bradley emmanuel

Congratulations my cuban friends!

You no longer have to wait in this friggin' green card line

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15256657.htm

Perhaps the most important measure is the decision to parole into the United States thousands more Cubans with close relatives here, thus reducing a backlog in family-based immigrant visas. While Homeland Security did not say how big the backlog is, it's said to be in the thousands.

When discussing premium processing, capitalism etc categories, we should not forget that USCIS is a monopolist. There is no alternative, hense all screw ups, "premiums" etc. Capitalism has nothing to do with USCIS. This organization is a typical crippled socialistic child.

I agree with this one. It is more about no competition and no incentive to do things faster. Premium processing is just what it says it is. Pay up and we will have an incentive to do it faster. Else put up with our delays.

I wish they wud do something like premium processing from the WHOLE Green card process. I am sure people wud be more than willing to pay for that.

Understood.

I faxed expedite processing request on last Tuesday and sent email to Ombudsman.

there was soft LUD on same day (address change) on my 485 & EAD & AP. Today status changed to card ordered for production. what a relief!!!!!!!!!
but any thing can happen till it comes to my hand


Here is the fax number for NSC 4022196344


I have infopass appointment on 24th. Should I go or cancel that appointment now ???

Does that mean the above rules apply only when u want to become a citizen ???

[QUOTE=aamchimumbai;266413]All,

I feel that those who concurrently filed I-140/485 in July 2007 are very lucky!


What makes you think I-140/485 July filers are lucky ? Our cases are straight forward and we are able to file in July 07 .

I m sorry to be little rude but you can just post a question with out mentioning how lucky others are or not .

No offense to anyone but I think this is how the market is flooded sometimes with short term trained and oppurtunisticly timing decisions made by people.

Before you change careers I think you ought to see whether it really fits ur goals and aspirations..my 2 cents... CHances are you may not even like that job and want ot get trained in something else...I dont make a boat load of money but I like my job so far...however if money is the sole (please dont confuse this with means of living) reason to get into any job there are so many jobs and fields one can explore and change often...Its all your personal choice...

Good point. I am just studying the trade off between "career" and "likability" of job or the job you love. I agree with you about money. I am not just for money or I do not want to be in rat race. (If money is the only goal we all can do real estate bussiness in India) After spending 10 years in engineering, I want to change the field. Even I am ready to go with little less than what I make now. . The main reason is I want to have just relaxing job, not much stress. At the same time it should be a longterm. I thought QA may be one of the field. I do not know yet it is a right thought.

Nope they don't have any US local channels....i didn't get any signal at my place (North facing patio)..so for Indian channels thats the best option for me...earlier i had cablevision and they offer 4 channels (actually can only count 2 sony and zee the other 2 are ok) for $20 so 44.99 for 8 channels is a better deal there are no fees or taxes in NJ so 44.99 is final bill...also i am planning to buy Indoor Antenna (Terk HDTVa) for Local channels which will suffice my TV needs....i think :-)

When you search by Nationality, it doesnt return any results.
Once you search by Category (EB), it returns results, but then when you try to sort by a column heard, it loses this restriction.

Also, the sorting doesnt seem to work.

Yes, very good question. Everyone vote for this question.

Good question.. I asked similar one.
"Mr. President,
I am patiently waiting for my employment based LEGAL green card to get processed for over 6 years and looking at 3-5 years more, putting on hold my plans to buy home, be an entrepreneur. I expect to wait but can it be reasonable? "
I voted for other questions for legal immigration.

Hello baleraosreedhar,

FOIA application takes not more than 10-15 days in few states. Anybody could easily get a copy of labor certification from the Department of Labor of the state in which it was filed. The process is generally very simple and is free. I would suggest most people should file for FOIA and get a complete copy of their labor certification documents even if it is approved. You never know when you may need it.

For I-140 also one could file FOIA. But it is best for you to file FOIA with USCIS through an attorney. You only need a copy of the approval notice of
I-140. If you know the tracking number, it would be very easy to file FOIA. But as I said, it would be best to ask an immigration attorney when filing FOIA application with USCIS. Or you may use the services of private company like www.foia.com to have a professional file and handle your application for pretty cheap (around $100).

There is no benefit of going into the argument with your employer about the right or ownership to Labor certification, I-140 or I-485 documents. If you have a copy of your ETA-750 (know the description in ETA-750 form) and copy of approval notice of I-140, you could easily change jobs after six months of filing I-485. And that seems to be the fear of your current employer.

If you may consider changing employer after filing 485, then no need to argue with the employer. It will just spoil the environment for the time you are there. Simply file FOIA and do what is best for you and your family.

Just my 2 cents. Hope this is useful.

WaldenPond




Hi Gurus,

I have a question regarding the Labour and I 140, I have joined company A with a promise of approved labour.

My company has filed for my I140 and it got approved.

I have asked for a copy of my Labour and I 140, the company representative says, these documents are Employer Centric, so they cannot give me those documents.

I am really shocked to hear this, As these documents are related to my GC, I thought they should be with me,or alteast a copy of it, but that i snto the case.

I would like to know if any of you guys had faced this problem, or is the reason given by the representative a genuine one.

Thanks

I know the residency application process. I needed help in finding out any hospitals or institutions offering the observership programs.

Thanks

Agreement Reached to Re-evaluate Rule Requiring Federal Contractors to Use E-Verify

Yesterday, the U.S. government agreed to delay until May 21, 2009, implementation of a new rule requiring federal contractors to use the federal government�s E-Verify employment eligibility system.
SHRM and other associations requested this extension after the president�s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, issued a memorandum to all agencies stating that agencies should consider extending the effective dates of all regulations that were published in the Federal Register but that have not yet taken effect.
While SHRM, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Associated Builders and Contractors, HR Policy Association, and the American Council on International Personnel still have a lawsuit pending against the government challenging the legality of the federal contractor mandate, this agreement suspends court proceedings in order to allow the Obama Administration an opportunity to review the rule.

I am holding J-1 student visa (academic training) from 8/2007 and will be expired on 7/31/2010, sponsor by U of Colorado. I am working as a postdoc for a project funded by NIH until 2013 at VCU. My advisor want to change my visa category from J-1 student to J-1 scholar, sponsor by VCU, to continue the project.

According to an international advisor at VCU where I am applying J-1 scholar, I cannot change from J-1 student to J-1 scholar due to 12-month bar:

[Time spent in the United States in any J status (including J-2 status) during the 12-month period preceding the prospective professor or research scholar's program begin date may affect the alien's eligibility for participation as a Professor or Research Scholar.

22 C.F.R. � 62.20(d)(2) establishes what is referred to as the "12-month bar." The general proposition of the 12-month bar is that an alien is not eligible to begin an exchange program as a Professor or Research Scholar based on a DS-2019 issued "to begin a new program" if he or she was physically present in any J status (including J-2 status) for "all or part of" the "twelve month period immediately preceding the date of program commencement set forth on his or her Form DS-2019." ]

But according to an international advisor at University of Colorado (my current sponsor for J1 student) that the 12-month bar is not applicable for me due to exception:
[(A) J-1 transfers. The 12 month bar is not applicable to those who will begin a program by transferring to a new program sponsor under the transfer procedures of 22 C.F.R. � 62.42 ;
22 C.F.R. � 62.20(d)(2)(i) ]

Who is right? What should I do? :confused:

I appreciate any help !!!

Looks like the determining point is whether it is a "transfer" of a "new program". Since you are going from "student" to "post-doc", the safer interpretation is that it is a "new program". But you may try to argue that it a "transfer". Read the corresponding CFR's -- they are reasonably clear (google will give you the texts). For instance, this is what is "transfer":

TITLE 22--FOREIGN RELATIONS

CHAPTER V--UNITED STATES INFORMATION AGENCY

PART 514--EXCHANGE VISITOR PROGRAM--Table of Contents

Subpart C--Status of Exchange Visitors

Sec. 514.42 Transfer of program.

(a) Program sponsors may, pursuant to the provisions set forth in
this section, permit an exchange visitor to transfer from one designated
program to another designated program.
(b) The responsible officer of the program to which the exchange
visitor is transferring:
(1) Shall verify the exchange visitor's visa status and program
eligibility;
(2) Execute the Form IAP-66; and
(3) Secure the written release of the current sponsor.
(c) Upon return of the completed Form IAP-66, the responsible
officer of the program to which the exchange visitor has transferred
shall provide:
(1) The exchange visitor his or her copy of the Form IAP-66; and
(2) A notification copy of such form to the Agency.

Thanks for replying to my message. Even if she leaves the country, she has no H1 or H4 visa stamping to come back. Her COS(H4 to H1B) is applied in Aug 2006 and it was expired in Oct 2006 and we didn't knew that we have to apply for H4 side-by-side. Bcoz of this situation, she has neither of the status. Even if we want to apply H4, her H4 is already expired in Aug 2006 and I am not sure if we can apply for H4 now. Can we apply for H4 now...??

Regards,
-- Venkat

Recently there has been and update on the H1 , L1 Law stating that they have de-coupled the max limit stay on H4-H1 Visa time limits. Meaning, a period spent on H4 is not counted for 6 year limit on H1 Visa and also does not depend on ones spouses 6 years limit. So, it may be possible that you can get her H1 extended beyond the Expiry Date.

I'm not very clear about your problem((H4 to H1B) is applied in Aug 2006 and it was expired in Oct 2006 ) How can the Visa expire in 3 months? But i would suggest you to contact a Good Lawyer in this matter. We did it and it worked for us...
Also see this link on H1-L1 decoupling issue here.

http://www.murthy.com/news/n_depfam.html

Lets reach our target soon- come on fellow IVans - come on - please contribute for a good cause

Hi Friends, I searched through some of the prior posts and did not find the answer. I am not looking for cities to live in from the point of view of job, taxes, weather, desi population, desi amenties such as movies, restaurants etc...

Please, don't take this wrong way. I assume you moved to the US to seek the positives this land has to offer your children, whilst holding on to certain cultures / values from your hometown. Hence, I don't understand why you would relocate to the other side of the planet and seek the best place for "Indian" children to live?! I would reckon, it is probably your hometown, in India.

Very few get to have the cake and eat it too.

I have lived in 4 states, in the 8 years I have lived in this country. I have NEVER faced racism or discrimination of any sort. No place is perfect. However, this country does stand head and shoulders above a lot of places. Try and fit in.

Can interfiling done for spouse. I filed 485 based on my PERM labor. Can I interfile this 485 when my wifes labor gets approved from Backlog.

Here is what I got update from my attorney:

"Once the I-140 is approved(EB3, Nov 2004), we will write to the Immigration Service requesting them to apply that priority date to the pending I-485 (EB2, Feb 2006) application."

Hope this helps.

For Postmortem, I think we should focus on one thing, how did that number 90,000 for reducing backlong of EB visas got into the bill in the first place? For illegal workers they did it by percentage to eliminate the backlog in 5 years. Why wasn't something similar done for EB visas?

I am going to devote a considerable amount of effort in trying to figure that out so that when a similar bill comes around the next time, we know what's going on.

On another note, I was surprised that how little support we got from the Indian-American community (if I am wrong in assuming this, then correct me)! Bill Gates supported our cause, Intel supported our cause, Google supported our cause; but the huge number of Indian-American tech entrepreanuers in the US? Organizations like TIE? I am not sure if the IV core team tried to solicit any help from them or not but I thought their support was deafening.

PD: MARCH -2002 (EB3 India)
I-485 filed: 29-JUN-2007 (NSC)
I-485 RD: 13-AUGUST-2007

yes EB3 India. I think when I look back, its just a matter of luck. Once it was RFE, second time I got a second finger printing and third time they just did'nt pick it up. But USCIS has been very promptful in approving my EADs and AP. I could be very well one of the oldest processing case sitting in the TSC shelf.
(1700 days)

We wish you get your GC soon.!!:)