USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First Half of FY 2018
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has reached the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the first half of fiscal year 2018.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has reached the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the first half of fiscal year 2018.
USCIS is no longer considering a consular certificate documenting an individual’s birth outside of Cuba to a Cuban parent as sufficient evidence of Cuban citizenship. This policy memorandum aligns with Cuban law and applies to individuals born outside of Cuba applying for lawful permanent resident status in the United States under the Cuban Adjustment Act (CAA).
USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):
USCIS has published a revised version of Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, with an edition date of 09/17/18. This revised version removes the geographic requirement for sending an original notice to a U.S. address for attorneys and representatives that had been added to the 05/05/16 and 05/23/18 versions of the form.
I have an H-1B visa stamped from employer A and the employer B has filed my H-1B (Transfer visa) based on the H-1B petition visa from employer A. Now, my H-1B visa filed by employer B is on RFE and my employer A wants to file the GC based on my previously approved i-140 from employer C. Below are my questions: <br>
1. Can I reject the offer from employer B and still continue to work with employer A on current Visa if my H-1B from employer B is approved?<br>
2. Can I reject the offer from employer B and still continue to work with employer A on current Visa if my H-1B from employer B is denied?<br>
3. In case my visa from employer B is rejected do I need to leave the country and come on the stamped visa which I have now?<br>
4. Can I ask employer A to file my Green Card even if my H-1B from employer B is rejected or approved without any issues or do I need to provide any visa documentation to employer A on my petition from employer B being approved or rejected?
Can I immediately file the Green Card with employer B (after joining the employer B office) if my visa from employer B is approved?
Watch the Video on this FAQ: Can I join my old employer if the H-1B transfer is denied?
Video Transcript:
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
I am 38 year old Banker working in Doha Qatar, I have 16 year old son studying in 10th grade in Qatar, Recently I came across radio advertisement from Dubai that to avail Green Card I need to invest 500,000/- USD with projects of those construction companies stating that within 18 months I can avail conditional green card and within the next 24 months, I will have permanent Green card. My investment of 500,000/- USD will be returned back after five years without any interest or benefits. Once I will have conditional green card , will my son be eligible to get admission in US universities under Local student fees structure and not international fees structure.
Watch the Video on this FAQ: Green card based upon investment – EB-5
Video Transcript:
When you are doing an investment based green card first of all you have to look at these moving parts:
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
I & my wife are completing 5 years now on US Green Card, but are apprehensive to go ahead and file for our US Citizenship under the current circumstances. We also read that PR's who are using state or federal benefits are more susceptible to denials. I am making close to 200K salary and not dependent on any govt sponsored benefits or funds. But our kid has been diagnosed for Autism and he is receiving services from Department of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). The State alone is not paying for his services but we are primarily being billed on our private medical insurance for his therapy sessions every week. The school he is attending may be getting some funds for his additional care at school, considering his medical condition. Our questions are: Since we have been using DDD services for genuine medical reasons and I am in the higher salary bracket, would this be an issue for us in getting our Citizenship? Are the denials only for low income groups who are getting benefits from the government? Should we wait for some more time to apply for Citizenship?
Video Transcript:
Under the current regulations the prohibited benefits are:
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
USCIS is proposing to revise our Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, to remove the receipt of means-tested benefits from the eligibility criteria. A means-tested benefit is a public benefit where eligibility for the benefit, the amount of the benefit, or both, is based on an individual’s income level.
F-1 students who have an H-1B petition that remains pending on Oct. 1, 2018, risk accruing unlawful presence if they continue to work on or after Oct. 1 (unless otherwise authorized to continue employment), as their “cap-gap” work authorization is only valid through Sept. 30.
DATE | Chart for all Employment - Based I-485 Pending Inventory |
July, 2018 |
I am currently working with employer A on H-1B visa with I-140 approved for over 180 days. My wife is on F-1 EAD. I am planning to move her visa status from F-1 to H-4 EAD AFTER I join Employer B next month based on my approved I-140 from my employer A. <br>
My questions are:<br>
1. Once I join employer B, will I be able to apply for my wife's H4 EAD based on approved I140 which I have from employer A? Can I apply both visa status change (F1 to H4) and application for H4 EAD concurrently?<br>
2. In other words, will changing my employer impact my wife's eligibility to get H-4 EAD based on my approved I-140 from previous employer?<br>
3. Can I change multiple employer based on I-140 approved from employer A? If yes, what if employer B has already started green card process (PERM)?<br>
4. If I get I-140 approved from employer B also then what will happen to I-140 approved with employer A?
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
PERM Processing Times (as of 08/31/2018)
As of September 4, 2018, USCIS transferred some of the following cases from the Vermont Service Center to the Potomac Service Center and the Nebraska Service Center:
On Sep. 10, USCIS changed the filing location for Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence. This form was previously filed at the California and Vermont service centers. Now, petitioners must send Form I-751 to a USCIS Lockbox facility. However, the California, Nebraska, Vermont, and Texas service centers will be the adjudicating offices.
Number 22
Volume X
Sept 13 Conference Call, Topics of Discussion
Travelling outside the US when H1 is pending, but already have a valid H1 and stamping, SEP-11-2018 USCIS PREMIUM STOPPAGE / NO MORE RFE'S ON OR AFTER SEP-11-2018
On Sept. 6, 2018, the CIS Ombudsman (CISOMB)1 held a stakeholder teleconference to discuss the USCIS “Issuance of Certain RFEs and NOIDs” policy memorandum (PM) that was issued on July 13, 2018. USCIS representatives provided an overview of the memorandum and addressed many questions submitted in advance by the CISOMB. The updated policy went into effect on September 11, 2018. Below is the link of the summary of the PM and the advance questions and answers from the teleconference.
Effective immediately, USCIS will begin accepting copies of negative consultation letters directly from labor unions relating to a current or future O nonimmigrant visa petition request.
WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced the agency will celebrate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, observed on Sept. 17, with over 260 naturalization ceremonies across the country from Sept. 14 to 23 as part of this year’s celebration of Constitution Week.
USCIS is sending text and email messages between Sept. 17 and Sept. 20, 2018, about filing Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card online. If you are a lawful permanent resident and your Green Card has expired or is about to expire, or if you need to replace it for another reason, you may file Form I-90 online.
My wife is on TN (expiry date : Oct/2019) and my two kids are on her TN as TD visa holders (expiry date : Oct/2019).
I am on TN Visa (expiry date : Apr/2019) and my perm just got approved and am in the process of simultaneously activating my earlier inactivated H1B visa and filing the I-140 with the hope after few months down I will be with an approved I-140 and H1B.
My wife wants to stay on TN (kids on TD) as long as possible because the employer doesn't want to sponsor H1B and moving to H4 EAD doesn't look like a smart option now due to uncertainty surrounding H4-EAD's.
Watch the Video on this FAQ: TN applying for green card
Video Transcript:
Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.
I have read that in some cases of H1B as follows "They had H1 petition and H1B visa was stamped in 2012 but they never traveled to the US on that. And when a new employer applied for a cap-exempt H1B petition in 2017 they got it approved with change of status to H1 in May 2017...Whereas in my case I also didn't use this H1B visa and I even didn't travel to US i.e. My employer filed H1B in 2016 which got approved in Sep 2016 and after my resignation, they revoked H1B in Nov 2016 (which is > OCt, 1 2016), but I got a Denial. When contacted few attorneys they said I may get "Approvals" Or "Deny" in such cases, nowadays its more of details saying I am NOT cap exempt?
The first principle is if you are in the United States and you do not get a change of status you are not exempt from the quota. The second principle is if you are outside the USA and you don't get a visa stamp you are not exempt from the quota. Now in both these cases whether you join the job or not is irrelevant. So the third principle is whether you are joining the job or not is irrelevant.
If you are in your home country you must get a visa stamp if you don't, you are not exempt from the quota. If you are in the USA you must get a change of status otherwise you are not exempt from the quota. Hence principal number four is that if your approved H-1 is revoked before October 1st then you are still subject to the quota and the last principle is if your H-1 is revoked for error or for fraud or misrepresentation you are still subject to the quota.
Mr Khanna provided great advice regarding my petition as it was complicated. We had to apply for an amendment while current H1B extension was pending. Mr Khanna made all the right arguments and we were able to get an approval. All along the process I've been working with Kalpana and Bharathi on regular basis and had calls scheduled with Mr Khanna when needed. They were very detailed and current in terms of documentation.
I would like to thank them once again and highly recommend "Law Office of Rajiv S. Khanna".