Infopass appointment
I needed to make an infopass appointment to get my passport stamped in the Dallas, TX Office. After trying to make an appointment for 2 weeks, it occurred to me to research and see if others were experiencing the same thing.
I needed to make an infopass appointment to get my passport stamped in the Dallas, TX Office. After trying to make an appointment for 2 weeks, it occurred to me to research and see if others were experiencing the same thing.
Hi everyone I have finally been granted asylum. I filed my case in November of 2014. A lot of people said it will be difficult for me to be granted because I have been travelling in and out of the US for a long time.
Wanted to share that I had a trip with my mom to Europe back in September we both had RTD flew to Germany with delta and got stamped in less a minute by german passport control then we flew same day to Barcelona no problems at all then spent few days then flew to Athens and all went well they just checked at the gate took a look at out RTDs and look at the entry stamps and we spent few days in Athens everything was fine and then we flew to paris at the airport at athens while boarding the boarding agent checked our RTDs while boarding didn’t know what’s th
January 29, 2018 Update:
USCIS transferred some of the following cases from the National Benefits Center to the Nebraska Service Center:
I am working in USA with the J1 visa as Postdoctoral Fellow. In April 2017 my girlfriend tried to come to USA and she was refused under the section 212a, because she told to the TSA agent that they did not have a serious relationship with anybody in USA, and they found out that she had sentimental links to me checking her phone, we were in bad moment in our relationship by that time. She has double nationality Venezuelan/Italian and she was trying to get in USA with the Italian ESTA. They removed her ESTA for ever and they told her that If she wan to enter in USA she is going to need a visa. Then I got married with her trying to get a J2 visa for her but the consulate denied twice her application under the article 214b, one in August ( after got married in Venezuela, and the other one now in December (on December we went together because I had to renew mine, but not success for her one).
Anyone who attempts to gain any immigration benefits, including visas, through perceived fraud or misrepresentation is permanently barred from entering the USA. In cases like this, you can try to revisit these findings with the consulate, but these are long, drawn out battles and difficult to win. Temporary visits may be possible with something called a 212 (d) (3) waiver.
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 recently published the following two alerts in the "News" section of the website:
Discussion Topics, Thursday 8 February 2018:
FAQ: H-1B or other status denied - what is my status?|| Can I get H4 visa stamping while the H1 to H4 change of status is still pending? ||AC 21 job portability, changing jobs before 180 days || AC 21 job portability, changing jobs before 180 days || National interest waiver (NIW) filing when priority date is not current || Other: Fixing I 20 problems ||L-1A amendment issues ||changing from H-1B to F1 ||Reentry permit and N-470 || multiple H-1B filings for the lottery/quota ||returning back to old H-1B employer if H-1B transfer is denied ||Impact of terminated deportation proceedings, logistics ||impact of revocation of I 140, EB-1C filing || Entering the United States on H-1B without a job || Client address change, DS160 filing || H-4 EAD and H-1 questions
Number 15
Volume X
Washington, D.C
This memorandum provides instruction to Immigration Service Officers who adjudicate R-1 nonimmigrant petitions for aliens who are coming to the United States temporarily to perform religious work, and their dependents. This memorandum outlines the procedure to be used for recapturing time spent outside the United States by R-1 nonimmigrants when seeking an extension of their R nonimmigrant status.
Please check the attachment to read memo.
We have worked with Mr. Khanna's law office for last 7+ years on various cases and commend them for their professional and meticulous handling of all cases. He and his staff are knowledgable, professional, organized and has been readly available to answer any questions we have had through out the process. In addition to providing legal service his firm also provides wealth of legal know how through forums and weekly calls. I will continue to use Mr. Khanna's firm for our legal requirements and would highly recommend them to others.
I have worked with Ms. Diane Lombardo and Mr. Khanna from past several years for my O-1 visa, J1 Waiver and GC. Diane and Mr. Khanna are always very accommodating and helpful. They have guided me through the entire process diligently and professionally. I have very truly recommend them to my friends without any second thoughts.
Topic: Accreditation of Distance Education in USA
Date: March 12, 2012
Total Time: 2 mintues 40 seconds
Hello, everyone. This is Rajiv S. Khanna for the Law Offices of Rajiv S. Khanna, P.C, immigration.com.
A number of people have asked me this question in the last few days about how do they tell, if they finish a masters degree online through distance education in the U.S., how do they know if the degree is accredited?
I have looked into this issue because it became such a big issue for people, especially those who are born in countries where EB-3 is very backed up and EB-2 is a much better option.
So I did some review. This is the best of my knowledge. I am not an expert in accreditations, but what I see is this. On the screen in front of you, you see this page where they talk about accrediting agencies recognized for distance education and correspondence education.
This is a page on the Department of Education website.
http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg10.html
Let me backtrack for a second.
First thing you do is ask the school where you want to go whether the particular program you want to do is accredited and, if so, who accredits it. In other words, the accreditation agency that is accrediting it. Get the name, and see if that name appears on this list right here.
Sometimes a particular program or a particular degree might be accredited, but not the whole school, and sometimes vice versa. So be careful--make sure that particular program is covered by the accreditation.
Good luck to you folks and if you have further questions, log in to the community conference call or we can talk a little bit on the blog itself.
Number 43
Volume IX
Washington, D.C.
Questions & Answers: USCIS Issues Guidance Memorandum on Establishing the "Employee-Employer Relationship" in H-1B Petitions
Introduction
The U.S. Mission in Russia is pleased to announce an expansion of our current interview waiver program as a part of President Obama’s Executive Order to substantially increase travel and tourism to the United States. Starting immediately, certain applicants who have previously been issued a visa that expired in the past 47 months will be eligible to renew their visa without an interview.
USCIS is underway in 2012 with priority initiatives to help safeguard our nation’s security, uphold the integrity of the immigration system, and carry forward our country’s proud tradition as a land of hope and opportunity.
Mr. Khanna, Anna and Judi patiently answered all of our questions and returned our calls quickly, always providing the information we needed with professionalism and PATIENCE. Thank you for all of your assistance!
Mr. Rajiv is very helpful to Indian community through community call as well as to students.. he has profound knowledge in all category of immigration from employment to family. Very satisfied with consultation. Thank you very much.
PROGRAM OPERATIONS MANUAL SYSTEM
Part 01 - Records Maintenance
Chapter 102 - The Social Security Number, Policy and General Procedures
Subchapter 11 - Alien Evidence for an SSN
Transmittal No. 17, 02/14/2012
Audience
FO/TSC: CR, CR TII, CR TXVI, DRT, DT, FR, OA, OS, RR, SR, TA, TE, TSC-SR
PSC: CA, SCPS, ICDS, CS, TSA, TST, IES, ISRA, RECONR
MAMPSC: DMS, ISRA, OAS, SPIKE
OCO-OIO: ANC, CR, CAQCR, CTE, FCR
Originating Component
OISP
Effective Date
February 14, 2012
Background
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is making systematic changes to fully automate the paper Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record). As a result, the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program introduced a new method of verifying the I-94 in an effort to ensure successful verification responses. In order to continue successful SAVE verification, we updated the Social Security Number Application Process (SSNAP) to accommodate a new document type, "I-94 w/Unexpired Foreign Passport," that you must now use when an applicant submits both an I-94 and an unexpired foreign passport. Failure to enter the unexpired foreign passport when available may significantly delay SAVE verification.
Summary of Changes
RM 10211.135 Evidence of Non-immigrant Status for an SSN Card
Subsection A. - We updated this subsection to bring the requirements for evidence of non-immigrant status in line with the current identity evidence requirements. We made minor changes throughout this section to comply with the agency's initiative to write in plain language.
RM 10211.140 Entering Information from Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) into the Enumeration System
We created this new section to provide instructions on how to enter the Form I-94 in the Enumeration System, depending on whether the applicant submits an unexpired foreign passport.
RM 10211.135 Evidence of Non-immigrant Status for an SSN Card
Each alien lawfully admitted as a non-immigrant should have an unexpired immigration document and an unexpired foreign passport as evidence of his or her status. In some cases, the alien may have a current immigration document, but may not have an unexpired foreign passport (e.g., asylees, refugees, parolees, victims of severe forms of trafficking, or certain Canadian citizens). In these situations, accept the unexpired immigration document alone. For instructions on how to enter the I-94 in the Enumeration System, see RM 10211.140.
Review the evidence in accordance with RM 10210.210 and RM 10210.560. Check both sides of documents issued to non-immigrants for alien registration numbers (A number), expiration dates, or extensions.
Do not process the SSN application when a non-immigrant submits an expired Department of Homeland Security (DHS) document or one that will expire within 14 days, since we cannot assign an SSN. Refer the individual to DHS and provide written notice per RM 10215.115.
See Also
RM 10205.020 When an SSN Application May Not be Processed
RM 10205.090 Form SS-5 Received in the Mail and Additional Documentation is Needed
RM 10213.300 Procedure when a Person's Evidence or Lawful Alien Status Expires within 14 Days of Filing for an SSN
The alien must submit the appropriate immigration document. A letter from U.S. immigration authorities, receipt, copy of an application form, or any immigration document not listed in this subchapter is not acceptable evidence of alien status in lieu of the appropriate immigration document. If an alien submits one of these documents, do not process the SSN application.
NOTE: For instructions on processing applications for lawfully admitted aliens without U.S. immigration documentation, see RM 10211.075.
For exhibits of the various versions of the I-94, refer to the Administrative Confidential Memorandum (ACM). You may encounter the following described versions.
Carriers of passengers seeking admission into the U.S. and using the I-94 manifest procedure use this edition issued 04/15/86, or later. The non-immigrant completes the I-94 and presents it to the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at an authorized U.S. port of entry. The CBP officer stamps the I-94 along with the unexpired foreign passport and gives final approval for admission into the U.S. in a specific non-immigrant status for an authorized period.
This version of the I-94:
Shows a preprinted admission number as the departure number on the Departure Record (the part the alien retains).
May show a handwritten departure number when CBP electronically assigns the alien an I-94 number in their system. Effective February 14, 2012, CBP generally handwrites an electronic I-94 number on I-94s issued to non-immigrants without a foreign passport (e.g., asylees, refugees, and parolees). In these situations, the handwritten departure number supersedes the preprinted number. The preprinted number may or may not be crossed-out.
Has the admission stamp in the upper right corner.
May be in the predominant language of the carrier's base of operation, if printed by the transportation carrier (e.g., Japan Air Lines prints I-94s in Japanese and Lufthansa prints I-94s in German).
NOTE: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) also issues this version of the I-94 to certain asylees upon granting asylum. The I-94 may be typed or handwritten. See RM 10211.205.
Carriers who entered into a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Agreement widely used the green card stock I-94W (Non-immigrant Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure Form) from May 1991 through April 2010. In May 2010, CBP transitioned to an automated process for VWP travelers, in turn phasing-out the I-94W in air and sea environments. While CBP still issues the I-94W at land ports or during a system outage, the majority of VWP travelers admitted to the U.S. will not have an I-94W. For information on evidence replacing the I-94W, see RM 10211.135E. (in this section).
The I-94W:
Is generally a pale green color (some may be a darker mint green).
Shows the alien's admission number as the departure number on the Departure Record (the part the alien retains).
Has the admission stamp in the upper right corner.
May be printed in the predominant language of the carrier's base of operation, if printed by the transportation carrier (e.g., Lufthansa prints I-94Ws in German and Japan Air Lines prints I-94Ws in Japanese).
CBP admits an alien with an I-94W as a visitor for pleasure (WT) or business (WB) for up to 90 days. Aliens using this form must be a citizen of one of the following 36 participating countries:
Andorra |
Hungary |
New Zealand |
Australia |
Iceland |
Norway |
Austria |
Ireland |
Portugal |
Belgium |
Italy |
San Marino |
Brunei |
Japan |
Singapore |
Czech Republic |
Latvia |
Slovak Republic (Slovakia) |
Denmark |
Liechtenstein |
Slovenia |
Estonia |
Lithuania |
South Korea |
Finland |
Luxembourg |
Spain |
France |
Malta |
Sweden |
Germany |
Monaco |
Switzerland |
Greece |
the Netherlands |
United Kingdom |
NOTE: DHS periodically designates additional countries as visa waiver countries. If the applicant is not a citizen of one of the listed countries, contact Regional Office (RO) staff for further information. For guidance, RO staff should contact enumeration evidence staff in the Office of Income Security Programs (OISP).
USCIS may extend a period of admission or change a non-immigrant status after CBP issues an I-94. The I-797A (Notice of Action) approval notice serves as proof of the approval for an extension or change of status. The lower portion of the form, also known as the tear-off computer generated I-94, replaces the original I-94.
NOTE: The tear-off I-94 portion of the I-797A does not need to be accompanied by the approval notice form for the I-94 to be valid or acceptable.
The tear-off I-94:
Is printed on the same type of security paper as naturalization certificates.
Does not have an admission stamp.
Has a receipt number starting with three letters (EAC, WAC, LIN, or SRC) followed by a series of numbers.
Has an admission number (I-94 number) on the left hand side.
Shows the alien class of admission.
Displays the validity period.
See exhibit, tear-off I-94 portion of I-797A in RM 10211.135E.1. (in this section).
Generally, the I-94 contains a valid admission stamp displaying:
Information about the DHS, CBP field office having jurisdiction over the port of entry;
Information about the alien’s port of entry and date of admission;
A four-digit stamp identification number; and
The alien's class of admission and validity date (e.g., the date admitted until) endorsed in ink by the admitting officer.
EXCEPTION: Admission stamps for refugees, parolees, and asylees display different information. See RM 10211.135D. (in this section).
See Details:
RM 10211.185 Evidence of Refugee Status for an SSN Card
RM 10211.195 Evidence of Parolee Status when Form I-94 is Submitted
RM 10211.205 Evidence of Asylee Status for an SSN Card
Following are exhibits of the different admission stamps placed on the I-94. For more detailed information and exhibits of the current versions of the admission stamp, refer to the ACM.
G-RM_10211.135D-1
G-RM_10211.135D-2
G-RM_10211.135D-3
G-RM_10211.135D-4
Consider an alien who does not have an I-94 lawfully admitted, if he or she submits one of the following documents.
NOTE: Aliens presenting any of these documents do not have employment authorization.
DOCUMENT |
TITLE/DESCRIPTION |
---|---|
DSP-150 |
USA B1/B2 VISA BORDER CROSSING CARD (BCC) (for temporary visitors for business or pleasure (B1/B2) who are Mexican citizens residing near the U.S. border. |
CBP I-95A |
Crewman's Landing Permit (for foreign crewmen between trips). |
I-184 |
Alien Crewman Landing Permit and Identification Card (for temporary shore leave while in port). |
WB or WT class of admission shown on Admission Stamp in unexpired foreign passport |
Visitor for business (WB) or pleasure (WT) under the Visa Waiver Program effective May 2010. |
RM 10211.420 Employment Authorization for Non-immigrants
RM 10211.600 Requests for an SSN from an Alien without Work Authorization
RM 10211.140 Entering Information from Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) into the Enumeration System
The method that you must use to enter the I-94 in the Enumeration System depends on whether the applicant submits an unexpired foreign passport.
See Details:
RM 10211.140A., applicant submits I-94 with unexpired foreign passport
RM 10211.140B., applicant submits I-94 without unexpired foreign passport
When an applicant submits an I-94 in conjunction with an unexpired foreign passport, follow these steps to enter the evidence in the Enumeration System in order to prevent unnecessary delays in the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) verification.
On the "Proof of Legal Alien Status" screen:
Select "I-94 w/Unexpired Foreign Passport" from the Primary DHS Document drop-down menu.
Do not select "I-94 Arrival-Departure Record."
Failure to enter the I-94 in combination with the unexpired foreign passport when available may significantly delay SAVE verification.
NOTE: If you enter the same evidence for both identity and lawful alien status, select the same drop-down option "I-94 w/Unexpired Foreign Passport" on the "Proof of Identity" screen and select the prefill button.
EXCEPTIONS: Foreign students (F1) and exchange visitors (J1) must submit the I-94 and unexpired foreign passport in combination with either the I-20 (Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant (F1) Student) or DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J1) Status). For instructions on how to enter these documents in the Enumeration System, follow RM 10211.295 and RM 10211.365 respectively.
Complete each field on the "Proof of Legal Alien Status" screen as follows.
Select the name that appears on the I-94 from the drop-down menu.
If the I-94 shows an issue or admission stamp date, select "Date" from the drop-down menu. The system will prompt you to enter the date. If the I-94 does not show an issue date, select "None."
Enter the date the I-94 expires, usually shown as the valid until date. If the I-94 reflects no expiration date, "D/S" or "Indefinite," you must enter a future date. Enter the current calendar date plus 10 years.
Select the class of admission (COA) code corresponding to the COA shown on the I-94.
Enter the I-94 number. If the I-94 shows both a preprinted and handwritten number, use the handwritten number.
If the applicant has a nonimmigrant visa, enter the visa number here. This is an optional field, but may assist in the SAVE verification. For an exhibit of a nonimmigrant visa, refer to the ACM.
Enter the unexpired foreign passport number.
Select the appropriate category based upon your visual review.
Follow normal SAVE verification procedures within the Enumeration System per RM 10213.095.
NOTE: If the Initial Verification is unsuccessful, make legible copies of both the I-94 (front and back) and unexpired foreign passport, in the event you must request a G-845 (Document Verification Request).
If the applicant does not have an unexpired foreign passport (e.g., asylees, refugees, parolees, victims of severe forms of trafficking, or certain Canadian citizens), follow these steps to enter the evidence in the Enumeration System.
On the "Proof of Legal Alien Status" screen, select "I-94 Arrival-Departure Record" from the Primary DHS Document drop-down menu.
NOTE: If you enter the same evidence for both identity and lawful alien status, select the same drop-down option "I-94 Arrival-Departure Record" on the "Proof of Identity" screen and select the prefill button.
Complete each field on the "Proof of Legal Alien Status" screen as follows.
Select the name that appears on the I-94 from the drop-down menu.
If the I-94 shows an issue or admission stamp date, select "Date" from the drop-down menu. The system will prompt you to enter the date. If the I-94 does not show an issue date, select "None."
If the I-94 shows an expiration or valid until date, select "Date" from the drop-down menu. The system will prompt you to enter a date. If the I-94 does not show an expiration date, select "None." If the I-94 shows "Indefinite" or "D/S," select the corresponding option.
Select the class of admission (COA) code corresponding to the COA shown on the I-94.
If the I-94 contains an Alien Registration Number (usually handwritten on the back of the card), enter it here. This is a mandatory field for refugees and asylees.
Enter the I-94 number. If the I-94 shows both a preprinted and handwritten number, use the handwritten number.
Select the appropriate category based upon your visual review.
Follow normal SAVE verification procedures within the Enumeration System per RM 10213.095.
NOTE: If the Initial Verification is unsuccessful, make legible copies of both sides of the I-94, in the event you must request a G-845 (Document Verification Request).
Great Pleasure working with Mr. Khanna.
Please check attachment to read CRS report on Visa Waiver Program.
Moderator: Edna Ruano, Chief, Office of Communications
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
March 15, 2012
11 A.M. EDT
Coordinator: Welcome and thank you for standing by. At this time all participants are in a listen-only mode. During the question and answer session, if you’d like to ask a question please press star 1 on your touchtone phone.
Today’s call is being recorded. If you have any objections you may disconnect at this time.
I have worked with Rajiv Khanna, Anna, Ulysses and Kalpana for over a year and finally got my H1 visa a couple of weeks ago. It was a tough year for H1 visas, with an increased number of RFEs. But the attorneys handled my case very well and provided excellent suggestions at crucial points. At every stage of the H1 process, the attorneys were well aware on how to tackle the case for the best result.
I will come back in the future, and also recommend others, to use the services of 'Law Offices of Rajiv Khanna' for addressing any immigration related issues.