WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has awarded nearly $10 million in grants to 45 public and private non-profit organizations across the country to help lawful permanent residents prepare for naturalization.
Having plans to travel to India in last week of Sept 17 and with my visa stamp on passport expiring on 1st Sept 2017, need to go for visa interview & when I am filling my DS-160, came across the question : Have you ever been unlawfully present, overstayed the amount of time granted by an immigration official or otherwise violated the terms of a U.S. visa? Considering the above situation, could you please help with what to answer Yes/No. If Yes, what comments to be written in the EXPLAIN BOX .
This is a very generic statement. Do not depend on this as the last word on the subject. Generally speaking, the following two or three rules should be kept in mind. First of all, if you are ever in doubt you are better off saying yes, I was out of status and yes, I was unlawfully present and let the consulate deal with that issue. If you are not in fact not out of status and you are not unlawfully present there is no issue, but if you were out of status or lawfully present and you don't reveal that it can be construed to be fraud or misrepresentation which then becomes a permanent bar from entering the United States. It is a very painful situation. If you tell the truth, no issue. More...
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I have a question on H1B stamping. I am currently working with employer A. I have visa stamping till Nov 2018 and it shows the name of my previous employer, employer B. I am planning to visit India in the coming month of November 2017. Should I go to visa stamping and get a new visa showing a new employer, employer A? In the past, I have encountered a similar situation and I came back successfully with out getting a new stamp. I am not aware of current immigration law. Have there been any changes in this aspect?
Watch the Video on this FAQ: Is new H-1B visa stamping needed if you change employers?
Video Transcript
Number 83
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS FOR PREFERENCE IMMIGRANT VISAS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during November 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.
Discussion Topics:
USCIS recently updated the following form(s):
Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service
11/03/2022 09:50 AM EDT
Release Date
USCIS is providing additional guidance on the interpretation of changes to the EB-5 program in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) made by the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (RIA), specifically the required investment timeframe and how USCIS treats investors who are associated with a terminated regional center.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is issuing new instructions for asylum applications submitted by individuals whose removal proceedings were dismissed or terminated by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).
Release Date
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has launched a new Enterprise Change of Address (E-COA) self-service tool to allow customers with pending applications, petitions, or requests to update their address with USCIS more easily. E-COA will significantly improve the speed and efficiency of the process for USCIS customers to update their address with USCIS.
Processing Queue | Priority Date |
---|---|
Analyst Review | September 2022 |
Audit Review | July 2022 |
Reconsideration Request to the CO | August 2022 |
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Immigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
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Release Date
USCIS seeks to update regulations with proposed rulemaking to improve program efficiency and integrity
FAQ‘s:
Others:
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Immigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
Rajiv Khanna Blog: http://www.immigration.com/blogs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/immigrationcom
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/immigrationd...
Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rajivskhanna
My perm got approved on Oct 5, 2023. I am an Indian citizen with a priority date from my previous employer filing as March 28, 2012. As per the Oct 2023 visa bulletin, I am current under the “Dates for Filing” chart for EB2 and the “Final Action Date” chart for EB3. My employer's immigration firm insists on filing my I140, I485, I765, I131, and I693 under EB2 instead of EB3 for my case. So two questions:
1) Can you please explain the pros and cons of filing under EB2 and the pros and cons of filing under EB3?
2) As the EB3 “Final Action Date” chart is current for my priority date. Wouldn’t it be better for my case to be filed under EB3 instead of EB2, ensuring my 485 will get decided faster if filed under EB3 instead of EB2? Isn’t it?
According to law it is evident that even with an approved EB-2 case, you have the option to file the I-140 under EB-3 – that's a choice open to you, and no one can dispute it. However, this doesn't mean that your I-140 and PERM are permanently tied to EB-3. What is typically done is filing the I-140 under the category that offers a more advantageous date. For instance, if you are in the EB-2 category and the EB-2 date is more favorable, you would file under EB-2. Conversely, if EB-3 is more beneficial, you would choose that option.
It's important to note that you cannot upgrade from an EB-3 PERM to an EB-2 I-140, but you can downgrade from an EB-2 I-140 to an EB-3 I-140 – or the other way around, downgrading from an EB-2 PERM to an EB-3 I-140.
So, when you have an EB-2 PERM, you have the flexibility to file under either EB-3, EB-2, or both. Importantly, this filing of the I-140 does not terminate your case or prevent you from returning to EB-2 in the future. Thus, there's no compelling reason not to consider filing under EB-3. As for whether it's better to file your case under EB-3 or EB-2, my recommendation would be to file I-140s for both categories – EB-3 I-140 and EB-2 I-140. However, for the I-485, it's advisable to file with EB-3 – that's likely the most suitable course of action.
Release Date
Certain renewal applicants who have filed Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, qualify for an automatic extension of their expiring employment authorization and/or employment authorization documents (EADs) while their renewal application is pending. Starting today, those who are eligible will receive 180-day extensions in accordance with existing regulations, including those who have applied for or have received Temporary Protected Status or asylum.
My entry into the United States was denied a few months back, and my H1B visa was canceled saying that I need to re-apply for a new visa and I agreed to that. A few days back I attended an interview on H4, but the interviewer was asking about the canceled visa and gave me a refusal worksheet Section 212(a)(6)(c)(1). I'm wondering what's happening here, could you please help me with this?
Having a 212(a)(6)(i) denial, which is related to fraud or misrepresentation in obtaining an immigration benefit, is a severe issue because it results in a permanent ban from entering the United States. This can occur in various situations, such as visa applications, petitions, or misrepresentation at the airport, involving both written and oral misrepresentations.
The problem lies in the fact that this ban is permanent, and obtaining a waiver is complex and challenging. The availability of waivers is limited, making these cases extremely difficult to resolve once you're caught in a 212(a)(6)(i) situation.
Oct 26, 2023, LinkedIn Community Audio Event - Immigration QnA with Rajiv
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEqJ6NLXezs
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Immigration.com, Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna PC, US Immigration Attorney
Rajiv Khanna Blog: http://www.immigration.com/blogs
USCIS is updating the USCIS Policy Manual with new guidance on the EB-5 Regional Center Program and new content on regional center designation and obligations, project applications, and direct and third-party promoters.
This update incorporates changes from the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 into the Policy Manual, building on the initial update that incorporated such changes on Oct. 6, 2022.