Training for Attorneys, Paralegals and Immigration Service Providers
Got questions? DM Düden Freeman or Marta Nickols on LinkedIn
First Filing Success: Building USCIS Filings from an Immigration Officer's Perspective
Training by Marta Nickols, Former USCIS Field Office Director
"Work with the Officer, not against the Officer."
Watch this short video to learn more about Marta Nickols, the policy memo, the goals of the training and other services we offer to help attorneys get their clients' petitions "approval-ready."
CLICK BELOW TO WATCH FIRST!
Let's work together to make your first filing a success.
In this training, we will discuss:
The impact of the August 5th policy update
What makes an officer approve a case quickly
How best to organize a case
How to present the credibility of the evidence
How to think like an Immigration Services Officer
What part of an evidence to provide or highlight
How to guide the officer through the case
Identifying common issues that lead to RFEs/Denials
Workbook with examples will be provided to live attendees.
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TESTIMONIALS
What attorneys are saying about this training
"My favorite part of the training was that we got insight into how the officers review cases and how we can facilitate their review."
- Liliya Makhlaychuk-Sharma,
Immigration Attorney
"I found it informative and confirmatory. I came away with useful guidelines and practical tips that I can incorporate into my practice."
- Gregory Boan,
Immigration Attorney
Why this training matters now
USCIS released PA-2026-05 signaling potentially the end of RFEs for newly filed petitions.
Visas 101 is offering a tailored training for law firms, immigration attorneys, paralegals and immigration service providers to get the industry ready for this new era, so you can successfully file quickly approvable petitions that would not require an RFE and risk denial.
USCIS signalled that immediate petition denials might be coming.
The new USCIS policy memo is telling immigration service officers to use their discretion to deny a case without filing a Request for Evidence or Notice of Intent to Deny.
Our training is led by a former USCIS Field Office Director.
Marta Nickols has over 17 years of USCIS adjudication and executive leadership experience and will teach participants how to prepare approval-ready filings.
Our training includes examples of (not) officer-friendly evidence.
Not all evidence is created equal, and Marta will share examples of well-written and organized evidence vs not-so-well-written and disorganized evidence.
The Team Behind Your Training
MEET THE Trainer
Marta Nickols
Marta Nickols is a former USCIS Field Office Director and Assistant Center Director with more than 17 years of experience in immigration adjudications, operations, and leadership. Throughout her career, she oversaw thousands of immigration benefit applications and petitions, reviewed complex and high-profile cases, and led teams responsible for delivering immigration services across the United States.
Her expertise includes employment-based and family-based immigration matters, including EB-1, EB-2 National Interest Waivers (NIW), Adjustment of Status, and Naturalization. Marta specializes in case strategy reviews, quality assurance, attorney and staff training, operational improvement, and immigration compliance. As an immigrant herself, Marta is passionate about helping legal professionals and organizations strengthen their immigration practices, improve case preparation, and better understand how immigration cases are evaluated and adjudicated. Drawing on her extensive USCIS leadership experience, Marta provides practical, real-world insights that help clients navigate complex immigration matters with confidence.
MEET THE Moderator
Düden Freeman
Düden Freeman, a former American Diplomat, is the founder of Idelirë Consulting, the company behind Visas 101. Düden has been on both sides of the Consular window, as an applicant, petitioner, and a Consular Officer, and she understands the weight of every consular decision from both the applicant's and the Consular Officer's perspectives.
She has personally interviewed and adjudicated tens-of-thousands of non-immigrant and immigrant visas, and she led trainings on employment-based visas and managed the E-visa unit at a U.S. Embassy. She also adjudicated and supervised the adjudication of thousands of U.S. passport applications. Düden served with the Department of State in Mali, Spain, Malaysia and at the Atlanta Passport Agency. She is the recipient of two Cable of the Month Awards and Meritorious and Superior Honor Awards at the Department of State.
Would you prefer a private and more personalized training for your law firm?
We got you. Schedule a complimentary call so we can discuss your needs.
30-Minute Introductory Call for Attorneys & ISPs
Choose this option if the following is true:
You are an attorney or the owner of an immigration service provider company (ISP)
You are interested in a private training for your law firm or ISP and/or
You would like to discuss our other services, including USCIS petition reviews or consular processing assistance
Trusted by immigration attorneys.
When immigration attorneys need insights from former USCIS or consular officers, they hire us.
No fluff. No sugarcoating. Honest truth.
Expert packet reviews, trainings, and interview prep.
As a firm specializing in immigration law, we often encounter complex cases that require a nuanced understanding of the processes involved in visa applications and adjudications. Düden’s expertise, drawn from her experience as a former visa officer, has been an invaluable asset to our practice.
★★★★★
Jimmy Lai, CEO & Founder
Lai & Turner Law
As a firm specializing in immigration law, we often encounter complex cases that require a nuanced understanding of the processes involved in visa adjudications. Düden’s expertise, drawn from her experience as a former visa officer, has been an invaluable asset to our practice.
No immigration lawyer has been inside a US consulate to attend an interview since 2001. That means you if want the best possible preparation for a consular interview you need to talk to a former consular officer. Duden Freeman has been incredibly successful at preparing my clients for difficult interviews. And it is best to prepare for your FIRST interview, not waiting to be prepared until after you were denied. If you are serious about wanting a visa to the US, take a consult with Düden and be prepared. Your future self will thank you!
Duden is a great partner and incredibly knowledgeable. She is tough on interviewees but that makes the process better downstream for them.
DISCLAIMERS
(a) Visas 101 is the education platform of Idelirë Consulting. Idelirë Consulting is not a law firm and does not provide legal services. The information, templates, forms, tips, and tools provided by, and through, Idelirë Consulting is not legal advice. Idelirë Consulting, and the employees and contractors (including attorneys, if any) of Idelirë Consulting, are not acting as Client’s attorneys, and none of the Services are a substitute for the advice of an attorney or Client licensed to practice law in Client’s state or home country. The information provided by Idelirë Consulting as part of the Services and Deliverables does not constitute a legal opinion on any matter. Client will not act upon any information obtained through the Services and Deliverables, without first consulting an attorney in the state where Client may require legal services. Idelirë Consulting’s personnel are not attorneys, and therefore, no attorney- Client relationship is formed if Client engages Idelirë Consulting to provide the Services and Deliverables. If Client requires legal advice, Client should consult with an attorney in Client’s jurisdiction.
(b) The Services do not include immigration assistance services. Idelirë Consulting does not provide assistance with completing any U.S. Government, or other government, forms for visa and/or passport applications and otherwise.
(c) Any information provided to Client by Idelirë Consulting’s personnel and/or contractors is intended for general educational or informational purposes only and is not a substitute for the advice and counsel of a qualified immigration lawyer or related professional. Nor is such information a guarantee of achieving any immigration status, visa application approval, or passport application approval.
(d) This training or website is NOT associated by, endorsed by, or approved by any U.S. or foreign government.
© 2026 Visas 101 is the educational platform of Idelirë Consulting, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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Trusted by immigration attorneys.
When immigration attorneys want to prep their clients for an upcoming visa interview, they hire us.
No fluff. No sugarcoating. Honest truth.
Prepare with the best.
As a firm specializing in immigration law, we often encounter complex cases that require a nuanced understanding of the processes involved in visa applications and adjudications. Düden’s expertise, drawn from her experience as a former visa officer, has been an invaluable asset to our practice.
★★★★★
Jimmy Lai, CEO & Founder
Lai & Turner Law
As a firm specializing in immigration law, we often encounter complex cases that require a nuanced understanding of the processes involved in visa applications and adjudications. Düden’s expertise, drawn from her experience as a former visa officer, has been an invaluable asset to our practice.
★★★★★
Jimmy Lai, CEO & Founder
Lai & Turner Law
Trusted by immigration attorneys.
When immigration attorneys want to prep their clients for an upcoming visa interview, they hire us.
No fluff. No sugarcoating. Honest truth.
Prepare with the best.
As a firm specializing in immigration law, we often encounter complex cases that require a nuanced understanding of the processes involved in visa applications and adjudications. Düden’s expertise, drawn from her experience as a former visa officer, has been an invaluable asset to our practice.
★★★★★
Jimmy Lai, CEO & Founder
Lai & Turner Law
As a firm specializing in immigration law, we often encounter complex cases that require a nuanced understanding of the processes involved in visa applications and adjudications. Düden’s expertise, drawn from her experience as a former visa officer, has been an invaluable asset to our practice.
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