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
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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.
Guestbook Entry for Manoj Jadhav, United States
Name
Manoj Jadhav
Country
United States
State
FL
Comment
I am very delighted to write our journey for O1 visa apporval for me and my wife with Mr. Rajiv ji and his excellent, highly professional and kind team. We approached to Mr. Khanna's law firm through my current employer, the process of writing the petition, collecting the papers and then review, edit and final submission was handled with the highest quality standards and as per the required regulations. We had several phone call discussions with Mr. Khanna, and to my surprise he knew every minute details of the information which was provided to him by us. Frankly speaking this was a truly professional at the same time a kind humanized approach from the team of Mr. Khanna. Special thanks goes to Ms. Diane Lombardo for her unconditional help, support and encouragement. We strongly recommend this firm to be used for any law related assignment. (e.g. visa, green card etc). Time management was excellent, follow up was extremely good. Best Regards, Dr. Manoj Jadhav,PhD, FCP
DHS Announces Changes to Entry Requirements for Caribbean Residents Traveling to U.S. as Agricultural Workers
For Immediate Release
DHS Press Office
Contact: 202-282-8010
DoS Office of Press Relations
Contact: 202-647-2492
H-2B Returning Workers Exempted from the H-2B Cap for Fiscal Year 2016
Effective December 18, 2015, H-2B workers identified as “returning workers” are exempted from the fiscal year (FY) 2016 annual H-2B cap of 66,000 visas. See Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) §214(g)(9)(a), 8 U.S.C. 1184(g)(9)(a), as revised by Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-113).
A returning worker is defined as an H-2B worker who was previously counted against the annual H-2B cap of 66,000 visas during FYs 2013, 2014, or 2015. This means:
Visa Bulletin - March 2016
Green Card
Immigration Law
Updated Edition of Form I-131 Posted
USCIS published an updated editon of Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. The new edition is dated 01/22/16. (USCIS will continue to accept the 03/22/13 edition, but no other previous editions will be accepted.)
DHS Enhances Opportunities for H-1B1, E-3, CW-1 Nonimmigrants and Certain EB-1 Immigrants, Final Rule Posted
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amended its regulations today to improve the programs serving the H-1B1, E-3 and CW-1 nonimmigrant classifications and the EB-1 immigrant classification, and remove unnecessary hurdles that place such workers at a disadvantage when compared to similarly situated workers in other visa classifications.
Updated Edition of Form I-912P Posted
USCIS published an updated editon of Form I-912P, HHS Poverty Guidelines for Fee Waiver Request. The new edition is dated 01/28/16. Previous editions should not be used.
When to File Your Adjustment of Status Application for Family-Sponsored or Employment-Based Preference Visas: March 2016
Are you seeking to adjust your status and become a U.S. permanent resident under a family-sponsored or employment-based preference immigrant visa? If you have not yet had a relative or employer file an immigrant visa petition on your behalf, please learn more about the Adjustment of Status Filing Process.
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.