Latest news with #ReddyNeumannBrownPC
CNN
21-07-2025
- Business
- CNN
Visiting the US will soon require a new $250 ‘visa integrity fee'
The United States will require international visitors to pay a new 'visa integrity fee' of at least $250, added to existing visa application costs, according to a provision in the Trump administration's recently enacted domestic policy bill. The fee will apply to all visitors who are required to obtain nonimmigrant visas to enter the United States. This includes many leisure and business travelers, international students and other temporary visitors. In fiscal year 2024, the US issued nearly 11 million nonimmigrant visas, according to State Department figures. Tourists and business travelers from countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program, including Australia and many European countries, aren't required to obtain visas for stays of 90 days or less. Payment will be required at the time visas are issued, and there will be no fee waivers. Travelers who comply with their visa conditions can have their fees reimbursed after the trip is over, according to the provision. Immigration attorney Steven A. Brown, a partner at Houston-based Reddy Neumann Brown PC, characterized the fee as a 'refundable security deposit,' in a recent post about the new policy. The mechanism for obtaining a refund is still unclear, Brown pointed out. 'In terms of the purpose of the fee, it's hard to say,' Brown said in an email to CNN. 'Generally, immigration fees are to cover the expense of adjudication or issuance,' but he noted that the reimbursement provision could mean refunding all of the fees gained. 'In a perfect world, there would be no overstays or visa violations.' The Department of Homeland Security, the agency instituting the new fee, has not yet offered specifics about the refund process or any other aspects of the policy's rollout. 'The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementation,' a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement to CNN. A State Department spokesperson said the fee was established 'to support the administration's priorities of strengthening immigration enforcement, deterring visa overstays, and funding border security.' Fees that aren't reimbursed will be 'deposited into the general fund of the Treasury,' the provision in the bill says. The initial fee, for fiscal year 2025, is outlined as the greater of either $250 or 'such amount as the Secretary of Homeland Security may establish, by rule.' Brown suggested that the rule is likely to be implemented through a rulemaking process involving its publication in the Federal Register. The fee is subject to annual adjustments for inflation. The State Department spokesperson said details related to the change, implemented by DHS, will be posted on the State Department's visa information page. The U.S. Travel Association, a national nonprofit organization aimed at increasing travel to and within the United States, praised other parts of the domestic policy bill that would invest in modernizing customs and air traffic control, but called the new visa fee 'a giant leap backwards.' 'This fee, which will be at least $250 and comes on top of existing visa fees, adds an unnecessary financial barrier for international visitors,' said Erik Hansen, senior vice president of government relations for the association, in a statement. According to U.S. Travel's calculation, the fee would boost the 'upfront costs' of visiting the US by 144%. 'Even if it is technically reimbursable, the added complexity and cost will discourage visitors,' Hansen said.
CNN
21-07-2025
- Business
- CNN
Visiting the US will soon require a new $250 ‘visa integrity fee'
The United States will require international visitors to pay a new 'visa integrity fee' of at least $250, added to existing visa application costs, according to a provision in the Trump administration's recently enacted domestic policy bill. The fee will apply to all visitors who are required to obtain nonimmigrant visas to enter the United States. This includes many leisure and business travelers, international students and other temporary visitors. In fiscal year 2024, the US issued nearly 11 million nonimmigrant visas, according to State Department figures. Tourists and business travelers from countries that are part of the Visa Waiver Program, including Australia and many European countries, aren't required to obtain visas for stays of 90 days or less. Payment will be required at the time visas are issued, and there will be no fee waivers. Travelers who comply with their visa conditions can have their fees reimbursed after the trip is over, according to the provision. Immigration attorney Steven A. Brown, a partner at Houston-based Reddy Neumann Brown PC, characterized the fee as a 'refundable security deposit,' in a recent post about the new policy. The mechanism for obtaining a refund is still unclear, Brown pointed out. 'In terms of the purpose of the fee, it's hard to say,' Brown said in an email to CNN. 'Generally, immigration fees are to cover the expense of adjudication or issuance,' but he noted that the reimbursement provision could mean refunding all of the fees gained. 'In a perfect world, there would be no overstays or visa violations.' The Department of Homeland Security, the agency instituting the new fee, has not yet offered specifics about the refund process or any other aspects of the policy's rollout. 'The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementation,' a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said in a statement to CNN. A State Department spokesperson said the fee was established 'to support the administration's priorities of strengthening immigration enforcement, deterring visa overstays, and funding border security.' Fees that aren't reimbursed will be 'deposited into the general fund of the Treasury,' the provision in the bill says. The initial fee, for fiscal year 2025, is outlined as the greater of either $250 or 'such amount as the Secretary of Homeland Security may establish, by rule.' Brown suggested that the rule is likely to be implemented through a rulemaking process involving its publication in the Federal Register. The fee is subject to annual adjustments for inflation. The State Department spokesperson said details related to the change, implemented by DHS, will be posted on the State Department's visa information page. The U.S. Travel Association, a national nonprofit organization aimed at increasing travel to and within the United States, praised other parts of the domestic policy bill that would invest in modernizing customs and air traffic control, but called the new visa fee 'a giant leap backwards.' 'This fee, which will be at least $250 and comes on top of existing visa fees, adds an unnecessary financial barrier for international visitors,' said Erik Hansen, senior vice president of government relations for the association, in a statement. According to U.S. Travel's calculation, the fee would boost the 'upfront costs' of visiting the US by 144%. 'Even if it is technically reimbursable, the added complexity and cost will discourage visitors,' Hansen said.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Rs 43 lakh for green card: How fake EB-1A claims are trapping Indians
The United States government is reviewing a growing number of EB-1A green card petitions filed under the 'extraordinary ability' visa category, with immigration lawyers in Houston reporting an uptick in fraudulent claims, particularly among Indian applicants. Reddy Neumann Brown PC, a Houston-based immigration law firm, said the category is now facing a wave of re-investigations and revocations. The EB-1A visa allows highly skilled individuals in fields like science, arts, education, business and athletics to live and work in the US without a job offer. Fake citations, dubious awards and journal scams According to attorney Rahul Reddy, several EB-1A applicants appear to have manipulated their profiles using questionable tactics. 'Some petitions have included publications in low-quality journals, coordinated co-authorship to inflate citations, and fake awards like the Stevie and Globee to strengthen their applications,' said Reddy in a social media post. Karim Jivani, an associate attorney at the same firm, wrote in a recent blog post that a rising number of foreign nationals—especially from countries with limited access to immigration legal services—are falling prey to unregulated agents and consultancies promising guaranteed green card success. 'These fraudulent services exploit professionals who are not familiar with the complexities of US immigration law,' Jivani wrote. 'They often target scientists, entrepreneurs or artists using native language marketing, fake client testimonials, and social media platforms.' Victims charged up to $50,000 (about Rs 43 lakh) for fraudulent applications Jivani noted that some agents charge anywhere between $10,000 and $50,000, promising near-certain approvals. In many cases, he said, applicants either receive petitions that are 'hastily prepared and riddled with red flags' or no petition at all. 'Once the money is taken, some disappear altogether. The applicants end up flagged by USCIS for misrepresentation, which has long-term consequences,' Jivani wrote. Some consultancies have reportedly gone as far as producing fake judging invitations, counterfeit awards, and orchestrated speaking opportunities at non-existent conferences to meet EB-1A criteria. Wider impact on genuine applicants The surge in questionable applications is also making it harder for legitimate candidates to get approved. 'When USCIS receives too many suspicious cases, they start raising the bar across the board,' said Reddy. 'That means even genuine applicants are facing more documentation requests, stricter reviews and delays.' USCIS, the federal agency that processes these applications, has not yet issued a public advisory on the matter. Who qualifies for an EB-1A visa? The EB-1A is a first-preference, employment-based immigrant visa. It is open to people who meet strict eligibility criteria in their field of expertise. Unlike other work-based green cards, it does not require a job offer or a sponsoring employer. To qualify, an applicant must either have: A one-time achievement such as a Pulitzer, Nobel Prize, Olympic medal or similar Or Meet at least three of the following ten criteria: Received nationally or internationally recognised awards Membership in associations requiring outstanding achievements Publications about their work in major media or journals Judged the work of others in the field Made original contributions to the profession Authored scholarly articles in respected publications Displayed their work in exhibitions or showcases Played a leading or critical role in organisations Earned a high salary relative to others in the field Achieved commercial success in the performing arts Self-petitioning and work plans in the US Applicants must also show they plan to continue working in the same field after arriving in the US. This can be demonstrated through: Letters from potential employers or clients A personal statement outlining work plans Evidence of continued professional activity Importantly, the EB-1A does not require a labour market test or employer sponsorship. Individuals can petition on their own behalf through a Form I-140 submission. Can family members also benefit? Yes. A successful EB-1A applicant can also include their spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 in the green card application.
