EOIR Issues Fact Sheet on the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO)

Executive Office for Immigration Review of the DOJ issued a fact sheet on its Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO). This office hears immigration cases related to employer sanctions, document fraud, unfair employment practices, and international marriage brokerage.
For detail information please check attachment.

Sponsoring my Mom for reinstating Green card

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My Mom had green card several years ago and lost staus. Now I would like to sponsor her for lost Green card. Will there be a preference or does it help her get GC faster? She is planning on coming here on a visitor visa and then file for sponsoring her for GC.

I am assuming you are a US citizen. You will be applying for a new green card, not reinstatement. As to the issue of applying for a green card after she enters on a visitors visa with a pre-conceived intent to apply for green card; this CAN (not always) be problematic. USCIS can consider this to be an improper use of her B visa.

I was married 9 years ago, getting divorced - EB1

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I was married 9 years ago and am now getting divorced. My wife’s green card was granted on the basis of my EB1 filing. To ensure that her GC remains valid, is there a period of time that we need to wait after the GC approval date before filing for divorce? If there’s no such requirement, is it okay to state that we separated over a year ago (prior to the GC approval) on the divorce papers?

First rule of all immigration filings is to state the truth. As to how they will view separation, I do not know if there is any specific law on this out there. My GUESS is, separation is NOT divorce. There can always be reconciliation. Hence, she should be permitted to keep her green card.

E-3 and TARP

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I was wondering if the "Employ American Workers Act" applied to people who apply for the E-3 visa ? The act, from my understanding has restrictions on the H-1B and companies that have taken TARP funds.

As far as I recall, TARP focuses only on H-1 employees. See my blog article with links to the law: http://forums.immigration.com/blog.php?b=94

How to transfer the approved I-140 - Physical Therapist

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I am a Physical Therapist and My I 140is approved through an OP rehab clinic and they applied for my GC too. Now I am ending 2 yr contract with the above mentioned company and I would like to know what is the procedure to change the company by maintaining my GC process.

I cannot think of any reason the law would be different for PT's in this respect. You can only carry the priority date (if your I-1485 was not filed more than 180 days ago). You will have to refile the I-140 with the new employer. Read my blog.

H-1 Visa re-stamping

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I have valid H1B stamp till 2010 sept from employer A. Just after coming into US, transferred to employer B. My transfer is approved and got the I797 approval notice, which is valid until Sep 2010. Now I am planning to go India. Can I re enter US using my previous employer's Visa stamp and the new I797 or do I need to get visa stamped again? Is it true that if the previous employer has cancelled the visa, it would be a problem and the visa has to be re-stamped. It would be great if this can be clarified?

An H-1 visa does NOT need to be stamped during its life even if you change employers. You can use the same visa to travel as long as you have never been out of status.

F1 and starting a business

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I was just wondering what the laws say about an F-1 student working for the company that he co-founded when he's on OPT. Suppose that I start up a new business while I'm still a full time student, I can't draw a salary from it but I maintain ownership, in part or whole. When I'm done with school, and approved for my OPT, can I work at my company and draw a salary from it then?

As far as I know, theoretically, you could be working for yourself on OPT as long as your work is related to your area of study. I think I read that in one of the FAQ issued by USCIS. But you will not be able to continue doing that on H-1.

L1 visa

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It seems that to qualify for an L1-A Visa, one has to be employed overseas by the same employer for a year on a full time basis. How would you define "full time"? Does a work schedule of 4 days a week qualify?

Generally speaking, 35 hours each week can be argued to be full time.

B-2 Visa

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I have a friend whose an oversea worker and was assigned in Thailand,wants to visit me in San Francisco, CA. Is it possible for him to apply for a B-2 visa? What are the requirements? How much is the fee?

Sure. B-2 is for casual visits. I suggest starting with the consular web site.