Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
June 25, 2017
Since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Sec. 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) is unconstitutional, our federal agencies are now required to treat same-sex couples who are legally married in the same manner as they would opposite-sex couples.
In the immigration world, this means that USCIS must (and does) treat a same-sex spousal immigrant visa petition just as they would a petition filed by spouses of the opposite sex.
As a result, we have now had the opportunity to assist many same-sex couples in the petitioning process and are pleased to be able to extend our services to a wider array of family-based immigration applications. As always, it is fulfilling to play an integral role in connecting the lives of loved ones who were previously unable to enjoy this special privilege.