. Welcome Souleymane! And Congratulations Esther!

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USCIS – Closed until June 4th