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Showing posts from 2025
 One way to reduce delays in an immigration application is to ensure a properly formatted passport photo. Here in the US, it’s not as difficult because you’re typical Walgreens or CVS knows exactly what a passport photo should look like. They have the white background set up and Paper cutters set to the precise 2 x 2 square size. However, when people send me photos from foreign countries, the results very widely. Photos will be one by 1 inch, have a blue background, improper, head and shoulder proportions, etc. If a passport photo is required for an immigration application and such a photo is submitted, the entire application can (and often is) be rejected. I don’t know why they can’t simply process the star processing the application and then send a notice to provide new passport photos. In the vein of Bob Weber, I think there is a Tamata mentality.Keep in mind, that an application can take a a week to arrive at the USCIS, and anothercouple weeks to just to begin processing. if it...

Document Preservation

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Did you know you can rent your own personal vault in an actual bank?  A young man called me today because he needs a new Social Security card, but can’t prove U.S. citizenship with merely a copy of the  certificate. He lamented the $500 application fee to replace it. I don’t blame him.  But the point remains: Lack of essential documentation is a frequent root cause of immigration (and life) problems.  Safe deposit boxes are a reliable way to store documents like birth certificates, naturalization certificates, passports, wills, family heirlooms, and Social Security cards. See link below. Non-citizens in particular should start to use them as well as fireproof safes that can be gotten for relatively cheap off Amazon and Walmart. This is particularly so in the initial stages of immigration when non-citizens tend to move frequently, increasing the chance for loss. I think it’s important to begin educating on documentation preservation. PS I don’t agree with some critici...