H1B Visa Lawyer BlogThe following immigration-related bills were introduced into the House of Representatives and the Senate January 2012-September 2012.
Senate Bills
S. 3245
Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) Processing Times
Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) Processing Times were released with processing dates as of October 1, 2012.
If you filed an appeal, please review the link below to determine the applicable processing time associated with your particular case.
VISA Bulletin – November 2012
The Department of State has released its latest Visa Bulletin.
Click here to view the November 2012 Visa Bulletin.
The November 2012 Visa Bulletin shows employment based second preference (EB-2) as oversubscribed and employment based third preference (EB-3) visas are also listed as oversubscribed. EB-2 is current for all chargeability areas except those listed.
USCIS Announces a New Filing Option on behalf of Canadian TN Nonimmigrants
Canadian TN Nonimmigrants
On Oct. 1, 2012, USCIS will begin accepting the Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, filed on behalf of Canadian citizens who are outside the United States and seeking classification as a TN nonimmigrant.
With respect to the TN classification, USCIS currently only accepts Form I-129 in connection with a request to extend a TN nonimmigrant’s stay or to change a nonimmigrant’s status to TN.
MVP LAW GROUP – Immigration Q&A Forum, Friday, October 12, 2012
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 – Green Card
What is Advance Parole?
Updated Service Center Processing Times
Processing Time reports for all of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Service Centers were released on October 4, 2012 with processing dates as of August 31, 2012.
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.
USCIS Launches Spanish-language I-9 Central
On October 4, 2012 the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) launched a Spanish-language version of I-9 Central, an online resource center designed to provide information and assistance related to the most frequently accessed form on USCIS.gov: Form I-9, Employee Eligibility Verification. This free, easy-to-use website provides employers and employees simple one-click access to resources, tips and guidance to properly complete Form I-9 and better understand the Form I-9 process.
Note: All U.S. employers must complete and retain a Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This includes citizens and noncitizens.
Read the original “USCIS News Bulletin (released 10/04/2012)”.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) updated FY2012 Statistics
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) has provided FY2012 statistics in the form of program factsheets for each of the major immigration programs. These updated FY2012 statistics cover October 2011 through September 16, 2012. The link to each program factsheet is listed below.
MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – This Friday, October 12, 2012
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 12, 2012. Act now and submit your questions!
S. 3245 – 3-year Extension of EB-5, E-Verify, Religious Worker, and Conrad State 30 J-1 Visa Waiver (Updated 9/28/12)
S. 3245, introduced by Sen. Leahy (D-VT) on May 24, 2012, provides an extension of:
1. EB-5 Regional Center program – The Immigrant Investor Pilot Program (“Pilot Program”) was created by Section 610 of Public Law 102-395 (Oct. 6, 1992), and has been extended through Sept. 30, 2012. EB-5 requirements for an investor under the Pilot Program are essentially the same as in the standard EB-5 investor program, except the Pilot Program provides for investments that are affiliated with an economic unit known as a “Regional Center.” Investments made through regional centers can take advantage of a more expansive concept of job creation including both “indirect” and “direct” jobs.
2. E-Verify – an internet-based program used by an employer to verify an employee’s identity and to establish that the worker is eligible to accept employment in the United States.