Presidential Proclamation Ends Discrimination of certain Foreign Nationals

Did you apply before January 2021 for an immigrant Visa? Was it rejected because you are a national of one of the group of countries that were banned during Trump’s administration? If so, you can now reapply with a waiver or ask the embassy to reconsider your prior application.

On January 20, 2021, President Biden signed a Presidential Proclamation “Ending discriminatory bans on entry to the United States” of nationals from: Burma (Myanmar), Eritrea, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Nigeria, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Venezuela, and Yemen. This Proclamation allows certain persons, whose visas were denied, to reapply.

Nonimmigrant visa applicants, who were likewise denied, will need to submit a new visa application (DS-160) and pay a new visa application processing fee if they wish to reapply for a visa.

The State Department will pursue processing applicants from those countries, without regard to earlier discriminatory bans, consistent with applicable law and visa processing procedures.

For more information schedule a consultation with us or call us to 202 296 1111.

By Rosa Hernandez

Steffanie J. Lewis is a founding attorney, vice president and secretary of IBLF and, since 1999. She is counsel to several corporations, including an international trade association, an international foundation, an international computer demographic marketing corporation, a U.S. airline with international routes, an international artist & company, a national medical laboratory, a national self defense association, and numerous individuals with claims in products liability, aviation and real estate contract, medical malpractice, and numerous criminal offenses.

In addition to her corporate role, Ms. Lewis supervises all immigration work, representing clients in Immigration Court and multiple Federal circuits, most actively in the Fourth Circuit dealing with the immigration implications of fraud, criminal matters, due process, and statute interpretation.

Albert Z. Lewis is the managing attorney of the law firm, responsible for the administration, and service for the various technologies being used.

Mr. Lewis’s particular specialties are the electronic filing done with the USCIS, as well as through the ECF systems for the US District Courts, as well as EDGAR, the computer filing system for the US Securities and Exchange Commission. He also appears regularly in Immigration Court, supervises all aspects of family-related immigration filings, and has written numerous appeal briefs for immigration and other appeals. He has represented children and adults under the Criminal Justice Act, through programs at the DC Superior Criminal Court as well as the DC Counsel for Child Abuse and Neglect.