H1B Visa Lawyer Blog

October 8, 2015

Diversity Visa (DV-2017) Lottery Announced

Annually, the United States government issues a maximum of 50,000 green cards through a computer-generated random lottery drawing. Applications for the DV-2017 random lottery will be accepted from noon (EDT) Thursday, October 1, 2015 through noon (EST) Tuesday, November 3, 2015. Paper entries will not be accepted, eligible participants may access the electronic Diversity Visa entry form (E-DV) to apply during this period. Early entry is recommended and they strongly encourage applicants not to wait until the last week of the registration period to enter!

These green cards are only available to those eligible participants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Please check the “INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE 2017 DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM (DV-2017)” for the complete list of countries/areas whose natives are eligible for DV-2017.

Note: Please review the list of countries/areas whose natives are eligible for DV-2017 because it also includes the countries that are not eligible. Natives of countries that sent more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the previous five years are not eligible.

October 7, 2015

Upcoming Congressional Hearings on Immigration – October 2015

by Kellie N. Lego

Senate:

October 7, 2015

Committee: U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Title: Business Meeting – the agenda includes S. Res. 104, a resolution regarding the success of Operation Streamline and the importance of prosecuting first time illegal border crossers Time: 10:00am Place: SD-342 Dirksen Senate Office Building

October 6, 2015

Impact of New Americans (2015) – Texas, Utah & Vermont

by Kellie N. Lego

Immigration Policy Center Releases Updated State-by-State Fact Sheets (2015)

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) has released all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the United States (Overall), for a total of fifty-two updated fact sheets with accompanying info graphics and other details. These fact sheets highlight the demographic and economic impact of Immigrants, Asians and Latinos in each state. The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research and policy division of the American Immigration Council (AIC).

As Washington D.C. continues the discussion of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, we thought that it would be a good time to provide some statistics on the Immigrant population in the United States as provided by this IPC research. Once a week we will be posting a blog with information on three states at a time. This week we will highlight; Texas, Utah & Vermont.

October 2, 2015

MVP LAW GROUP – Immigration Q&A Forum, Friday, Oct. 2, 2015

by Kellie N. Lego

MVP Law Group, P.A. makes available the information and materials in this forum for informational purposes only. The information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice or any contractual obligations. Further, the use of this site, and the sending or receipt of this information, does not create an attorney-client relationship between us. Therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.

Question #1 – Marriage Based Green Card Sponsorship

Can I apply for a spousal visa, if I am getting married to a green card holder & am currently in H-1B visa status?

October 1, 2015

Impact of New Americans (2015) – South Carolina, South Dakota & Tennessee

by Kellie N. Lego

Immigration Policy Center Releases Updated State-by-State Fact Sheets (2015)

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) has released all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the United States (Overall), for a total of fifty-two updated fact sheets with accompanying info graphics and other details. These fact sheets highlight the demographic and economic impact of Immigrants, Asians and Latinos in each state. The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research and policy division of the American Immigration Council (AIC).

As Washington D.C. continues the discussion of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, we thought that it would be a good time to provide some statistics on the Immigrant population in the United States as provided by this IPC research. Once a week we will be posting a blog with information on three states at a time. This week we will highlight; South Carolina, South Dakota & Tennessee.

September 30, 2015

Visa Bulletin – October 2015 (Revised 9-25-15)

by Kellie N. Lego

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) published a revised Visa Bulletin for October 2015 on September 25th. This revised visa bulletin supersedes the bulletin for October 2015 that was originally published on September 9, 2015! Please review, “Visa Bulletin – October 2015 (Revised 9-25-15)” for more details and changes.

The Department of State has released its latest Visa Bulletin.

Click here to view the October 2015 Visa Bulletin

September 29, 2015

Revised: Updated Service Center Processing Times (as of 7/31/15)

by Kellie N. Lego

Processing Time reports for all of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Service Centers were released on 9/22/15 with processing dates as of 7/31/15.

If you filed a petition with one of the Service Centers, please review the links below to determine the applicable processing time associated with your particular case.

California Service Center (CSC)

September 28, 2015

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – This Friday, Oct. 2, 2015

by Kellie N. Lego

We wanted to find a new way to engage our reader base. Every other Friday, we will post the ten (10) best/most frequently asked questions received during the week from our h1bvisalawyerblog, Facebook, and Twitter readers. We will answer those questions and provide the Q&A on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

If you have a burning question, are seeking assistance with a difficult immigration related case, wish to discuss your views on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, DREAMers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, priority dates, the monthly visa bulletin, adjustment applications, etc., please contact us by submitting your question/comment/viewpoint in our comment box provided on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

Our next “Q & A Forum” will take place this Friday, October 2, 2015. Act now and submit your questions!

September 25, 2015

UPDATE: REVISED Immigrant Numbers for October 2015

by Kellie N. Lego

The Department of State (DOS) have revised the Visa Bulletin initially issued on September 9, 2015 for OCTOBER 2015.

PLEASE NOTE: The DOS have advised that this bulletin supersedes the bulletin for October 2015 that was originally published on September 9, 2015, and contained Dates for Filing Applications long used by the Department of State for internal processing purposes. Following consultations with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Dates for Filing Applications for some categories in the Family-Sponsored and Employment-Based preferences have been adjusted to better reflect a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process.

The Dates for Filing Applications sections (sections 4.B. and 5.B.) which have been adjusted have been identified in Bold type.

September 25, 2015

Resources for Citizenship – Find Local English and Citizenship Classes!

by Kellie N. Lego

If you are searching for “English as a Second Language” or “Citizenship” classes in your local area try using the America’s Literacy Directory (ALD). First you choose the type of class/classes you are looking for, then just type in your zip code or city/state and active the search. If the directory locates a training source within your local area it will list the details. You can also generate a map and driving directions for all programs listed in the ALD.

America’s Literacy Directory (ALD) is a web site that allows users to find local literacy providers in all 50 states and the U.S. territories. The ALD includes literacy programs for adults looking for adult basic education, adult secondary education, computer literacy and English as a Second Language.

Source of Information: