Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC
June 18, 2010
The U.S. Embassy in Beijing, along with four U.S. consulates general across China, is opening on Saturdays over the next few weeks to accommodate thousands of Chinese travelers seeking visas to visit the United States.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is seeking public comment on a proposed federal rule that would adjust fees for immigration benefit applications and petitions. The proposal, posted to the Federal Register for public viewing, would increase overall fees by a weighted average of about 10 percent but would not increase the fee for the naturalization application.
InfoPass is a free service that lets you schedule an appointment with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Immigration Officer by using the Internet at any time of day or night. If you have an immigration issue that is best handled by a trained USCIS Immigration Officer, InfoPass will let you schedule your appointment instead of requesting it in person at your local USCIS office.
EB1 – Outstanding Researcher – Seed Technology/Plant Science
This is to share my experience with all of you who are anxious about various issues with immigration processes. We recently contacted Rajiv's firm for guidance in our case. I consider myself very forthright when it comes to my opinions and valuesystem. My small step of seeking their assistance led to great strides in terms of my confidence and optimism. I mean it. I personally feel the consultation with Rajiv has tremendously helped get clarity and direction. Normally we are vary of approaching attorneys with our ignorance regarding the legal issues. Interacting with different levels of knowledge and on diffrent planes of understanding is normally not very comfortable. All such discomfort was dispelled in my very first consultation with Mr Khanna. I felt he is a professional with a sensitivity towards naive clients. I felt he showed a very authentic and a genuine concern to understand where a person is coming from. That human touch sometimes has a huge bearing on our sense of hope and life in general. Expertise, knowledge in just hands, with a nice human being. With a competent and an understanding individual at the helm one would be in stronger starting place to pursue one's objectives. I vouch for that. His team members Suman Bhasin, Leslie, Chengappa also are competent, courteous, and prompt. I am happy to associate with them.
I have completed 6.5 yrs in L1A in managerial role. Now the same employer wants me to stay outside of USA for few months.
1)Can we apply EB1 while being outside USA?
2)Do we have to apply for L1 A extn for remaining 6 months of 7 yrs while applying for EB1?
3)Can a new employer sponsor L1A and apply for EB1 while entering the country?
EB1 can be applied while you are outside USA. A new employer can sponsor only after you have worked for them for one year outside USA.
What is the age the child can apply for a parent's green card?
A child can only apply for a parent's green card upon reaching the age of 21.
My I-140 has been approved. My company is working on the getting the green card done. My question is can I quit my job with my current company and get a job in a new state and a new company? Does this affect the status of the green card application. Any idea of how long will it take after this step.
CHANGING EMPLOYER WITHOUT I-140 APPLICATION
If a person changes employers without ever applying for I-140, they can carry NOTHING forward to the next employer. They have to start their labor certification all over again with the new employer.
WHAT IF I-140 IS DENIED
The PD cannot be transferred
CHANGING EMPLOYER AFTER I-140 APPROVAL
USCIS Annual Report on Characteristics of Specialty Occupation Workers (H-1B) for Fiscal Year 2009 to Congress. The report includes information on countries of origin and occupations of, education levels attained by, and compensation paid to H-1B beneficiaries.
Please check the attached document.
Please check the attachment.
During FY 2009 and FY 2010, usage of family-based visas has been exceptionally low, especially among spouses and children of green card holders (the F-2A preference category). In FY 2009, approximately 10,000 family-based visas were unused and, by statute, were reallocated for use by employment-based immigrants in FY 2010.
I got my H1B in Feb 2005 however never entered the country for first 22 months as I did not get an opportunity to visit my company here in US. Eventually I came here in Jan 2007. When does my 6 year period start? Feb of 2005 or when I first entered the US in Jan 2007?
H-1 starts on the date you ENTER USA.
I applied for a fiance visa and it has been approved but now sent to the NVC center to be processed, what are the next steps and do I need my fiance to get his passport and medical done now or should I wait for instructions? At this point I do not know what to do.
Wait for instructions from the NVC and then the consulate.
Very very fruitful conversation and extremely efficient help provided. Very satisfied with the service!
This Policy Memorandum (PM) authorizes the Vermont Service Center (VSC) to approve an Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status (Form 1-539) to extend U nonimmigrant status for a derivative family member whose initial period of stay is less than four years.
USCIS issued a PIA on E-Verify conducted in order to better assist the public in understanding this program. Previously, USCIS addressed the E-Verify program as part of the Verification Information System (VIS) PIA.
(Article Reviewed on 26 June 2015)
What is AC21 Portability?
In the context of AOS (I-485), this is that provision of law which permits an employment-based AOS applicant whose I-485 has been pending for more than 180 days and whose I-140 has been approved to change jobs anywhere in USA to same or similar job describe in their green card application.
There is a lot to discuss, but I am focusing the answers to the questions I most frequently encounter. I will continually edit this blog note with additional information as we go long.
Here is the release from USCIS.
April 27, 2009
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced an updated
number of filings for H-1B petitions for the fiscal year 2010 program.
USCIS has received approximately 45,000 H-1B petitions counting toward the Congressionally-mandated
65,000 cap. The agency continues to accept petitions subject to the general cap.
Additionally, the agency has received approximately 20,000 petitions for aliens with advanced degrees;
Durbin, Grassley Introduce Legislation to Reform H-1B Visa Program
Thursday, April 23, 2009
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) today introduced the H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act – narrowly-tailored bipartisan legislation that would reform the H-1B and L-1 guest-worker programs to prevent abuse and fraud and to protect American workers.
1. I don't have a work order or client letter to support my H1B extension which is expiring on 2nd June. Is it legally not allowed to file for H1B extension without this or to avoid RFE one need to support extension with this.
1. I will be going to India and work for my company from India (before October if the H1b gets approved and continue to work from India if H1b is not approved).
Will you guys be able to answer the following questions for me? Is it okay for my company to wire the money (USD) to me monthly as individual consultation expense and will they have to pay any taxes to the Indian and/or US government for that?
My wife has been in US for 6 months on H1 and is going back to India.
In india if she applies for H4 , will it be necessary to carry any Salary Slips generated during her stay in US on H1?
Is there a possibility that the consulate might demand for her W2 and salary slips before stamping her H4 visa?
The cardinal rule in visas is that consulates can ask for pretty much anything. If they do ask for proof of H-1 employment or pay stubs and you do not have it, the H-4 still cannot be denied. The fact that one has been out of status is no bar to the grant of an H-4 visa.
My wife and I received our I-485 approval within 24 months for the whole process with Rajiv S. Khanna as our attorney and the simply wonderful team of case workers. Rajiv is an expert on Immigration Laws and is straight up and abreast of rules & regulations and is strict about the law and stays strictly as defensive. The most impressive part is the team that comprised of Heather Riddick and Art Shifflet was just so efficient and so professional, that the entire process seemed so easy. We had our ups and downs with USCIS RFEs and delays but throughout all that, the team worked with great empathy and took the time to understand and hear out our concerns and worries and gave us just the right advice and support. All I can say is that they both feel just like family and are truly the best team i have worked with for any such legal matters or otherwise.
Great going guys...keep up the great work and wish you all the very best!!