Visa Bulletin - February 2018
Number 14
Volume X
Washington, D.C
Number 14
Volume X
Washington, D.C
Are you seeking to adjust your status and become a U.S. permanent resident under a family-sponsored or employment-based preference immigrant visa? If you have not yet had a relative or employer file an immigrant visa petition on your behalf, please learn more about the Adjustment of Status Filing Process.
USCIS and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of State, have published the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to receive H-2A and H‑2B visas in 2018. The notice listing the eligible countries was published on Jan. 18, 2018, in the Federal Register.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that current beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under El Salvador’s designation who want to maintain their status through the effective termination date of Sept. 9, 2019, must re-register between Jan. 18, 2018, and March 19, 2018.
The current lapse in annual appropriated funding for the U.S. government does not affect USCIS’ fee-funded activities. Our offices will remain open, and all applicants should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled.
The current lapse in annual appropriated funding for the U.S. government does not affect USCIS’ fee-funded activities. USCIS offices will remain open, and all applicants should attend interviews and appointments as scheduled.
On Jan. 22, 2018, four USCIS field offices and one service center will participate in a 10-day pilot to issue redesigned citizenship and naturalization certificates to U.S. citizens. The pilot sites are:
Beginning Jan. 22, 2018, USCIS will email notifications of receipt and approval to H-2A (temporary agricultural worker) petitioners who file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. Also starting today, USCIS will use pre-paid mailers provided by H-2A petitioners to send requests for evidence (RFE) if issued in a case.
1. I have completed 6.9 years on L1A and move to H4-EAD based on my wife’s approve I-140. Now H4 EAD may go away. What option do I have to stay here and continue working (even after gap of a few months if needed) or I need to go out of US for at least 1 year and come back? <br>
2. I have already completed my 6.9 years. Can company apply H1B for me in April 2018 and I can come back to US after spending 1 year outside. I believe H1B can be applied only 6 months prior to joining that job. But I can’t start working from Oct 1st as I already completed 7 years without pending GC labor/ I-140. In that case I can apply H1B only in April 2019 and start working from October 2019?
Watch the Video on this FAQ: H-4 EAD rules change and H-1B extensions rules change
Video Transcript
1. What you could try doing is have your green card started and you can use that to extend your H-1.
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.
Come to US on green card EB2 (future employment base GC) consular processing. At the time of green card consular processing interview my employer offer letter mentioned my job title as “Programmer Analyst”. My employer is a consulting company and after coming to US on GC, I got my first contract project at client location (while full time with my GC sponsoring employer) with job tilte as “Architect/Project Manager”. But is it having similar job duties as my GC employment offer letter? My question is at the time of US citizenship interview will it be problem because of different job tittle between (GC offer letter and actual contact project at the client site), but similar job duties?
Watch the Video on this FAQ: Change in job title after getting a green card approval
Video 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.
I am working as a consultant for big client. My employer applied for my H1b extension and received an RFE, they have recently replied for my RFE and now waiting for the decision. Now my client offered me job and ready for transfer my H-1. My questions is : is it possible to transfer H-1 during RFE?
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.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that current beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under El Salvador’s designation who want to maintain their status through the effective termination date of Sept. 9, 2019, must re-register between Jan. 18, 2018, and March 19, 2018.
USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):
I did my Dropbox on 17 nov17.
We went to US Consulate, Ottawa and got my wife's TD visa stamped in her passport.
In you previous Conference Calls you did mention that you did post videos on USCIS accredited Universities in USA. If a person is doing an MS or MBA in US he/she needs to do it from those accredited universities inorder for the educational evaluation to be done to achieve EB2 Status.Right now I have a 3 years of Bachelors degree from India and do not qualify for EB2 and I am in EB3. I wanted to do an MS or MBA in USA.
Video 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.
I am on H1B visa in US from 2008 with employer A, and i have I-140 approved in 2011 from Employer A, Now in 2017 i am planning to change my employer to Employer B.
My question: Scenario 1 : If say Employer B doesn't sponsor/start my GC/I-140 in 3 years, can my employer B use Employer A's I-140 to renew n number of times ?
Scenario 2: If I didn't like employer B in future and they have not sponsored or started my GC/I-140, can i switch to Employer C ,using Employer A's I-140.
Scenario 3:If I didn't like employer B in future and they have not sponsored or started my GC/I-140, then I switch to Employer A ,using Employer A's I-140 .. now do employer A again has to restart GC/I-140 ?.
Scenario 4: How much of over lap of dates of employment can happen b/w Employer A and Employer B.
Watch the Video on this FAQ: Changing jobs after I 140 approval, returning to the old job, etc.
Video 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.
I am on H1B visa and was charged with DUI(1st off, no injuries, no aggravating factors) on October 29th,2017 at 2:30 AM in Harrisburg,PA. Took breathalyzer test and also the eye test was taken. After that I was taken to the booking center for bio-metrics and blood test. After 3 hours I was allowed to go home.
I have been charged with the following:
Gen Imp/Inc of Driving Safely - 1st Off 10/24/2017
DUI: High Rte of Alc (Bac.10 - <.16) 1st Off 10/24/2017
Obedience to traffic control devices - hazardous condition 10/24/2017
What should be the next steps to be taken. Also how and what can be done to reduce the charges?
Video 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.
Currently I am in India, my H1-B got denied and left US. My wife is in US on the basis of change of status from H4 to B2 on humanitarian grounds due my daughter's chronic medical condition. Her B2 is still under process and if approves then good till 24th Feb'18.
Since It is uncertain I will get another employer who can sponsor h1b immediately,
Is there any provision for US born, parent can stay due to her undergoing intensive treatment?
Can we apply for humanitarian parole?
Video 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.
Release Date: Jan. 31, 2018
Agency Will Focus on Processing Recently Filed Applications
What kind of problems can employment-based nonimmigrants (H-1, L-1, E-1, E-2, E-3, TN) face during reentry?
I think this question is most relevant for H-1 holders, but other employment-based nonimmigrants may also note the general principles here.
Here is a question from our clients-only extranet.
I am reproducing material from our employers-only (by invitation only) conference call for tomorrow. These matters need to be in place for H-1 new applications, transfers as well as extensions.