The Expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals starts in February

The expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) begins on February 18, 2015. On that day, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting applications under the expanded guidelines announced by the President in November of 2014. The DACA program grants a period of deferred action for eligible individuals who entered the U.S. before the age of 16. With deferred action, the government agrees to issue an Employment Authorization card and not deport an individual.

Eligibility under the new DACA program includes the following changes:

• There is no age limitation, the applicant no longer has to have been born before Jun 15, 1981;
• Applicants must prove continuous presence in the U.S. since January 1, 2010 (the prior continuous presence date was June 15, 2007).
• Approved applicants will receive deferred action and work authorization for three years instead of two.

All other DACA guidelines remain the same. To find out if you qualify under the new program, please schedule a consultation.

See the full requirements for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.