United States President Donald Trump has extended an earlier Presidential Proclamation restricting certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories from consular processing in response to the growing COVID-19 pandemic.
The Executive Order (“EO”), which was first issued in April 2020, restricted certain immigrant visa applicants from receiving their visas for at least sixty (60 days). The EO was then extended until December 31, 2020 to certain nonimmigrant visa applicants that were not listed in the previous EO in an effort to protect American jobs.
The extension is extended to the end of March 2021, almost two months after the Trump administration ends on January 20.
“The effects of COVID-19 on the United States labor market and on the health of the American communities is a matter of ongoing national concern,” Trump wrote on New Year’s Eve, citing the unemployment rate, pandemic related restrictions on businesses issued by states and the rise of COVID-19 infections since June.
Although President-elect Joseph Biden has pledged to overturn some of the centerpieces of the Trump administration immigration agenda, Biden has not announced whether he intends to rescind visa restrictions through a new executive order.
Immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants in Asia who have been adversely affected by the ongoing restrictions are encouraged to contact us at info@enterimmi.com and speak with a U.S. immigration attorney based in Ho Chi Minh City, Manila and Taipei.
Copyright 2021. This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. This article may be changed with or without notice. The opinions expressed in this article are those of Enterline and Partners only.