Got there at 6am and there were already about 80 people ahead of us.
At 6:15 they started handing out tickets. At 7:30 we had ours.
Went inside to sit down and at 7:45 our number came up. Handed over copies of the I-765 and I-485 receipt notices (it speeds up things if they do not have to make the copies) and newly filled out I-765s (they want them).
I just got my H-1B renewed for a 7th Year through the Law offices of Rajiv S. Khanna. Rajiv, with whom, I had been corresponding on various issues pertaining to my greencard, H-1B, etc., is always accessible and extremely helpful. He is extremely prompt in responding to the email--usually in a few hours and sometimes almost instantaneous. His promptness had always helped to ease the anxiety levels. I will be always be grateful for that, THANK YOU RAJIV. I also would like to thank Richa Narang, Shivane Sharma for their work and time on my GC case. And, Anna Baker and Charu Bhagat for their time and work on my H-1B 7th Year extension. I had countless conversations with Richa, Shivane, and Anna. They are not only diligent and professional in the work they do, but more importantly all the three have a great human trait: EMPATHY. They are prompt in responding to emails and in keeping me informed of the status. My sincere thanks to all of you and keep up the good work. I have already recommended Law offices of Rajiv S. Khanna to several of my friends. And many are now his clients.
Rajiv S. Khanna's office was very thorough, professional, and most importantly responsive. We worked with Rena Waddell. She was very easy to work with and knowledgeable. We will definitely use this office for any other immigration issues. Elyse Lazerwitz
I would be glad to recommend Rajiv S. Khanna's law office to anyone, without any hesitation. I have successfully got approval of new H1B visa (premium processing) in a week and services provided by Rena Waddell is excellent, quick and very professional. One of the major benefit is that they exploit the past experiences through expertise of various attorneys working within firm which could reduce chances of RFE/queries from USCIS dramatically and saves time. Thank you.
One word - SUPER! They are super. It is my second time of having a very pleasant experience with these people. Everything is very professional. Their services are worth every red penny!
My H1B visa application was recently approved and the entire process with the Rajiv Khanna's Law firm was a pleasant and no-stress experience. The team was very professional and I really appreciate the prompt, friendly, to-the point approach of Ms Rena Waddell. She really gave me tips on how to fill out all the long explanations one has to give while filling out the application.She was very helpful overall.It really saved me a lot of headache and everything went smoothly. Wishing you guys the best of luck and keep up the good work. Given the present scenario regarding the H1 application process, this was a welcome experience.
I could not have got a better service with any other law offices. I had no problem and the advice I got was always timely, precise and correct. I had recommended my friends and family and they always got great advice from Mr. Khanna.Everybody in the office is always approachable and helpful. I still visit immigration.com regularly for various reasons and the effort that goes into keeping it up to date is really appreciated.
The Law Offices Of Rajiv Khanna was very efficient in processing my H1-B application, especially Rena Waddell my case manager was prompt and handled my case carefully, she always kept me updated on my case. Lastly they made my case approved in 2 months with normal processing which usually takes 4-6 months these days. I would highly recommend immigration.com.
Release Date
As part of the credit card payment pilot program, the USCIS service centers are now accepting credit card payments using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, for all forms except Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, for H-1B and H-2A petitions.
USCIS recently updated the lockbox filing location information for the following USCIS form(s). Please see the “Where to File” section of the webpage for your form.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, March 03, 2022:
FAQ: Abandonment; can I leave the USA while a change of status is pending?/Stamping requirements || Relation between F-1 status and I-485 AOS (child covered under Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)) || Relation between F-1 OPT and H-1B lottery change of status and changing employers || Is doing an unpaid U.S. externship/observership with F-2 visa unauthorized employment? || Can parents of U.S. citizens travel to the U.S. on an existing B-2 visa while their GC is pending?
FAQ's answered in The Economic Times NRI Helpdesk: Can I start my own business if I'm an H-1B visa holder?
Published by: The Economic Times: March 05, 2022
Release Date
In the recently published April Visa Bulletin, the Department of State advanced the Date for Filing (also known as the application date) applications for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status in the employment-based, second preference (EB-2) category for India from Sept. 1, 2013, to Sept. 1, 2014.
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | September 2021 |
| Audit Review | June 2021 |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | September 2021 |
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during April 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 details please visit this link:
If you are a healthcare worker or a childcare worker who has a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization renewal application and your Employment Authorization Document (EAD) expires in 30 days or less or has already expired, you can request expedited processing of your EAD renewal application. USCIS had previously announced this flexibility for qualifying healthcare workers assisting public health efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. USCIS is now extending this flexibility to qualifying childcare workers.
Release Date
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address the documentation that certain E and L nonimmigrant spouses may use as evidence of employment authorization based on their nonimmigrant status.
In October'20 I filed for the EB3 downgrade based on the Date of Filing, my wife and son were included in the petition. In December'20 my son filed for the F1 - I539 adjustment of status petition. In April'21 my wife, son, and I received the GC EAD Cards. In Aug '21 the EB3 Final Action Date became current for me, and my son became 21 and should be covered under CSPA. In Feb'22 USCIS approved his I-539 F1 COS petition. My son is a Senior in college doing his major in Industrial Engineering in the final semester. He is on the lookout for possible internship/employment opportunities. Does the F1 approval mean he is no longer under GC EAD? What's your recommendation on whether he should choose to be on F1 or seek employment on GC EAD?
My recommendation would be to just use the green card EAD. You cannot do interfiling because then your son would lose his CSPA protection.
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.
Background: I am currently on L-2 VISA and is going to expire in May. My company is going to file my Canada visa in a month. My spouse's (currently on L1A) employer is going to file her GC soon and she wants to stay with our kids until a decision is made (stay as a visitor or on the basis of GC filing). We decided that I will go to Canada and if the GC processing won't happen or the outcome is negative, she will join me in Canada at a later time.
Now:
I want to apply for the change of status from L-2 visa to visitor visa while I am still in the US, and leave for India while my Canadian visa is in process and travel to Canada directly from India. (I am going to see my parents as it's been years and can't travel to India if I join my company back in Canada anytime soon).
Questions:
1) Is it okay to leave the US while my change of status from L-2 to Visitor visa is in the process?
2) If yes, will USCIS continue to process and intimate me once they approve?
In this case it should be fine, but remember to go through the Section 222 (g;) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Another thing you need to remember is in order for you to get a B-2 visa stamp or a B-1 visa stamp at the consulate you do not need any kind of approval from the USCIS.
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.
We assisted our client in filing an I-129F petition to bring his fiancee to the U.S. in anticipation of their upcoming marriage in the U.S. On Form I-129F the petitioner answered “yes” to the question: “Have you ever been arrested, cited, charged, indicted, convicted, fined, or imprisoned for breaking or violating any law or ordinance in any country, excluding traffic violations (unless a traffic violation was alcohol-or drug-related or involved a fine of $500 or more)?”. We included reference to that issue in the filing.
I got my USA citizenship this Jan, and I want to start the green card process for my parents. They are currently with me in the USA on a visitor visa, however, they would like to go back to India in March after the 6 months of allowed stay in the USA.
So I want to know when I start the green card process for my parents when they are in India, can they still travel to the USA on their existing B-2 visitor visa (valid till 2026), or should they be in India until the consular processing for their green card is complete?
The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) people do not hassle the parents or spouses of the U.S citizens too much as long as they are not entering to adjust to green card status within the United States. But if a CBP officer is either ill-informed or particularly unnecessarily harsh they could stop you and ask you to go back (which is unlikely).
A practical solution I would recommend to people is to do an immigration pre-clearance in Abu Dhabi (if you are traveling from India) that way if they are denied entry they just return from Abu Dhabi they don't have to come all the way to the United States.
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.
I have completed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 examinations and I am looking forward to applying for residency in the USA. Now I have got an externship opportunity. This rotation, according to the institute, is a voluntary experience that does not account for any medical education, graduate medical education, continuing medical education, or any training leading to licensure or board certification. During this given opportunity, I may receive a letter of recognition or a certificate of completion to fulfill an observational or shadowing requirement as needed. This rotation will allow externs to partake in taking patient history, physical, and procedures under direct supervision. There will be no direct patient care responsibilities as well as actual clinical practice.
I need to get US clinical experience and recommendations to apply for the residency.
My husband emailed the Office of International Services of his university and in the reply email, they mentioned the following points-
In the past, the federal government has defined employment as “any type of work performed for services provided in exchange for money, tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, food or any other benefit.” Many immigration lawyers and other international services offices have pointed to the “any other benefit” phrase as a prohibitive phrase. If a student were to receive the benefit of gaining experience in their field of study, the government could interpret this as “unauthorized employment”. This would be a serious violation of their immigration status.
Also according to the DSO of the University of Pittsburgh, a researcher/ lab technician even if does an unpaid job would not be considered a volunteer job.
Now my query is can I apply to the externships/ observership being on an F-2 visa and as this externship will benefit me getting recommendation and experience, would this be considered a violation of the law?
I do not consider this to be a violation of law. There are other issues in volunteering, but that's the employer's problem, not yours.
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.
My wife and I got our Passports stamped in San Diego, CA with our I-485 approval notice. Let me try to SQUEEZE in an approx. 750-day history (9/01/99 till date) into 4 paragraphs. The whole GC process through your offices was a REAL PLEASANT experience. I am sure that with your guidance, you and your team will scale NEW HEIGHTS with EASE and STRIDE, and HELP a LOT of people. I would like to thank all of your team members. In particular, I would like to mention the DILIGENCE and PREOFESSIONALISM of Diane Lombardo, in praise of which I apologize, as I am unable to get the RIGHT words. I ENVY your and your staff's CARE, PUNCTUALITY, CONCERN and UNDERSTANDING. I was THRILLED when Suman Bhasin returned my voice mail on Saturday. Also, I am really AMAZED at how you can respond to emails in spite of your busy schedule. Also the immigration forum (http://www.immigrationportal.com) is a NOVEL and WONDERFUL idea. You have once again proven your INNOVATIVENESS. Thanks a lot to you Mr. Khanna and your PROFESSIONAL team. Friends, if you need to get the job done right, hire Mr. Khanna. May GOD bless you and your TEAM with the BEST of the WISHES so that a LOT many souls like us, can see their DREAMS come TRUE. I am eagerly looking forward to working with you in the future. Thanks