Discussion Topics, Thursday, September 30, 2021:
FAQ: Obtaining student or visitor's visa while a green card is pending || Continuing to use H-1B when I return on Advance Parole || Nuances of changing employers during the green card process || Green card holder working on multiple jobs - Is it legal? || How long can green card holders stay outside the U.S.? || Effect of a career change on naturalization process and timing.
Published by: The Times Of India - Date: October 02, 2021
Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv in the article:
We filed an H-1B extension petition for a small software company that offers customer software and technology solutions to the local clientele. USCIS approved the classification portion of the petition, but denied the portion of the petition requesting an extension of stay. USCIS stated that beneficiary had failed to maintain his nonimmigrant status because his H-1B status had expired prior to the filing of the H-1B extension petition and he was only in an authorized period of stay because of a pending extension request from the previous employer.
We responded to a Form I-485 Request for Evidence to prove that approximately a decade ago the permanent residency applicant had, in fact, attended two U.S. universities as he had claimed in previously approved petitions. Both universities had been certified by ICE under its Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) during the applicant’s attendance.
We filed an H-1B petition for a company that provides IT related services, on behalf of the beneficiary, a software developer. An RFE was subsequently issued, responded to and then denied as failing to prove that petitioner established that sufficient speciality occupation work was available and that the position qualified as a specialty occupation. We filed an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Office, the appeal was sustained and the petition was remanded back for issuance of an approval notice.
We filed an H-1B extension petition for a software consulting and professional services firm on behalf of a software architect requesting status and work authorization for a duration of three years. The extension was, however, approved for a duration much shorter than requested and the approval notice was both dated and received after the shorter validity period had already expired, thereby destroying the legal status of the employee and causing him to accrue unlawful presence.
| Form Type | Case Type | Completed 0-180 Days | Quarterly Completions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative total of all completions | 47.50% | 1,061 | |
| I-129CW | Petition for CNMI Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker | 100% | 3 |
| I-129E2 | CNMI Treaty Investor | 100% | 5 |
| I-129F | Petition for Fiancée |
Number 59
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS
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, Thursday, October 14, 2021:
FAQ: Reentering the U.S.A. on a Visitor’s/Tourist Visa Soon After Leaving || Can GC-EAD holder start business and what impact on the pending I-485? || FAQ: Can GC-EAD holders start a business and what impact on the pending I-485? || Is there a problem listing one location in a PERM application while living and working remotely in a different location? || EB-2/EB-3 Options in PERM Filing and EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade and upgrade
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | May 2021 |
| Audit Review | November 2020 |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | May 2021 |
USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):
Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
08/31/2021 12:09 PM EDT
Starting 12/20/21, USCIS will only accept the 08/31/21 edition. Until then, you can use the 04/24/19 edition. You can find the edition date at the bottom of the page on the form and instructions.
Request for a Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings (Under Section 336 of the INA)
08/31/2021 11:12 AM EDT
Release Date
10/20/2021
Eligible Hong Kong Residents May Apply for EADs and Travel Authorization
Release Date
10/20/2021
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is issuing updated and comprehensive guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual on adjudicating applications for T nonimmigrant status (or T visas) submitted by victims of human trafficking, including clarifying how applicants establish eligibility.
As part of the credit card payment pilot program, the Vermont Service Center is now accepting credit card payments using Form G-1450, Authorization for Credit Card Transactions, for petitioners filing Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, for O and P nonimmigrants.
Published by: The Economic Times: September 04, 2022
Question: Can I change my profession after getting a Green Card? I received my GC in EB2 as an Accountant. Now, I see the salaries in the software/IT sector to be much higher.
Answer: Sure, you can change your profession as long as you did not have a pre-conceived intention to do so before you got your green card. I cannot say that there is any particular time frame attached to it.
Discussion Topics:
FAQ: What is the meaning of a US “visa canceled without prejudice”? || I have an Approved I-140 from a previous job. My new employer has initiated the PERM. How can I make sure that the attorneys use the priority date from my old I-140? || What are the chances of an H-1B visa (STEM OPT) after completing Masters in the U.S? || H-1B visa holder travels abroad (Canada) for work sometimes; is an H-1B amendment required for change of address or location abroad?
Release Date: 09/07/2022
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released revised editions of Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, dated 07/26/22.
Number 70
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during October 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.
Fiscal Year 2023 Employment-Based Adjustment of Status FAQs from USCIS
The employment-based (EB) annual limit for fiscal year (FY) 2023 will be higher than was typical before the pandemic, though lower than in FY 2021 and FY 2022. We are dedicated to ensuring we use as many available employment-based visas as possible in FY 2023, which ends on Sept. 30, 2023.
| Processing Queue | Priority Date |
|---|---|
| Analyst Review | January 2022 |
| Audit Review | November 2021 |
| Reconsideration Request to the CO | April 2022 |
Release Date
09/15/2022
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is implementing the next phase of the premium processing expansion for certain petitioners who have a pending Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, under the EB-1 and EB-2 classifications.
Discussion Topics:
FAQ: Was Green Card approved in error? Time taken by the USCIS to respond to an E request for correction, travel?|| Entry into the U.S. using the Advance Parole after green card approval during a trip abroad ||