Oakton Health Center

In Kansas City, immigrants seeking permanent US residency are struggling to find affordable options for the necessary medical examination. Not only must the exam be conducted by a physician authorized by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, but there are only a limited number of such physicians in the Kansas City metro, resulting in long waiting lists. Furthermore, since the examination is not considered a health cost, it’s not covered by most insurance, leading to high out-of-pocket expenses. For example, one immigrant was quoted $1,400 for the exam alone, excluding possible vaccination costs. However, community health centers such as the KC CARE Health Center offer cheaper alternatives.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is also introducing changes to the application process for green cards. As of December, applicants must include their medical and vaccination reports along with their Form I-485. This change is in an attempt to streamline the immigration process and reduce the amount of additional evidence requests. USCIS also wants to ensure that applicants do not have medical conditions that make them inadmissible under health-related grounds.

Good moral character is also an important eligibility factor for those applying for U.S citizenship. It is not just about being a law-abiding citizen but also about demonstrating good conduct that aligns with societal ethical and moral standards. Certain activities, like failing to pay child support or being dishonest during the application process, can negatively impact an applicant’s case, despite them not being considered crimes. For instance, certain offenses like murder, drug trafficking, or perjury will permanently prevent an individual from demonstrating good moral character. There are also conditional bars like false testimony or failing to support a spouse or child that could bar a candidate from establishing good moral character. Therefore, it’s crucial for individuals to consult with immigration experts or accredited organizations to navigate these complexities.

The Global Immigration team at Smith Stone Walters recently highlighted immigration updates from several countries.

In Australia, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced the Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early-professionals Scheme (MATES), which will kickstart in December 2024. This will enable graduates and early career professionals from India’s top universities to register for a subclass 403 MATES stream visa. Those selected will have to meet additional eligibility criteria. This scheme allocates 3,000 temporary visa places each year for fields like renewable energy, information and communications technology, artificial intelligence, financial technology, agricultural technology, etc.

On November 7, 2024, China and the Solomon Islands signed a mutual visa exemption agreement. However, its implementation will follow once both countries complete their respective internal legal processes.

Finland will halt the decision-making on certain residence permit applications from January 1 to 8, 2025. This includes residence permits for employed individuals and permits for seasonal work that lasts for a minimum of six months. This pause won’t affect permit applications which can be submitted normally, even during this period.

From January 2025, the Finnish Immigration Service will oversee the inspection and evaluation of all work-based residence permit requirements. This single-channel process aims to enhance the customer experience by ensuring a seamless procedure.

Effective from November 18, 2024, Kazakhstan is updating its visa regulations, providing additional visa types to attract business immigrants, skilled professionals, and travellers. These changes include the B9 Visa for sought-after professions, which will facilitate the registration of a residence permit, the Digital Nomad Visa for IT specialists, and the Neo Nomad Visa for tourists with solid income proof.

In the United States, Immigration Medical Examination Documentation will remain valid indefinitely for certain Afghan nationals. The USCIS Policy Manual now states that these Afghan nationals, who arrived during Operation Allies Welcome (OAW), don’t need to repeat an immigration medical examination when they apply for permanent residence. Also, an update to the USCIS Policy Manual clarified that naturalization applicants must only demonstrate lawful admission during initial admission as a LPR or adjustment to LPR status.

In another development, the Citizenship Public Education and Awareness Campaign has been rolled out to educate the public about U.S. citizenship. This includes information on rights, responsibilities, available free resources, quality direct service providers, and much more. Community organizations can support the campaign via numerous ways, such as website widgets, shared resource links, video PSAs, print advertisements, flyers, workshops, and more. USCIS provides media support by supplying print ads, desktop widgets, radio and video, and informational flyers that can be used and downloaded. However, there is a need to acquire approval from the USCIS Office of Citizenship before using radio and video PSAs on donated media.

Smith Stone Walters continues to offer expert advice on global immigration. Please contact their global immigration personnel for specific needs.