Guestbook Entry for Uma Swamy, United States
Name
Uma Swamy
Country
United States
State
CA
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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.
Visa Bulletin For August 2021
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during August for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.
For more on the visa bulletin click the link below:
Can Student Visa Holders Apply for a Green Card?
This article was submitted to and published in The Economic Times.
Link to Rajiv's Author Page in The Economic Times.
08 July 2021: Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv (Every Other Thursday)
Nonimmigrant Visas
Green Card
Discussion Topics, Thursday, July 08, 2021:
FAQ: I-140 Employment Authorization (EAD) in Compelling Circumstances || Criminal Charges in Immigration - Domestic Violence Laws and Risk in Applying for I-485
I-140 Employment Authorization (EAD) in Compelling Circumstances
Question details
I had applied for the compelling circumstances EAD as i140 beneficiary when I lost my H1 job past July from info. thru these calls and our discussion. I found a new H1 job eventually in the grace period that H1 got approved later in Dec 2020.
Now after long wait, USCIS sent me biometrics appt. letter to go to ASC for fingerprints for this EAD. My question-
- Since it appears USCIS wants to proceed with this compelling EAD despite the fact they have approved H1 in Dec. itself, should I go for biometrics to get this EAD?
- If yes, is it fine to work elsewhere using that EAD(may be part time) while maintaining my H1 status thru current H1 job, or I got to pick one of the two? leaving my current H1 job will make me ineligible for i485 filing (in case my priority date may become current in another year) as that EAD is no H1 status right?
- Or should I not go for this EAD/biometrics at this point at all? do I need to inform USCIS anything?
FAQ Transcript
In my opinion withdraw your Compelling Circumstances EAD. I think it's both inappropriate and useless for you as far as I can tell. More...
Note: Where transcribed from audio/video, 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.
Criminal Charges in Immigration - Domestic Violence Laws and Risk in Applying for I-485
Question details
I had a domestic violence charge that got dismissed in pre-trial.
Soon after the incident occurred my attorney asked me to get 4-5 anger management classes as that would increase the chances of my case getting dismissed but said the court never asked/mandated the classes.
And he also said the prosecutor elected to dismiss the case due to lack of evidence and because he was satisfied that I completed anger management counseling sessions.
I've a few questions around this:
1) When I apply for I-485, will this situation be treated as Conviction by Immig Officer thouse the case was dismissed in pre-trial?
2) Can I be deported for this when I file for I-485? Am I risking by applying for I-485?
3) The court did not give a separate disposition letter (disposition is in the Criminal Complaint itself). We drafted a letter explaining the charges against me and the outcome of the case and took stamp, seal along with Clerk's signature from the court.
When I file my 485 will this letter be enough as a proof to the Immig Officer that my case was dismissed?
Or do I need to submit the entire docket?
FAQ Transcript
I would like your case to be assessed by a local immigration lawyer who does deportation cases, they usually know this area of the law fairly well. More...
Note: Where transcribed from audio/video, 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.
Visa Bulletin For August 2021
Number 56
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during August for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.
Agency
Green Card
Immigration Law
Applicants for Change of Status to F-1 Student No Longer Need to Submit Subsequent Applications to ‘Bridge the Gap’
Release Date
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced new policy guidance that eliminates the need for individuals who have applied for a change of status (COS) to F-1 student to apply to change or extend their nonimmigrant status while their initial F-1 COS application is pending.
F-1 students no longer need to file bridge petitions - USCIS policy change on COS
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today new policy guidance that eliminates the need for individuals who have applied for a change of status (COS) to F-1 student to apply to change or extend their nonimmigrant status while their initial F-1 COS application is pending.
Filing Location Updates for Certain Forms I-131
On July 22, USCIS adjusted the addresses for certain applicants filing Form I-131, Application for Travel Document. USCIS has not changed any filing locations but have refined attention lines and ZIP codes to improve internal processes at the lockboxes. This address update affects:
22 July 2021: Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv (Every Other Thursday)
Immigration.com
Green Card
Discussion Topics, Thursday, July 22, 2021:
F-1 OPT and STEM OPT students obtain settlement in Li v USCIS case
The following settlement was reached in Li v. USCIS in favor of the OPT and STEM OPT applicant students suffering from delays and rejections:
USCIS Conducts Second Random Selection from Previously Submitted FY 2022 H-1B Cap Registrations
In March 2021, USCIS conducted an initial random selection on properly submitted electronic registrations for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 H-1B cap, including for beneficiaries eligible for the advanced degree exemption.
USCIS Issues Proposed Rule to Adjust Certain Immigration and Naturalization Fees
Release Date
WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees. The new fees would allow USCIS to more fully recover its operating costs, reestablish and maintain timely case processing, and prevent the accumulation of future case backlogs. USCIS receives approximately 96 percent of its funding from filing fees, not from congressional appropriations.
USCIS Updated Forms - G-1055 and I-956K
USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):
01/04/2023 01:59 PM EST
USCIS Forms Update - Form I-134
USCIS recently updated the following form.
Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support
01/04/2023 09:24 AM EST
USCIS Releases New Immigrant Investor Form
Release Date
USCIS has published Form I-956K, Registration for Direct and Third-Party Promoters. The EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 added the requirement for direct and third-party promoters to register with USCIS.
Recording for January 05, 2023 Conference Call with Rajiv S. Khanna
Nonimmigrant Visas
Green Card
Discussion Topics
FAQ: Effect of typos on immigration documents || Concerns about EB-1C Green Card Portability || Who is required to pay for an EB-1C Green Card? || Can too many parking tickets affect Green Card or Citizenship process? ||
USCIS Q&As from an Interagency Engagement on International Student Issues
Question details
The CIS Ombudsman’s Webinar Series:
Interagency Engagement on International Student Issues
Thursday, August 25, 2022
1 - 2:15 p.m. EDT
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provided these answers to stakeholder questions gathered from the webinar.
.......................................................................................................
Question 1. Maintaining F-1 status
Question 2. Reinstatement
Question 3. OPT
Question 4. Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
Question 5. Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE)
Question 6. Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
Question 7. Change of Address
Question 8. Other
---------------------------------------------------------------
Maintaining F-1 status
Q1. Can a student under Optional Practical Training (OPT) travel out of the country for a few days (less than five days) without notifying the designated school official (DSO) or employer or do they need permission to travel?
Visa Bulletin For February 2023
Number 74
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during February for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.
Agency
Green Card
Immigration Law
AAO Processing Times (October - December 2022)
| Form Type | Case Type | Completed 0-180 Days | Quarterly Completions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative total of all completions | 69.69% | 848 | |
| I-129CW | Petition for CNMI Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker | 66.67% | 3 |
| I-129F | Petition for Fiancée | 100% | 14 |
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.