Updates to Lockbox Filing Locations
USCIS recently updated the lockbox filing location information for th
USCIS recently updated the lockbox filing location information for th
I am on an L-1 visa, and I am working in the U.S.. My wife is outside the U.S. Her L-2 visa has expired. We want to get an appointment somewhere to get visa stamping together. I cannot travel without an appointment, or else I will be stuck and will not return to the U.S. without visa stamping. The embassy has not opened for more than a year now, and she is stuck, so how can we get appointments? Can this be an emergency appointment case?
We do not have enough information about your case, but generically, it appears that your wife may have the option to go through the dropbox process. Please look into that. Also, emergency appointments are just that: reserved for an emergency. Most consulates are not likely to entertain such a request unless there is a real emergency.
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 an approved H-1B petition. Right now, I am in India. However, my spouse also holds an H-1B. Can I apply for an H-4 visa and travel to the USA with my spouse and apply for a change of status in the USA from consular processing and use my H-1B there. Will it affect my H-1B in any way?
Technically, the USCIS can object to applying for a change of status within 90 days after entry, if the change results in activities that are inconsistent with the original visa used for entry, the H-4 visa. The key question is whether applying for H-1B soon after entry into the USA is inconsistent with H-4, a visa that allows work authorization.
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 are the parents of a minor (5 months) old U.S.Citizen daughter who is currently in India. We need to take our daughter to the U.S. for her 6-month vaccination doses. My H-1B visa and my spouse's H-4 visa need to be renewed, but unfortunately, there are no dropbox appointments available in any city. Is there a way an exemption can be made for our travel? I am a civil engineer who has built commercial facilities and will be building more commercial facilities in California, USA.
You can try seeking an emergency visa appointment based on medical reasons applicable to your daughter.
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 am presently in the U.S. and will be visiting India to get my H-1B Visa stamped. As there are travel restrictions for passengers from India to the US, will I be allowed to enter the U.S. on an H-1B visa? Presently I am staying in the U.S. on OPT.
Unless you are covered by an exemption, you will have to apply for a national interest exception. Also, getting appointments for visa stamping is not particularly easy at the moment.
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 are currently in India, and one of my daughters is a U.S. citizen by birth. However, our H-1B visa expired a few years ago. So now we do not have any valid U.S. visas. Can we travel to the U.S. now based on my daughter's U.S. passport? Please advise as we heard many such parents are traveling like this, Are there any options for us?
You cannot reenter the USA without a visa. Having a US citizen child exempts you from the travel ban, but not from the visa requirements.
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 recently transferred from the U.S. to the UAE office since I was not selected in the H-1B lottery in March. I was then selected in the second lottery and my company has started the H-1B process. Can I do short-term 1-2 week visits on H-1B every few months instead of B-1? Do I need to be employed to enter the U.S. using H-1b?
While intermittent H-1B employment is permitted, it is only for the job for which you have an H-1B approval. You cannot use an H-1B visa to travel to the US intermittently without that job.
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 am on F1 OPT and in the U.S. My OPT started in Jan 2021. My wife is in India and just got her F-2 visa. We both are Indian and haven't been able to meet. Would you please tell us if she can travel to the U.S.? Most places say that the program needs to start on or after August 1st, but I am very confused, given that my OPT began in January.
OPT is considered an ongoing program. She can travel now, subject only to the Covid-19 related health directives.
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 am on my OPT period (June 1st, 2021 - May 31st, 2022) and am working for a company in the USA. I plan to travel to India for my sister's wedding from December 18th, 2021, to December 28th, 2021. The following are my questions for travel in these COVID situations:
1. I wanted to know the details for entering the USA. What documents should I have while entering the USA?
2. Does the USA allow OPT holders to enter?
A1: You will need to contact your DSO for endorsement on your I-20 to travel, evidence that you have been working (like pay stubs), and a letter from your employer confirming that you will be returning to your ongoing employment.
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 am a Slovenian citizen, and I plan to do a 3-month student internship in the USA in December. I have everything arranged with my employer. The only question I have is, can I travel from the Schengen area on my J-1 visa? And if not, how can I come to the USA for my internship?
J-1 exchange visitors will be able to travel only if the visa is approved and they qualify for a national interest exception (NIE).
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 parents are both U.K. citizens and don't have any visas apart from just an ESTA; they are in the U.K. However, my wife is American, and I am now a U.S. citizen, and we both live in the U.S. permanently. We just had a baby a few days ago, and we want my parents to travel from the U.K. to the U.S. to help with the baby. Is this possible for them to travel on the ESTA they have? If not, can we apply for a different visa, so they can come to the U.S.?
It appears they will be able to travel only if they travel to and stay for two weeks in a third country from which travel to the USA is allowed.
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.
What are the consequences if we extend parents visitor's visa's stay for more than 1 time? Will it be a problem when they come back to US again? Is the minimum time to come back again still 6 months?
The first consequence is coming too frequently. So, then stay away for one year. The second is you have to keep daisy-chaining your extensions. Three if you leave without an extension result, it's okay as long as you're leaving within the time that you asked for and lastly, if the extension is denied you may have to apply for a new tourist visa. 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.
My spouse has her green card from 2014 and she has been travelling regularly to India to take care of her ailing Father.
She had been coming back to USA within Less than 6 months and staying in the US for a few months
and travelling back again. This has has been going on for the past 6 years. In between she got a reentry permit for 2 years which has expired.
recently she travelled back to the US after 8 months and had a tough time with the immigration officer who questioned regarding the
extended stay in india and finally she was allowed in with the regular stamp in the passport. No comments/special notes were made in the passport.She has now applied for a new re entry permit and waiting for its approval.
she co owns the house and a partner in the LLC and has been filing US resident taxes and I have
been working and staying in the US during the entire period .
1) Based on the above details is it safe for her to travel once her re entry permit is approved?
2) Should she wait for a specific period of time before she can travel ?
3) Would carrying a copy of the House title,LLC partnership details and copy of the Tax filing help
in case she is questioned at the Port of entry.
In a situation like this you should really talk to a lawyer. The key indicators of a situation like this are does she permanently live in the United States. Doing it repeatedly year after year for six years that does not bode well, but with special circumstances, you could make an argument that she never intended to abandon her permanent residence. 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.
Release Date
In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is extending the flexibilities it announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants, petitioners and requestors who are responding to certain:
USCIS reminds employers of Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Transitional Workers (CW-1) that, if you have a currently-approved CW-1 petition with a validity period of six months or more, you must file Form I-129CWR, Semiannual Report for CW-1 Employers, with USCIS every six months after the petition validity start date.
The team at immigration.com is always very helpful and responsive . They guide you well on each step of the GC process. Thanks to you guys I got my green card this year in August 08.
Thanks for your team's excellent work in helping me get my EB2 Green card. I have always had quick and to the point answers to all my queries from you as well as Rita/Sheena. I especially wanted to mention the extra effort put in by your firm to have my case filed in time on July 2nd 07 as well as the time spent in reconciling my two different priority dates. I will definitely avail of your services in future whenever needed.
After having my case botched up by a local lawyer, I restarted the process by retaining the services of the Law Offices of Rajiv Khanna. With just about a year remaining on my 6-yr H1 period, the Law Offices was able to help me file an LC just in time to be eligible for n-th year H1 extensions. During the Aug 07 filing crush, despite an error on my part, Prerna displayed great patience in accepting my 485 packet only a week prior to the Aug 17 2007 deadline. The 485 was filed on Aug 15 2007 and I received the approval notice and the plastic card last week. I highly recommend this law firm - their professional treatment of clients (both petitioners and beneficiaries) and Rajiv's empathetic responses to questions on the ForClients website really makes life easier for those going through this process.
Hi Rajiv, Mathew and Prerna,
Thank you so much for your efforts and support during the entire green card process.
Previously, I had selected CP process for the final stage. Due to fiasco with PD date in last June, Rajivji called me personally and suggested me to go with 485 even though I had selected CP process. It was the perfect decision at that moment. It took me exact 1 year to get the consular interview. I received the interview letter in August and since my wife is pregnant it was impossible for us to fly to India.
And I received the good news in 1st week of Aug through 485 process that card production is ordered.
Special thanks to Mathew Chacko, Prerna for their excellent support.
Thank you Rajiv, Mathew, Richa, Prerna, Bharathi and everyone in team for handling our EB2 GC so smoothly. We did not get any RFE and all thing went very smoothly. All team members were very professional and courteous and made sure all paper work go completed and reviewed many times before final submission.
RK law office is the best and I would recommend strongly to everyone. Thank you for doing great work.
Vikas and his team did an outstanding job and meticulously guided us through the process to quick success. Thanks.
Thanks a ton to Rajiv, Heather, Leslie, Mathew, Mark, Anna, Art, Seema, Amrita and other team members for handling our EB2 GC processing very professionally from the beginning to the end. My wife and I got GCs recently without any hiccups. We did not get any RFE and everything went extremely well and smoothly. All the team members were very professional, courteous and knowledgeable. They reviewed the paperwork several times before final submission and made sure it was complete, accurate and error-proof. Once again, I thank you guys immensely and I will recommend your service to my friends and I myself will consider the services from your firm for other immigration purposes.
A big thanks to Rajiv and his whole team for all their help. I had a wonderful experience with every single person in his team. They were very quick in responding to my questions. When my initial paper work had to be filed only three days were left before the deadline. Heather gave me a call to tell me that I have a chance to apply within next few days for my green card or I would have to wait for several months. I was not sure if it would be possible or not but I decided to do it. Everyone in Rajiv's team worked diligently with me to finish my paperwork on time. I was very impressed by the dedication and commitment they showed towards my case. I truly recommend Rajiv and his team's services to everyone. They are truly fantastic!
I have a tourist visa to the US which expires in 2009. However, back in 2004, i was able to obtain a F-1 visa for MBA studies. It expired in 2006 and my stay was extended through practical training. I have all necessary documents supporting that. My question is, will I still be able to use my tourist visa until the March 2009 expiration?
My assumption is that you are still on F-1 and in USA. If this is correct, you cannot use your B visa within USA.
While in USA, your stay and status is controlled exclusively by your I-94.
You can, however, try to reenter USA on B visa but after having stayed here for so long, a reentry is likely to be denied.
If, you are outside USA and have been out for a while (like a year or more), I think you can still use that B visa and try to enter USA.
My wife and I got our Green Cards through the Law Offices of Rajiv S Khanna. Every single employee who handled our files starting with the Labor Certification through the I-140 process and the I-485 application was a pleasure to work with and was extremely professional and helpful. I can definitely see why 'The Law Offices of Rajiv S Khanna' has such a great (and well deserved) reputation across the US.