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June 21, 2018, Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday)
Immigration.com
Citizenship and Naturalization
Discussion Topics, Thursday 21 June 2018:
FAQ: Changing jobs after I 140 approval || Can a green card be filed for me if I am on H4 or L2 or F1 – – any status other than H-1B or L-1A? || Can an employee withdraw an H-1B petition? || How to add forgotten information on to a naturalization application/N-400? Other: Changing jobs when an appeal to the Department of Labor (BALCA) is pending || Trading stocks while on H-1B or H4 status || Changing from H-1B to F1 status and back to H-1B again || How to extend my I 94 within the USA? || Obtaining EB2 with a three year degree || Procedure after a denied PERM is approved || Validity of I 140 after I 485 denial || Minimizing the future impact of an L-1A denial || Exemption from H-1B quota where visa is stamped but never joined the employer || WHD complaint against employer || Green card processing times || Receiving pension after surrender or loss of green card || Challenging wage levels determined by an employer || India EB-1 priority dates || Traffic violations in N400 || Checking status of PERM, etc.
H-1 and L-1 Visa Petition Filing Fees Increased – Ongoing Updates if Needed
12 January 2016
This is the latest release from USCIS. I think they are misreading the fees requirement. The law seemed to require higher fees only for L-1 employee counts (see my highlighted comments below under 19 December 2015 entry). The current USCIS release counts both L-1 and H-1 employees even for H-1 filing fees. We will wait and see if this clarified
The Proposed I-140 EAD Rule - Continually Updated
This entry is now old law. The new law is at http://www.immigration.com/blogs/i-140-ead-regulations-effective-17-jan…
Note: Updated all of the regulations comments on 31 December 2015. I will keep adding, as needed.
Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 11 February 2016
Immigration Law
Green Card
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 11 February 2016:
FAQ: Traveling on EAD, Advance Parole, H-4; Does changing jobs require restarting green card; Returning to H-1 after I-485 EAD; Birth certificates and affidavits of birth, non-availability certificate, secondary evidence; E-3 visa change of employers and filing green card; Options after 6 years of H-1 are completed; Extending B-2 visa and status for dependent parent; Effect of change in project on EB-1C (International Managers/Executives) green card.
Other: H-4 for autistic son over 21; H-1 amendment location has changed; Using B-1 B-2 visa after Advance Parole expire, I-485 is abandoned; H-1 reuse and quota; I-140 priority date transfer and returning to old employer; H-1 quota if no visa was stamped; I-485 RFE; Correcting errors on Form I-130; Starting green card with new employer, porting (transfer of) priority date; AC21 changing jobs while RFE is pending; Denial of Form I-751, conditional permanent residence (green card); Resetting the clock on H-1B and L-1B; H-4 EAD issues; Applying for change of status from H-3 to F-1.
Texas Service Center to Begin Processing Form I-129 for L Visas
On February 12, 2018, the Texas Service Center (TSC) will begin processing certain Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker petitions for L nonimmigrant classification, also known as L visas. The TSC will share this workload with the California Service Center to balance workloads and to provide flexibility as USCIS works towards improving processing times and efficiency. The Vermont Service Center will no longer process any new Form I‑129 petitions requesting L nonimmigrant classification.
New Direct Filing Addresses for L, O, and P Nonimmigrant Petitions for Beneficiaries in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina
USCIS has changed the direct filing addresses for where to file certain forms for beneficiaries who will be working or training in Florida, Georgia, or North Carolina. The changes are as follows:
Success in filing an I-129F (a K-1 Petition for Alien Fiancé(e))
We successfully assisted our client, a U.S. citizen, in filing an I-129F (a K-1 Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)) for his fiancée. The petitioner and beneficiary intended to marry within 90 days of the beneficiary entering the U.S. The evidence provided to prove their intent to marry, that they had met in-person, and were engaged included, but was not limited to: affidavits, copies of photographs of the couple and their families, flight tickets, hotel reservations, screenshots of videos, zoom meetings, and text messages. The petition was approved.
Nonimmigrant Visas
March 03, 2022 Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv (Every Other Thursday)
Immigration.com
Nonimmigrant Visas
Discussion Topics, Thursday, March 03, 2022:
FAQ: Abandonment; can I leave the USA while a change of status is pending?/Stamping requirements || Relation between F-1 status and I-485 AOS (child covered under Child Status Protection Act (CSPA)) || Relation between F-1 OPT and H-1B lottery change of status and changing employers || Is doing an unpaid U.S. externship/observership with F-2 visa unauthorized employment? || Can parents of U.S. citizens travel to the U.S. on an existing B-2 visa while their GC is pending?
USCIS Updates Guidance on Employment Authorization for E and L Nonimmigrant Spouses
Release Date
03/18/2022
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is updating guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual to address the documentation that certain E and L nonimmigrant spouses may use as evidence of employment authorization based on their nonimmigrant status.
The Economic Times NRI Helpdesk: Can I extend my US visitor visa before it expires? And other FAQ's answered by Rajiv S. Khanna
Question: I have a visitor visa for the USA for multiple visits up to June-2023. Can I apply for an extension of the visa before the expiry date? Also, advise procedure for extensions and where I can get the application form, so I can keep all details ready.
Answer: I am not aware if there is a procedure to apply for a visitor visa extension before expiration. You can send an email to the consulate to confirm. There is, however, a restriction under the consular standard operating procedures on holding concurrently valid visas of the same type.
Guestbook Entry for Raja and Priya…, United States
Oct 14, 2021 Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv (Every Other Thursday)
Immigration.com
Green Card
Discussion Topics, Thursday, October 14, 2021:
FAQ: Reentering the U.S.A. on a Visitor’s/Tourist Visa Soon After Leaving || Can GC-EAD holder start business and what impact on the pending I-485? || FAQ: Can GC-EAD holders start a business and what impact on the pending I-485? || Is there a problem listing one location in a PERM application while living and working remotely in a different location? || EB-2/EB-3 Options in PERM Filing and EB-2 to EB-3 downgrade and upgrade
Extension of EAD for H-4 and EAD for L-2 - Not the Best Settlement
I have reviewed the recent lawsuit settlement where the USCIS has agreed to consider H-4 holders to be eligible to continue working while their timely filed EAD extension is pending. Unfortunately, the settlement seems to state that the right to work is only co-extensive with your I-94 duration. Therefore, you do not have the right to continue working for 180 days; only till your I-94 expires. While it is better than nothing, the settlement is not everything that we would like to see.
Recording of August 18, 2022 Free US Immigration Community Conference Call with Rajiv S. Khanna
Immigration.com
Agency
Nonimmigrant Visas
Green Card
Discussion Topics, Aug 18, 2022
FAQs: Change of employers after H-1B is approved and before October 1; the number of pay stubs required; revocation of H-1B before October 1 || I-140 was approved and then revoked in 2011. Can I keep my priority date and also apply for I-485? What is the deadline for filing I-485? || Impact of alternate wage survey for H-1B LCA; the success rates of H-1B extensions; AC21 rule when the company is bought by a successor-in-interest
Guestbook Entry for Chanchal Kokkuvayil, United States
Waivers of the Interview Requirement for Certain Nonimmigrant Visas
For latest updates, watch this video with Rajiv from Dec 28, 2021.
Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 2016, September 8
Immigration.com
Citizenship and Naturalization
Nonimmigrant Visas
Immigration Law
Green Card
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 8 September 2016:
FAQ: Am I exempt from H-1 quota if visa was not stamped? Does AC21 permit promotions and higher salary for same or similar job? N-400 naturalization/citizenship delays; Applying for parents green card, I-130, I-485, birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc; Continuing work outside USA despite approval of L-1A;
Other: Quota impact of revocation of H-1; Green card filing and impact of Trivalley university; Travel on H-1 with just a few days left; Change jobs after green card approval; Transferring H-1B quota jobs; Surrendering reentry permit; Filing FOIA request to get H-1 and I-140/PERM papers; Cross chargeability - how to prove country of birth; Applying for H-1B and traveling on visa in an old passport; H-1B extension more than 6 months before expiration; H-1B visa stamping; etc.
New Web Page on the H-1B and L-1 Fee Increase
USCIS has posted a new Web page on the H-1B and L-1 fee increase required by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-113). Pub. L. 114-113 requires certain petitioners to submit an additional fee of $4,000 for certain H-1B petitions and an additional $4,500 for certain L-1A and L-1B petitions.
Successful K1 Visa (I-129 f) Expedite Request
Just wanted to let people know that it IS possible to get the I-129f processed in an expedited basis. (Note that this is just the I-129 f part of the whole K1 visa process - but it normally is the longest part)
L1A – Multinational Manager
We won a case for an applicant who primarily served as a function manager, but also managed a few professionals. We provided extensive details regarding the job duties of the beneficiary for both the foreign entity position as well as the proposed US position. We outlined the proposed duties in detail and assigned a percentage to each task indicating how much time was allotted to complete the task. We also provided the names, titles and job duty descriptions of staff members that would relieve the beneficiary of non-managerial tasks.
L1A – Multinational Manager
We won a case following a Request for Evidence that requested additional proof of the relationship between the entities, verification of employment abroad in a managerial role for one continuous year prior to entering the US, as well as additional details of the proposed managerial position in the U.S. Initially we submitted documentation to establish the relationship between the U.S.
Profession/Occupation
Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 2017, February 9
Immigration.com
Citizenship and Naturalization
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 9 February 2017:
FAQ: Extension of H-1 beyond six years, gap in H-1, late in filing PERM, etc; How can a US green card holder study abroad without losing their green card? || Automatic EAD extension, I-485 EAD; US Citizen applying for green card for brother or sister; How do we keep up with the rumors and changes in the laws; Should I travel outside the USA/H-1B visa stamping; When is an H-1B amendment required? || Job promotions during AC21 portability of green card; Impact of I-140 approval after 180 days, etc.
Other: Spouse of US citizen filing for naturalization; Following to join; Executive Order against criminal aliens; Change of status from L-2 to H-1B, remainder option, H-1 quota; Qualifying for OP after studying on H-4 visa, etc. || Starting green card from the I-485 stage; Going to home country for an extended period of time while green card is pending; Company going out of business during green card; Entry and reentry on visitors visa, etc.
Recording of Free Community Conference Call (Every Other Thursday), 9 March 2017
Immigration.com
Nonimmigrant Visas
Immigration Law
Green Card
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 9 March 2017:
FAQ: Revoke H-4 EAD regulation; Joining a company other than green card sponsor; staying abroad after green card - reentry permit; Green card holder staying abroad for more than 6 months; Medical problems/diseases that can cause issues in green card; Impact of the new I-140 regulations; Physician FMG applying for Cap H-1 through a cap exempt employer; Compelling circumstances EAD.
How to find out if my I-140 has been revoked, etc; AC21, changing jobs, when to file Supplement J;
Other: Correcting errors on I-140 approval; Revocation of I-140 and approval of H-1 extension; H-1 converting to B-1/B-2; Green card staying outside the USA for more than 6 months; Changing jobs after I-140 approval - priority date; H-1 extension when I-140 is denied, H-4 EAD, etc; Filling for N-400; I-130 returned to USCIS by consulate; Compelling circumstances EAD for child being sick; CSPA in family-based applications; etc.