USCIS Forms Update Notice
USCIS recently updated the following form(s):
Search
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.
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
| Form Number |
Case Type |
Time |
|---|
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.
AAO Processing Times as of December 1, 2016
This link below shows the average amount of time it takes to receive a decision in a particular type of case after the case file is received by the AAO. Processing times are directly related to the volume of cases received.
http://www.immigration.com/processing-times-status-checks/aao-processin…
Background Check
I had an interesting N-400 interview yesterday. Don't know where to start but the IO stemmed out of the office with my thick file while I was waiting for my attorney to arrive. I quickly summed him up to be a hard ass. BTW, I have been an officer of the law for a little over four years now...My attorney arrived shortly after and we went to this small conference room. I was sworn to tell the truth, and the interview started.
Citizenship and Naturalization
Guestbook Entry for Shyam Patil, United States
Name
Shyam Patil
Country
United States
State
NC
SEVP deploys new class of field representatives to work with US schools hosting international students
WASHINGTON — The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) deployed 14 additional field representatives to territories across the country this week. The field representatives serve as liaisons between the nearly 9,000 U.S. schools that enroll international students and SEVP. The program, housed within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), certifies schools to enroll international students and protects national security by overseeing those students for compliance with U.S. laws.
DHS Announces Temporary Protected Status Designations for Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone
WASHINGTON— Due to the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has announced his decision to designate Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. As a result, eligible nationals of Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone who are currently residing in the United States may apply for TPS with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna, 20 Nov 2014 (Every Other Thursday)
Substantial transcription for video
The following topics were discussed in today's community conference call. The video is attached below.
Discussed: Abandonment of Green Card, OPT to H-1 change delay, immigration consequences of criminal conviction for misdemeanor (petty offense exception), N-470 to maintain residence, EB-2 filing, Investing in stocks while on H-1, delays and difficulty in entering the USA -- TRIP, H-4 visa stamping, getting married to a US Citizen while on H-1, marriage certificate, immigration reform, CSPA, Cross chargeability, Unpaid leave on H-1, H-1 visa stamping, NOIR for multiple H-1 filing through related companies, frequency of visits on B visa, employment verification letters in PERM.
Executive Actions on Immigration - USCIS
On November 20, 2014, the President announced a series of executive actions to crack down on illegal immigration at the border, prioritize deporting felons not families, and require certain undocumented immigrants to pass a criminal background check and pay taxes in order to temporarily stay in the U.S. without fear of deportation.
Cross-Chargeability
Question details
I am working on H-1B. This week, I got my I-140 petition approved that was filed in EB2. I am Indian citizen born in India. My marriage is scheduled to happen in Jan, 2015. The girl is citizen of India and was born in Nepal. I have heard that after marriage, I would be eligible to file I-485 for both myself and my (then) wife, based on cross-chargeability rules. <br>
1: Is my eligibility to file I-485 (based on the birth country of wife) and its approval thereafter dependent on discretion of USCIS? If yes, does USCIS generally approve or deny such I-485 petitions filed on the basis of cross chargeability rules? <br>
2: Is there any reason due to which my wife and I would be denied from filing I-485 and there-after getting an approval of I-485 (leaving aside fraud matters)? <br>
3: My fiancée is yet to get her passport made in India. I found that my fiancée does not have her birth certificate from Nepal. Is a birth certificate the only way to prove location of birth? If she gets her birth certificate made now, Does the USCIS create issues about a birth certificate made so many years after birth? <br>
4: In my scenario (EB2 petition, primary applicant India born, wife Nepal born Indian citizen), How long (approximately) after filing I-485 would it take to get the green card?
See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujMQ79pgzX8
FAQ Transcript
Unpaid Leave On H-1
Question details
I have a question on the unpaid leaves when outside USA while on H-1. I am on H-1 and recently went to India for stamping which was completed without any problem. I had paid vacation of 2 weeks, which I had already used and stayed in India for a month which is not going to be paid. My employer is saying these will be unpaid leaves and won't be running paychecks for these leaves and is mentioning that this won't be a problem in future as this is legal. I want to take legal opinion from you regarding what the law says in the above situation. <p>
1. If I am out of US on unpaid leaves and won't get paid, will there be any issues on my H-1 status in future for transfer or GC? <br>
2. If due to unpaid leave, W2 is less than the LCA, will it be a problem? If yes, what documentation we can show to USCIS to clarify to them why it’s less?
See clip from Attorney Rajiv S. Khanna's conference call video that addresses this question.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujMQ79pgzX8#t=1516
FAQ Transcript
If you are on H-1, sometimes people ask me, I want to maintain status even though I am getting laid off. Can I be on unpaid leave and does maintain status?
Obama's Immigration Action - EB-3 Quota
Question details
Does this impact EB-3 India wait times and also does this lift counting on family members/dependents for visa numbers /quota ?
Obama's Immigration Action plan could impact all waiting time for EB categories. We are not clear how far or how quickly. There is no indication that the method counting green cards will be changed to One per family, instead of one for each family member in an employment-based case. President has asked for recommendations for improvement within 120 days. We shall see.
Thank you very very much Rajivji and Vijaybhai for all the help with my PERM process and finally it was certified on Nov 13th(PD 06/25/2014).