California Immigration Attorney Blog

Loud protest has U.S. immigration officials talking the talk after complaints from Hollywood about increasing problems obtaining visas for world-class performing artists, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Our Hollywood immigration attorneys and Los Angeles immigration lawyers are frequently called to assist clients dealing with visa issues. The visa program, like the rest of America's immigration policy, is needlessly complex, frequently unfair and often arbitrary.

Our California Immigration Attorney Blog recently reported about problems renewing E-2 Visas in Los Angeles and that the backlog of immigration cases in Southern California is the worst in the nation.

The latest issue involves needless roadblocks for performance visas form the California service center, which provides O and P visas for artists and researchers of extraordinary ability. One center canceled an Argentine music group because California immigration officials challenged whether its fusion of Jewish klezmer music and tango met the requirements of being "culturally unique."

Our immigration officials are critics of the performing arts! What, with the whole immigration process operating so smoothly they felt they had the extra time and abilities.

"In the past year and a half, what we've seen is petitions that previously and typically were approved are being denied," said Heather Noonan of the League of American Orchestras. "It impacts the whole range of arts disciplines. The cumulative effect makes the process of engaging international talent very challenging."

Alejandro Mayorkas, who was appointed to lead the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services last year, said he was looking into the reasons for the backlog.

The denial of O visas, which apply to individuals, has doubled: from 9.6 percent in 2008 to nearly 20 percent this year. The denial of P visas, for groups, jumped from 11.1 percent to 26.8 percent. Visa officials are also asking for an increasing amount of evidence and documentation.

Complaints have reached the White House and Congress, prompting visa officials to promise to do a better job of what it is they are supposed to be doing ... processing visas.

Continue reading "California visa officials feel qualified as art critics ... but may not be qualified as visa officials" »

The New York Times has published a report about the ongoing problems associated with the renewal of E-2 Visas.

Our Los Angeles immigration lawyers work on behalf of clients seeking to obtain or renew an E-2 Visa. The visas permit foreign citizens to invest and work in U.S. businesses and must be renewed every two years. While there is no limit on the number of times the visas can be renewed, there has been an increase in problems associated with renewing the visas in recent years.

The Times tells the story of a British couple that has been forced to close their Maine restaurant after a decade in business as they seek to renew their visas and remain in the United States legally. Our immigration attorneys understand how devastating this can be to business owners in Southern California. In these tough economic times, the last thing we need to be doing is forcing the closure of businesses.

If you are facing the renewal of your E-2 Visa in Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino, we encourage you to contact our Southern California immigration attorneys to discuss your rights.

In the Maine case, the couple's renewal application was denied because the government had determined their restaurant was a marginal business. Their business profit had fallen from $50,700 a year to $38,800 amid the recession.

Over the last two years, 8,468 E-2 extensions have been filed, and their approval rate has dropped, according to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. So far this year, about 82 percent have been approved, compared to 91 percent in 2008.

Authorities cite the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the increased focus on immigration reform and the downturn in the economy as primary reasons for the increased scrutiny of visa applicants.

Continue reading "Renewal of California E-2 Visas best left to experienced Los Angeles immigration attorney " »

The high profile immigration case of Snoop Dogg versus the UK's Asylum and Immigration Tribunal is heating up once again. Here is the background:

In 2006, rapper Snoop Dogg got into a kafuffle in Heathrow Airport, after officials refused to allow Snoop to bring his 30+ person entourage into the First Class airport lounge with him. Snoop reacted badly, to say the least. He got into a screaming (and swearing) match with British authorities. He was subsequently detained and then forbidden from returning to the UK.

In the nearly five years since, Snoop has tried to get an immigration visa to return to the UK. But he has been denied again and again. UK border officials cite the fact that Snoop has been busted previously on weapons charges and (lots of) drug convictions. Still, non-celebrity immigration disputes along the lines of Snoop's usually get resolved within a few months -- a year or two at most. That Snoop's case has dragged on for over four years has sparked outrage among his handlers. An agency representative for William Morris Endeavor (quote courtesy perezhilton.com) had this to say: "Snoop has missed out on several arena tour opportunities, many TV and festival opportunities, as well as a few proposed charity events...and now the UK taxpayer is financing the court appeals."

Goes to show that no matter who you are -- even if you are a high profile celebrity -- you can still run afoul of immigration legal troubles.

Continue reading "Even Snoop Dogg has Immigration Troubles!" »