So many exciting things have taken place over the last few weeks! Attorney Spojmie Nasiri was invited to the White House, the firm successfully launched a new office in Modesto, and the firm was recognized by the Modesto Chamber of Commerce in a ribbon cutting ceremony. You can read all about it in this month's newsletter.
Last week, the Modesto Chamber of Commerce helped the Law Office of Spojmie Nasiri, PC officially open our Modesto office with a ribbon cutting ceremony!
Held at the new office location at 931 10th Street in downtown Modesto, attorney Spojmie Nasiri and paralegal Stephany Iniguez were there to officially cut the ribbon and open the new office location.
To celebrate the opening of the new office, representatives from the following local, regional, and national offices were in attendance to provide recognitions and commendations:
Spojmie made the following remarks at the ceremony:
I'm so honored to have so many local leaders here to celebrate our new office. Over the past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to stroll around Modesto, and I discovered that the heart of Modesto is the rich immigrant community. Immigration is very personal to me, and it really hits home when I meet with clients.
An integral part of the work that we do is earning the trust of our clients, which is particularly difficult in immigrant communities, because they often have been scammed or misled. When we help our clients, we lead with honesty and compassion. After the fall of Afghanistan and the takeover of the Taliban, many Afghan refugees came to settle in the Modesto and surrounding areas.
I've been proud to be on the forefront of the advocacy for these refugees, and I'm determined to bring that same passion and dedication to representing the diverse communities in the Modesto area.
Attorney Spojmie Nasiri was proud and honored to be invited to attend the 2023 Eid al-Fitr celebration at the White House.
On May 1st, Spojmie travelled to Washington, D.C to attend the Eid al-Fitr celebration hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
The celebration capped off the holy month of Ramadan, and the President made remarks to the crowd emphasizing the importance of building peace and standing up for the rights and dignity of all people, no matter their faith.
Spojmie made the following remarks about the incredible experience:
The celebration showcased the vibrancy and resilience of the Muslim American community, from doctors and lawyers to educators and activists, all united in advocating for justice and equality for all. Inspired by their work combating Islamophobia, philanthropy, and advocacy for Muslim Americans and recently arrived Afghans, we must remember that American Muslims have been the fabric of this country for decades.
As we celebrate this joyous occasion, there is still much work to be done to ensure that American Muslims are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. We must continue to fight against discrimination, bigotry, and hate, and stand in solidarity with the American Muslim community.
The high demand for new and renewal applications for passports and visas has reached peak levels, which has caused significant delays in the time it takes to process. If you are planning on traveling later this summer or this fall, it is incredibly important to get your applications in as soon as possible.
Currently, it takes approximately 10-13 weeks for the State Department to process a passport application - for a new passport or a passport renewal. With the major travel season coming just around the corner, the State Department anticipates that processing speeds will slow down even further.
The State Department has taken significant measures to increase processing times, such as hiring more staff and opening satellite offices. However, if you are planning on traveling abroad this summer or fall, make sure that you submit your passport applications as soon as possible. Even expedited requests, which cost an additional fee, can take almost 3 months to receive.
For those seeking to travel to the United States, the current wait time for visitor visa interview appointments is approximately 2 months. So, whether you are planning to have people visit you in the United States this fall or you plan on traveling abroad, be sure to complete your required paperwork as early as possible, to avoid getting caught up in processing delays.
In years past, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would staple a paper I-94 into a traveler's passport, as proof of a valid admission into the United States. Now, instead of a paper I-94 form, the admission records are available online at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov.
It's important that the information on the digital I-94 record is correct, especially the date that the admission period expires. To address many questions regarding admission to the United States, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the Law Offices of Spojmie Nasiri, PC published an informative flyer about I-94. The flyer covers what visitors should do if a mistake is discovered on the I-94, how to change the expiration date, and how to retrieve and verify your travel visa.
To download an informative flyer about I-94 Visa Admissions to the United States, click the button below.
