Priority Date

“Priority Date” determines your place in the queue for waiting for green card in the categories where there is a wait. When the govt. has reached your PD, it is said to be “current.” For family-based green cards, PD is the date your I-130 was filed; for PERM-based cases, the date your PERM was filed; for employment-based cases other than through PERM (like EB-1 cases), PD is the date your I-140 was filed. DOS publishes the movement of the PD queue every month in the Visa Bulletin: http://www.immigration.com/visa-bulletin

Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 11 February 2016

Immigration Law

Substantial transcription for video

Discussion Topics, Thursday, 11 February 2016:
FAQ: Traveling on EAD, Advance Parole, H-4; Does changing jobs require restarting green card; Returning to H-1 after I-485 EAD; Birth certificates and affidavits of birth, non-availability certificate, secondary evidence; E-3 visa change of employers and filing green card; Options after 6 years of H-1 are completed; Extending B-2 visa and status for dependent parent; Effect of change in project on EB-1C (International Managers/Executives) green card.

Other: H-4 for autistic son over 21; H-1 amendment location has changed; Using B-1 B-2 visa after Advance Parole expire, I-485 is abandoned; H-1 reuse and quota; I-140 priority date transfer and returning to old employer; H-1 quota if no visa was stamped; I-485 RFE; Correcting errors on Form I-130; Starting green card with new employer, porting (transfer of) priority date; AC21 changing jobs while RFE is pending; Denial of Form I-751, conditional permanent residence (green card); Resetting the clock on H-1B and L-1B; H-4 EAD issues; Applying for change of status from H-3 to F-1.

Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 14 January 2016

Citizenship and Naturalization

Substantial transcription for video

Discussion Topics, Thursday, 14 January 2016:

FAQ: Percentage arrangement for salary; Naturalization (citizenship) after lengthy stay abroad; H-1 6 years expiring, options; H-1 Cap exemption, visa stamped, but never worked; FAQ: Can I apply for H-4 visa if H-1 visa is rejected; can I convert from H-4 to H-1; Filing multiple PERM/green card petitions; Green card EB-1C international executive or manager, L-1A.
Other: Entering USA close to visa expiration; L-1B to L-1A and PERM; Transfer of priority date, green card through future employment, H-4 EAD based upon old employer’s I-140; H-4 EAD applying for green card, extending H-1; H-4 to H-1 conversion; Green card through future employer; Green card job duties, job title, promotion; G-315a RFE; Affidavit of birth; H-4 EAD and Change of Status; Priority date transfer, etc.

The Proposed I-140 EAD Rule - FAQ's

Question 1: Redo the PERM or just the I-140. If redoing the PERM again then what's new in this regulation? 

Answer: After 180 days, you can extend H-1 even if 140 is withdrawn.

Question 2: It seems that there is no easy provision for EAD/AP for approved 140 applicants. So is there any point in waiting for this rule or Should I consider Visa stamping is only option for traveling outside US? Please suggest as I waited for a year or long thought they are going to give AP.

Difference between I-140 withdrawn and revoked

Question details

I saw some online forums stating that if I-140 withdrawn you can retain your PD date. Is it true under current circumstances? What is difference between I-140 Withdraw vs I-140 Revoke? If both are not the same, in which cases employers to for withdraw.

Video URL
FAQ Transcript

A revocation means that an I-140 was initially approved and then subsequently canceled. Therefore, a revocation implies there was an initial approval. If a case has never been approved, it cannot be revoked; it can only be withdrawn or denied.

For example, let's consider a scenario: I, as your employer, file your I-140 application, and if USCIS informs us that they are denying the case due to certain problems, this constitutes a denial. This is a clear and understandable situation. However, if I, as your employer, submit a cancellation request before the case is approved, that is referred to as a withdrawal. On the other hand, if the case is already approved, and I decide to inform USCIS that I wish to cancel it, this is categorized as a revocation.

Another circumstance that leads to revocation is when USCIS has initially approved a case but later issues a notice of intent to revoke the approval. Additionally, if they discover any fraud, this is a grave matter that should not be overlooked, as it carries criminal implications and can result in a permanent bar for the employee from entering the US.

In summary, when a case is approved and subsequently canceled, whether by the employer or the government, it is considered a revocation. However, if the case is still pending, the only options are withdrawal or denial.

Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 17 December 2015

Substantial transcription for video

Topics Discussed, Thursday, 17 December 2015:

FAQ: Can TN work on 1099 as independent contractor; Difference between I-140 withdrawn and revoked; 

Other: H-1 quota exemption; H-1B denial; H-1B how to file Form DS-160; I-140 revoked, refiling; H-1 L-1 221(g); I-130 processing; I-485 approval while COS pending; I-90 to renew green card; Misrepresentation in visa/ESTA; Contract for B-1/B-2 visa for domestic help from foreign country; Getting H-1 extension I-140 revoked, refiled; DV lottery (NOT my area of expertise); H-1 change of location; Does H-4 extension also extend H-4 visa stamp automatically? I-140 recapture or port priority date; Travelling while STEM extension pending.

What is I-485 Pre-adjudicate/Pre-adjudication and How soon must I join my future green card employer

Question details

What is I-485 Pre-adjudicate/Pre-adjudication?
How soon must I join my future green card employer?
Situation -
I have my EB2 India PD as March, 2008. I applied for I-485 in Oct 2014 (Future based GC application). My PD is not current as of yet but I have got an RFE for expired medical form I-693 ONLY in Oct, 2015.

Video URL
FAQ Transcript

Question: What is I-485 Pre-adjudicate/Pre-adjudication?

You are at the last step of the green card process. Your priority dates became current, you filed the I-485, then the priority dates slipped back two years, at this time USCIS has two choices. They can either put your file in their filing cabinet and forget about the case, until the priority dates become current again. Or they can sit down and can say look we have time, let’s go over the case, adjudicate all the details, decide that the case is completely qualified to receive a green card, so we pre-adjudicate, decide that the person is entitled to get the green card. Make a note on the file. If you need some documents, we send an RFE get the documents so when the priority dates become current again all we have to do is issue the green card. That’s pre-adjudicate.

Question: How soon must I join my future green card employer? 

There is really no rule of thumb. But within a commercially reasonable period of time. Three to four months maybe, after approval of the green card, you should join the future green card employer. In your particular case that appears to be a requirement sometimes it may not be a requirement because of AC21 and remember AC21 portability is available even in future employer green card cases.

How to Calculate Dates from Visa Bulletin

Question details

How can I calculate my sister's possible visa interview? I am confused with these changes on final action date etc.

See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.  

FAQ Transcript

Priority Date (PD) is the date when your green card visa numbers are available. It means that you are entitled to get your green card. It doesn’t mean you can get it right away. But it means you are in a stage were you are about to get your green card. So Priority Date is usually the date on which your application was started. In case of family based petitions Priority Date is when I-130 was filed. In the case of Employment based cases it is based upon when PERM was filed. Employment based cases were PERM is not involved, direct I-140 is involved such as National Interest Waivers, EB-1s - Priority Date is the date you file the I-140. Your Priority Date depends upon the date your case was started. That’s one thing you got to worry about.

 When you go to Visas Bulletin which is a monthly publication of the US Department of State it tells you what visa dates are expected to be curbed or in other words where the queue is for the next month. So in December they will issue predictions for January, in January they will issue predictions for February, then on top of that you have to worry about processing times. Sometimes for e.g.: in US Citizen’s cases there is no Priority Date back up, dates are immediately current for e.g.: spouse of a US Citizen, parent of a US Citizen, minor unmarried child of a US Citizen, there are no Priority Date   issues here. In these cases, you have to worry only about the processing times. So when you file the form the form takes set amount of time to process. Now a new concept has been started a couple of months ago, if you go to the USCIS website it tells you if you are in the United States this is the date when you can file your last step of the green card process. If you are outside USA this is the date, you can expect to receive further paper work from the consulate. It doesn’t mean you are going to get your green card right away but you are eligible or close to getting it.

Here is another variable. How much time is it taking at that consulate to schedule interviews. Some consulates are heavily overworked. Some consulates are relatively less worked. So that’s the fourth variable. First variable was Priority Date, second variable is processing times, third variable is final action dates which is also the part of Visa Bulletin a slightly different table, and the fourth is the local processing times.

Question: How can I calculate my sister's possible visa interview? I am confused with these changes on final action date etc. Her PD is 1 Feb, 2011 visa category F2B. She has already submitted dox to NVC. When she was waiting for the visa date she turned 21 and moved to f2b cat.1. When do you think it will be? Which table to consider? At the Visa bulletin one, I mean. 

First of all, if her Priority Date is current normally within a few months, probably less than six months. At the Visa Bulletin the final action table tells you approximately when she can expect her final documents.

Question: Once the other parent becomes citizen in USA would it be helpful to submit another petition for her? Would you advise it to be in the safe side? 

You can. You can file multiple cases for the same individual. That is not a problem. As long as you see some gain in it depending upon the country she was born in, in filing through two separate categories you can certainly do that.

No loss of priority date if employer revokes I-140; Green card through future employer

Question details

I have my perm labor and I-140 approved through EMPLOYER A (Consulting Firm). Priority Date June 2013. If I am going to change Employer, EMPLOYER A is going to REVOKE MY I-140. I heard from your last conference call that i will be loosing my priority if I-140 is revoked by employer.I am close to 5th year of H-1. so cant take chances. If I move to FT position in the next 6 months and say my current employer revokes I-140. I will not be able to get extension for H-1 beyond 6 years.

See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.   

https://youtu.be/H_VV9kV_lOg?t=688

Priority date loss upon revocation of I-140

Question details

1) Is there any difference between I-140 revoked by employer - vs - I-140 revoked by USCIS (say for fraud or misrepresentation) with respect to being able to retain the priority date with the new employer ?<br>
2) Changing from Employer A to Employer B - If Employer B files the PERM before I-140 by employer A is revoked by the employer A - would that help retain the PD corresponding I-140 to employer A ? In other words, are there any specific scenarios in this case - where the PD could be retained based on the first I-140 approval ?

As far as we know, USCIS has once again revered its position and has stated that priority dates will be retained if the revocation is based upon an employer's request.  See: the blog entry here