USCIS Forms Update Notice
USCIS recently updated the following form(s):
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State Department Announces that Ink Signature No Longer Required on Affidavits of Support
As part of our ongoing efforts to be responsive to customer needs in immigrant visa processing, the Department of State is pleased to announce that original or “wet ink” signatures are no longer required on submitted Forms I-864, Affidavit of Support. This also applies to the I-864A, I-864W, and I-864EZ.
Guestbook Entry for Uma Swamy, United States
Name
Uma Swamy
Country
United States
State
CA
Guestbook Entry for Suresh Joshi , United States
Name
Suresh Joshi
Country
United States
State
VA
Comment
I and my family received our GC stamping on June 25th,2001. I started the whole process in Oct 1998 with Rajiv Khanna as my attorney. He is a lawyer of great standing and has helped me at every point in the whole process. I must mention here that the paperwork done under his guidance has been perfect and I had no RFE's except at the last stage for an employment letter. This substantially reduces the total time of this lengthy process. I am specifically mentioning this because I have seen some of my friends stuck for years in the process because of careless paperwork. Also I had some problem regarding the evaluation of my education and Rajiv's correct strategy helped me and I could come out of the problem. I found the staff in his office in general and with a special mention of Suman Bhasin, Laila Lehman, Shivani Sharma and Diane Lombardo, very co-operative. Thanks to Rajiv and his staff.
Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 1 December 2016
Immigration Law
Green Card
Substantial transcription for video
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 1 December 2016:
FAQ: New I-140 EAD regulations -- Extending H-1 after I-140 revocation, retaining priority dates under new regulations, per country limits, EAD under the new regulations; effective date of new regulations; Visa cancelled CWOP, 214(b) denial; FAQ: Implications of joining an end client where H-1B employer objects, H-1B employer not paying salary - DOL Wage and Hour Division Complaint WH-4; AC21 green card portability, "same or similar" job under old/new regulations, working on 1099 as contractor; Frequency of visits and duration of stay on tourist/visitors/B-1/B-2 visa; Foreign Medical Graduates, Physicians, H-1B for part time jobs, concurrent cap and cap exempt H-1B employment.
Other: Consular processing green card through future employer; Can one start H-1B job before the requested start date? Court orders for migration of child by divorced parent; H-2B extension, denial, 240-day rule; Volunteering on F-1 OPT; Aging out; Name errors on green card; Humanitarian parole, H-1B change of status, etc.
AAO Processing Times as of December 1, 2016
| Form Number |
Case Type |
Time |
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Agency
Immigration Law
Visa Bulletin - January 2017
Agency
Green Card
USCIS Announces Citizenship Resource Center Improved for Mobile Devices
Beginning December 12, the free citizenship preparation and study materials in USCIS’ Citizenship Resource Center will be easier to use from a smartphone, tablet or other mobile device. Among the improvements, the new design puts key navigational links inside a single “hamburger” icon like that found on many other mobile sites. This redesign follows the launch of mobile friendly design on other parts of uscis.gov and uscis.gov/es earlier this year.
USCIS Announces Extension of Parole for Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens
To allow immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and certain “stateless” individuals to maintain legal status in the CNMI, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has extended the parole program for these relatives, effective immediately, until December 31, 2018.
To apply for extension of this parole, you must:
What is new regulations for H-1 grace period, revocation of I-140 ?
Question details
My I 140 is approved in 2013 and H1-B 5 year and 3 months are completed.
I have important question , after 17 Jan 2016 , my any chance I loose my job and my employer revoke my H1-B and I 140.
1. Will I get some time to find new job and new employee to transfer my H1-B ?
2. after my employer revoke my H1-B what is time line I can still transfer my H1-B visa with new employer?
Government will sympathetically consider unexpected layoffs and should give you consideration up to 60 days each H-1 period. So one 60 day period let say you have taken and then changed your employer another 60 day period kind of like that and there is little more to it but each time there is new validity to H-1 . You will be able to get 60 more days.
FAQ 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.
USCIS Publishes Interim Rule on T Nonimmigrant Status
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations governing the requirements and procedures for victims of human trafficking who seek T nonimmigrant status. DHS is also streamlining procedures, responding to public comments, and providing guidance on the statutory requirements for T nonimmigrants in order to ensure that the T nonimmigrant status (T visa) regulations are up to date and reflect USCIS’ adjudicative experience.
H-2B Returning Worker Program Expired
The H-2B returning worker provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-113) expired on Sept.
USCIS Fee Changes Take Effect Dec. 23
USCIS reminds applicants and petitioners to pay new fees with forms postmarked or filed on or after Dec. 23, 2016, or USCIS will not be able to accept the filings. USCIS will only accept previous fees if they are postmarked Dec. 22 or earlier.
Student Visa Overview
Student Visa Overview
The U.S. provides several nonimmigrant visa categories for persons wishing to study in the United States.
Profession/Occupation
EB-4 Religious Workers
Eligibility and Filing
To qualify as an EB-4 special immigrant religious worker, you must be a member of a religious denomination that has a non-profit religious organization in the United States. You must have been a member of this religious denomination for at minimum two years before applying for admission to the United States. Furthermore, you must be entering the United States to work:
-
As a minister or priest of the religious denomination;
Green Card
C, D Visas Processing times and status checks
Links to useful resources for Visa processing times and status checks.
Nonimmigrant Visas
B Visa Overview
The B visa category applies to citizens of foreign countries who wish to visit the United States for a temporary period. There are two types of B visas: B-1 (for business) and B-2 (for pleasure or medical treatment). A B-1 visa would be issued for an individual desiring to enter the U.S. to consult with business associates; attend a scientific, educational, professional or business convention or conference; settle an estate; or negotiate a contract. A B-2 visa would be issued for an individual wishing to enter the U.S.
Nonimmigrant Visas
EB-2 Advanced Degrees & Experience
EB-2 Professionals with Advanced Degrees or Persons with Exceptional Ability
The following persons fall under this category:
Green Card
EB-3 Bachelor's Degree, Skilled, Unskilled Workers
EB-3 Overview
EB-3 Classification is appropriate for:
Professionals with a baccalaureate degree (or foreign equivalent degree but not necessarily any experience);
Skilled Workers with at minimum two years of experience (there is no degree requirement); and
Unskilled Workers who have less than two years of training or experience.
Green Card
K Visa Overview
Introduction - K-1/K-2 Status
The K-1 Fiancé (e) Visa allows foreign nationals, potential spouses of United States Citizens to enter the United States for the sole purpose of marriage.
The marriage between the foreign national and United States citizen must take place within ninety (90) days of entry into the United States. It should be noted that the actual visa expiration is insignificant as long as a foreign national has complied with the terms of the visa.
In order to be eligible for K-1 status, a foreign national must provide proof that:
Nonimmigrant Visas
I Visa Processing times & status checks
Processing Times
- USCIS Service Center Processing Times
- California Service Center
- Nebraska Service Center
- Texas service Center
- Vermont Service Center
My wife and I received our GC within 28 months for the whole process with Rajiv S. Khanna as our attorney. Rajiv is an expert on Immigration Laws and is straight up and abreast of rules & regulations and is strict about the law and stays strictly as defensive. He helped us at every point in the whole process. We never get any problem or incompletion about the paperwork done under his guidance, which has been perfect. Perfect paperwork reduces the total time of this lengthy process. We are greatly thankful to Diane Lombardo, who is always available and is happy to responds calmly and peacefully. Also many, many thanks to Leila, Suman, Lakshmi, Shivani and other staff members who are very co-operative and would return calls & e-mails promptly. In short Rajiv and his staff made the whole process very easy, simple and painless. We are really glad that we chose this Law firm. We are greatly pleased with Rajiv and his staff as far as their professionalism, courtesy and promptness regarding my GC. Many of my friends and employees of our company went through Rajiv and all of them are also happy like me. We are thankful to Rajiv and his staff.