Visa Bulletin - June 2009
Number 9
Volume IX
Washington, D.C.
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS
H-3 Visa Services and Fees
The fee schedule for H-3 classification (fees are payable by personal or corporate checks) is as follows:
| 1. | Legal fees(for our Office): $2,200 |
Nonimmigrant Visas
Getting F-1 while I-485/AOS is pending
Question details
1) Can i keep my Priority Date and apply for the Greencard later (after graduating from school) with it? Would that be possible even if the job is not similar to the one for which I got the labor approval this time around?
2) Would it be possible to keep the 485 active when I am in school? If it helps, my Ph.D is in the same field as my Masters (also from the US).
3) If I receive an RFE on my 485 about employment etc and I can't respond, would that have any effect on the validity of my F-1?
4) After I got the F-1, I re-entered the country back on my H-1 since I wanted to continue to work for a bit. My H-1 expires in a few weeks.
5) Should i withdraw the 485? If not, will I get into trouble while going out and coming back in?
6) I'd need to inform USCIS of my address change. If I'm keeping the 485 active, I'd have to specifically mention the address change for those applications as well. Should I just go ahead and do that?
1) You should be able to keep your PD because your I-140 is approved. The jobs do not have to be similar, but you do have to start your GC all over again.
2) Only if the employer (or some other employer with a similar job - AC21) holds the job open for you and you have the intention of joining them upon approval of GC or earlier. But do keep in mind the next answer.
3) I see no effect. But do remember, USCIS has indicated that F-1 and AOS cannot both co-exist. We do not have much elaboration on this statement.
4) You can stay as an adjustee.
Following to join
Question details
This is regarding my sister who is going through lot of stress due to visa issues.
She has been on H4 for past 9 years. Her H1 was approved in 2007 with an employer who wanted to hire when she was doing her MBA from a reputed University here in US. They were even willing to hire her once she is done.
3 months back her husband lost his job and had to go on EAD since (My sister could not do it because she was traveling out of US in 2007 when the window opened).
She has decided to go on H1 status. She has to get it stamped outside US as she had lost her H4 status. It has been now more than a month and she is stuck out of US (in UAE). Her employer is a small firm and due to THE bad economy she is very nervous about the future even if she gets H1 B.
Here are our questions/ concerns. Please do answer these:
1. If she gets H1 B could her husband still file for Follow to Join. There is no guarantee in this environment it would give her peace of mind if he could.
2. God forbid - If she doesnot get H1B and her husband files for Follow to Join - would she have to stay out side US to do consulate processing?? How much time it takes?
3. Any advise/ suggestions are welcome.
I am assuming the situation is that the husband's AOS is pending and he is using AC21 portability. That said, she is entitled to follow to join because she was (is) married to him before his green card got approved. There is NO requirement that a spouse must on a derivative visa (like H-4) in order to follow to join. She can follow to join even if she is outside USA, OR on F-1, H-1, L-1 or any independent visa. She will have to stay outside USA if her H-1 is denied, unless he revives his H-1 and brings her back on H-4.
TSC Update – 06/03/09
Internal procedure by which Motion to Re-open, Motion to Reconsider or Appeal is handled
Presently at the USCIS TSC the officer that issued the denial generally adjudicates the MTR. But this system will slowly change. The denial of the MTR will be reviewed by a supervisor. An appeal filed under 8 C.F.R. § 103.3 will always be first considered as an MTR.
Be sure to submit the supporting documentation along with the I-290B. If the center considers its decision as correct it will forward he appeal to the AAO.
USCIS Responds to CIS Ombudsman's Recommendation on Improving the Process for T & U Visa Applicants
USCIS, responds to the CIS Ombudsman's Recommendation 39: "Improving the Process for Victims of Trafficking and Certain Criminal Activity: The T and U Visas."
USCIS Reminder to Obtain Advance Parole Before Traveling Abroad
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds applicants for Adjustment of Status, Asylum, Legalization, and TPS Beneficiaries individuals that they must obtain Advance Parole from USCIS before traveling abroad.
Employment-based out of status protection for AOS - Section 245(K)
Question details
My previous employer didn't pay me for 7 continuous months in 2006, Current employer is going to file I-140 and I-485 based on my EB2 PERM. I have all W2 and Pay stubs except that period. will that going to affect my GC application ? Please let me know what are the possible consequences of that. I didn't know about that 180 days rule.
Pursuant to section 245k of INA, an employment-based applicant and their family can file for an AOS (I-485) if they have been out of status or have worked without authorization for less than 180 days. The protection period is counted since the date of your most recent entry into USA. So if before filing I-485, you leave USA and reenter, you should have no issues. There are other ways to fix this also, but this is the most direct.
See attached USCIS Neufield Memo of 14 July 2008.
H-1 Quota Count as of May 22, 2009
USCIS states that as of May 22, 2009 it has received approximately 45,700 H-1B cap-subject cases. So, the cap is still not reached. Also, USCIS has received approximately 20,000 petitions qualifying for the advanced degree cap exemption. USCIS will continue to accept both cap-subject petitions and advanced degree petitions.
NSC Updates – 05/26/09
I-140 backlog
USCIS has recently updated the number of petitions they have pending. The backlog for I-140 was 40,000 in October and now it is down to 10, 000.
I-485
USCIS has indicated that the EB-485 team at the NSC center is pre-adjudicating cases and will be ready to approve cases as soon as the priority date becomes current.
Filing an appeal