Consular Returns to Revoke Visa Petition

Upon approval of a petition, the beneficiary of the petition, generally, has to apply for a visa at a U.S. consulate abroad.  It is noteworthy to mention that approval of the petition by the US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) does not guarantee a visa as USCIS has the authority to revoke a petition after…

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Recent USCIS Telephone Scams

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) in recent weeks have learned of a new telephone scam targeting USCIS applicants and petitioners. Scammers are using a technique called “Caller ID spoofing” to display a misleading or inaccurate phone number in a recipient’s Caller ID. The scammer poses as a USCIS official and requests personal information (such…

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DOMA Ruling and Immigration Benefits for Same-Sex Partners

With the overturn of Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), same-sex partners of U.S. Citizens and permanent residents are now entitled to same immigration benefits that were earlier available only to opposite-sex couples.  Some of the notable immigration benefits that the same-sex partners are now eligible to includes: Fiancé Visa, Marriage Visa, Adjustment of Status, Immigrant…

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September 2013 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 & EB-3 (India) Advances

U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the September 2013 Visa Bulletin which is the last Visa Bulletin for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013.  The cutoff dates for Employment-Based second preference (EB-2) India has moved to June 15, 2008 and for Employment-Based third preference (EB-3) India has moved to September 22, 2003.  The worldwide, China,…

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June 2013 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 India Remains Unchanged

U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the June 2013 Visa Bulletin which is the ninth Visa Bulletin for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013.  As expected, the cutoff dates for Employment-Based second preference (EB-2) India has not moved and it continues to remains at September 1, 2004.  The EB-2 China on the other hand has…

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Immigration Reform Bill Introduced in Senate (Part 2 of 3)

In Part 1 of this Article, we provided you with an overview of the Immigration Reform Bill that was introduced in the Senate on April 17, 2013 and familiarized you with some of the key provisions for those who are present in the Unites States in an unlawful status.  This article will highlight some of…

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Immigration Reform Bill Introduced in Senate (Part 1 of 3)

On April 17, 2013, Senators introduced a long-awaited and sweeping immigration overhaul bill, known as the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013” that addresses backlogs in legal immigration, undocumented immigrants, and border security.  This 844-page bill is the result of weeks of negotiations amongst the Senate’s “Gang of Eight” – four…

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Driver’s License, SSA, and other Issues for Noncitizens and Naturalized Citizens

SAVE (Systems Alien Verification for Entitlements) is an inter-governmental information services program which verifies the immigration status of a noncitizen or a naturalized citizen, helping to ensure that only entitled applicants receive federal, state, or local benefits, such as a driver’s license, Social Security Number, housing assistance, Medicaid, or other public benefits.  Any participating benefit…

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New Filing Option for Canadian TN

Starting October 1, 2012, US Citizenship & Immigration Services (US CIS) will start accepting Form I-129 petitions for TN status filed on behalf of Canadian Citizens who are physically present outside the United States.  Previously USCIS only accepted Form I-129 petitions to extend TN status of an individual physically present in the US or to…

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Form I-94 Information for Foreign Travelers: CBP Update

Custom and Border Patrol (CBP) is exploring automating the Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record to allow for the electronic management of the data.  This has resulted in delays in processing the travel information into the I-94 database.  Hence, CBP is advising foreign visitors entering the U.S., who need to prove their legal status to employers, schools/universities…

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