tikka
07-03 09:36 PM
This is strickly media drive thread.. please only post related to media drive..
Thanks..
sorry :D
this one time pls allow us to post contribution thread here..
Thanks..
sorry :D
this one time pls allow us to post contribution thread here..
wallpaper Tyler Perry#39;s House of Payne
poorslumdog
08-15 09:55 PM
You might want to read this warning to yourself. I am not a Muslim myself, but solely pointing to the obscureness of the system. Even Kamal Hassan payed a price for his name, it's high time this changes, and this routine harrasment is very comparable to the H1B experience at POE.
I dont see any Harashment...They are not beating you. Just its extra verification. If you dont like that you are more than welcome not to come here. Everyday hundereds of people going this process and no one is crying foul and why only this time.?
I dont see any Harashment...They are not beating you. Just its extra verification. If you dont like that you are more than welcome not to come here. Everyday hundereds of people going this process and no one is crying foul and why only this time.?
sbabunle
08-03 03:22 PM
Here is the link
http://www.murthy.com/news/n_elisub.html
on more abt substitution
http://www.murthy.com/news/n_elisub.html
on more abt substitution
2011 of Tyler Perry#39;s quot;House of
rpat1968
07-04 10:23 AM
I think we should contact DHS and all government agencies about the USCIS-DOS scam -
http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/
(their Mission Statement - To serve as an independent and objective inspection, audit, and investigative body to promote effectiveness, efficiency, and economy in the Department of Homeland Security's programs and operations, and to prevent and detect fraud, abuse, mismanagement, and waste in such programs and operations. )
http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/
(their Mission Statement - To serve as an independent and objective inspection, audit, and investigative body to promote effectiveness, efficiency, and economy in the Department of Homeland Security's programs and operations, and to prevent and detect fraud, abuse, mismanagement, and waste in such programs and operations. )
more...
kevinkris
02-12 01:44 PM
Can anyone explain me..
lotsofspace
02-13 11:26 AM
I understand that per country cap is painful for certain countries. But i think they want the employment based immigrant community to be as versatile as possible. I have never heard someone complaining about the DV program where certain countries are not allowed to participate. The reason behind is that they want people from all over the world not just from certain parts of the world.
What part of "Diversity Visa" don't you understand ? The objective there was and is "DIVERSITY" and therefore it make sense (albeit a limited one).
Why should there be a restriction based on COB for employment based visas ? Do you think the Govt can dictate companies to recruit only so many people from different demographies ? I guess not.
Thank God there is no such restriction on H1.
I know it sucks for guys from ROW to be treated on par with ICMP quartet. But is only fair to be treated equally at least in EB categories.
As many have suggested before, this removal of quota in it self will not solve the immigration problem. But is is fair and equitable in my opinion. And the opinion generally is different based on what side of the fence you are on. Recapture and increase of the annual limit to a more reasonable number is the correct solution.
Although it may be kind of wishful thinking from the ICMP quartet to get this per country limitation removed, I personally feel the odds of that happening or very low. So guys from ROW, please chill. You are probably alright. Removing the world hunger is the right thing , but that is not going to happen. Some people continue to eat mud cakes to kill the hunger (This is a true story. I read an article recently).
Most problems in the past have been resolved by not improving/patching the current system/source but by paradigm and systematic shifts. The root of the problem at the conceptual level is the demand for these visas from these countries. If the India and China continue their current growth rate for the next decade, they probably don't need this many visas :) who knows :).
But for now this is a problem for all of us who are struck in this nightmare.
What part of "Diversity Visa" don't you understand ? The objective there was and is "DIVERSITY" and therefore it make sense (albeit a limited one).
Why should there be a restriction based on COB for employment based visas ? Do you think the Govt can dictate companies to recruit only so many people from different demographies ? I guess not.
Thank God there is no such restriction on H1.
I know it sucks for guys from ROW to be treated on par with ICMP quartet. But is only fair to be treated equally at least in EB categories.
As many have suggested before, this removal of quota in it self will not solve the immigration problem. But is is fair and equitable in my opinion. And the opinion generally is different based on what side of the fence you are on. Recapture and increase of the annual limit to a more reasonable number is the correct solution.
Although it may be kind of wishful thinking from the ICMP quartet to get this per country limitation removed, I personally feel the odds of that happening or very low. So guys from ROW, please chill. You are probably alright. Removing the world hunger is the right thing , but that is not going to happen. Some people continue to eat mud cakes to kill the hunger (This is a true story. I read an article recently).
Most problems in the past have been resolved by not improving/patching the current system/source but by paradigm and systematic shifts. The root of the problem at the conceptual level is the demand for these visas from these countries. If the India and China continue their current growth rate for the next decade, they probably don't need this many visas :) who knows :).
But for now this is a problem for all of us who are struck in this nightmare.
more...
r2i2009
01-18 08:11 PM
Still Desi companies are not following Labor laws.
I know a company in OHIO still exploiting H1Bs......but payroll being generated....
Hmmmmmm......USCIS this is not enough.
I know a company in OHIO still exploiting H1Bs......but payroll being generated....
Hmmmmmm......USCIS this is not enough.
2010 Police said Perry#39;s bodyguard
ns007
04-28 10:29 PM
Administrator,
There is an another thread on the same topic. Please merge both threads.
Sorry, I didn't see that thread before opening this.
There is an another thread on the same topic. Please merge both threads.
Sorry, I didn't see that thread before opening this.
more...
_TrueFacts
09-05 03:30 AM
OK breddy I searched in youtube. I see chandu is from vijayawada. Now I know why he is talking crap on YS Rajashekar Reddy.
Dude Chandu, you are in 21st century. Forget about all these castism and all. Live peacefully and get your GC. This castism and all doesn't do any good. Chandrababu and Balakrishan will nto give any GC to you. Save your ass, CASTISM will not help any one. I used to think your senior member and good person. I seriously think your an IDIOT unless you stop this castism. STOP this caste based discussions. I know you are not directly talking but I can join the links.
(BTW, I don't believe in castism, I don't have any caste)
Shame on you...donga ki donga thodu.( cooperation between thiefs)
Dude Chandu, you are in 21st century. Forget about all these castism and all. Live peacefully and get your GC. This castism and all doesn't do any good. Chandrababu and Balakrishan will nto give any GC to you. Save your ass, CASTISM will not help any one. I used to think your senior member and good person. I seriously think your an IDIOT unless you stop this castism. STOP this caste based discussions. I know you are not directly talking but I can join the links.
(BTW, I don't believe in castism, I don't have any caste)
Shame on you...donga ki donga thodu.( cooperation between thiefs)
hair Bidders tour Tyler Perry#39;s
gdilla
05-25 01:09 PM
The logic being applied at the NotCanada website is perplexing. Yes, the Canadian immigration system can be improved, but people who qualify to get in think by stepping foot on the soil their lives will be all peachy are delusional. It would be like any of you EBs coming to the US with no job offer. How long would you survive? I doubt 4 weeks. You wouldn't be able to rent a place, get a credit card, or, duh, have a paycheck. Obviously you think US is easy because when you come here, you're already employed. Canada can improve immigration system by encouraging immigrants to look for jobs before carting their entire families over. But still, the burden is on the immigrant to use their common sense. Canada, nor any country, owes you a job of your liking. YOU have to take care of yourself. It's mind boggling that an educated doctor from another country doesn't ask one colleague, or research the internet, or apply for a job, before immigrating to a country on the otherside of the planet.
more...
485Mbe4001
09-23 05:38 PM
You can always edit your letter with comments that suit your case. The objective is to send a letter to support the idea. They they work out the details if and when they discuss it.
OK... I support the initiative because it will remove some people ahead of me in line. However, I bought a house last week with 3% downpayment on FHA loan, and now how can I justify writing an email with the draft that urges for GCs only for those who paid 20% downpayment?
Can you give me some thoughts on this so that I can make my selfish mind to agree on writing this email to congress?
OK... I support the initiative because it will remove some people ahead of me in line. However, I bought a house last week with 3% downpayment on FHA loan, and now how can I justify writing an email with the draft that urges for GCs only for those who paid 20% downpayment?
Can you give me some thoughts on this so that I can make my selfish mind to agree on writing this email to congress?
hot 49b6587eTyler Perry Tyler
unseenguy
06-11 07:59 PM
My intention was not to devalue the merits of the incoming batch of immigrants. As I said, around 20% of the group are truly the best and the brightest. This was the case after the dotcom crash and will most likely be the case going forward. We had the same delays, retrogressions , guaranteed employment verification RFEs etc. Immigrationportal.com used to be the immigrationvoice of the times. I do not see much difference for the techies between what was then and what is going on now in terms of delays. I see 2 dramatic changes though
1. People arent patient enough during these times. You would agree to the amount of venting going on in this site.
2. The incessant dumping of low cost of L1s by the outsourcing companies.
If you think through deeply, the second point is what is causing all the heartburn among the people waiting for their GCs. Believe me. All these extrapolated timelines that scream that getting GC today would take 10 years are all bogus. These headlines were the same then too. I can confidently say that the GC process will move fast within a year's time once the layoffs stop. It is just that can you survive till the govt policies become more rational ? That is where the argument about the best and the brightest come into place. If you are one, you would survive this and you will get your GC within 3 years. Honestly, my ntention was to calm the nerves of those people genuinely talented and waiting for their GCs. If I had missed out on that count, I think I should improve my communication. The arwinian flush was just to highlight that fact.
Makes sense now. Peace.
1. People arent patient enough during these times. You would agree to the amount of venting going on in this site.
2. The incessant dumping of low cost of L1s by the outsourcing companies.
If you think through deeply, the second point is what is causing all the heartburn among the people waiting for their GCs. Believe me. All these extrapolated timelines that scream that getting GC today would take 10 years are all bogus. These headlines were the same then too. I can confidently say that the GC process will move fast within a year's time once the layoffs stop. It is just that can you survive till the govt policies become more rational ? That is where the argument about the best and the brightest come into place. If you are one, you would survive this and you will get your GC within 3 years. Honestly, my ntention was to calm the nerves of those people genuinely talented and waiting for their GCs. If I had missed out on that count, I think I should improve my communication. The arwinian flush was just to highlight that fact.
Makes sense now. Peace.
more...
house Tyler Perry Helps Battle
eager_immi
07-25 10:11 AM
isn't it my choice. u can go back to india if u like i don't think i will stop u. Also using the same logic india is still ur home country u should go back even if GC works out.
WHY not go back to India if the GC process fails , I mean after all India is our home country rite .(I am talking only about Indians)
Health and Wealth are subjective after all
WHY not go back to India if the GC process fails , I mean after all India is our home country rite .(I am talking only about Indians)
Health and Wealth are subjective after all
tattoo captured by Tyler Perry#39;s
whatamidoinghere
02-13 10:47 PM
I am following this discussion and it is interesting. Here is what I get so far.
USCIS is not allotting excess visa number horizontally. Unused visas from Eb1 and EB2 are not going to over subscribed countries but to EB3 ROW. The "total" visas in the law can be read as total visa across all categories. If this is true then it is likely that untill EB3 ROW becomes current, India and China will only get 7%. But here is what I do not get.
1) From november 2005 bulletin, USCIS is saying that they are going to suspend AC21. Why did they decide to suspend ac21? Can they decide on their own when they are going to apply to AC21 and when they are not? Is AC21 not a law?
2) Why or how did USCIS allocate large number of visas to over subscribed countries India and China before? Like in the November bulletin, USCIS says india used up around 44000 visas. Were they allocating more visas by following AC21? If yes, then why did they decide to suspend AC21? If no, then how they allocated so many numbers?
I am trying to understand the how the USCIS decides to allocate visa numbers. And it is very complex.
Another thing that is hard to understand is that if EB3 ROW is getting all the unused visas, how did EB2 move forward two years in 2006? It was moving 6 months at a time till May-06. Did USCIS change the way they interpret the law in May-06? That would be weird, they should have done it when they declared in Nov-05 bulletin that AC21 provisions are not expected to apply.
It is possible that USCIS is allocating unused EB2 visas to EB2 India and China after all, and it is not moving forward only because of backlogged EB2 Labors getting approved. We will know for sure in a few months. There are still several 2001 EB2 Non-RIR cases in the backlog as per
http://www..com/usa-immigration-trackers/dallas-backlog-tracker/
USCIS is not allotting excess visa number horizontally. Unused visas from Eb1 and EB2 are not going to over subscribed countries but to EB3 ROW. The "total" visas in the law can be read as total visa across all categories. If this is true then it is likely that untill EB3 ROW becomes current, India and China will only get 7%. But here is what I do not get.
1) From november 2005 bulletin, USCIS is saying that they are going to suspend AC21. Why did they decide to suspend ac21? Can they decide on their own when they are going to apply to AC21 and when they are not? Is AC21 not a law?
2) Why or how did USCIS allocate large number of visas to over subscribed countries India and China before? Like in the November bulletin, USCIS says india used up around 44000 visas. Were they allocating more visas by following AC21? If yes, then why did they decide to suspend AC21? If no, then how they allocated so many numbers?
I am trying to understand the how the USCIS decides to allocate visa numbers. And it is very complex.
Another thing that is hard to understand is that if EB3 ROW is getting all the unused visas, how did EB2 move forward two years in 2006? It was moving 6 months at a time till May-06. Did USCIS change the way they interpret the law in May-06? That would be weird, they should have done it when they declared in Nov-05 bulletin that AC21 provisions are not expected to apply.
It is possible that USCIS is allocating unused EB2 visas to EB2 India and China after all, and it is not moving forward only because of backlogged EB2 Labors getting approved. We will know for sure in a few months. There are still several 2001 EB2 Non-RIR cases in the backlog as per
http://www..com/usa-immigration-trackers/dallas-backlog-tracker/
more...
pictures The Atlanta screening of Tyler
BharatPremi
12-14 01:15 PM
I know. I work for a prestigious law firm and I know how hard it is to become a lawyer.
Now it definately interests me to know the reason behind your interpretation. Please enlighten us about your interpretation
Now it definately interests me to know the reason behind your interpretation. Please enlighten us about your interpretation
dresses Unfortunately for the House of
desim
07-14 11:13 PM
Thank you for your service and to IV for helping us.
I have a question regarding my wife's status. Here is our current status:
She got thru H1B lottery this year and is waiting for approval. Both our I94 are valid until Aug 11 this year. I have a valid visa until 09 today. She does have a gap between Aug 11 and Oct 1, 08.
Her employer says he filed her application as COS. I believe it will be CP as there is a gap in her status. We want to travel to India after receiving her H1B approval. We will be getting our H1B/H4 visa stamping and return before Oct 1.
My questions are
1. after our return what needs to be done for my wife to work from Oct 1. Do I need to file a COS or Amendment to change her status from H4 to H1b from Oct 1?
2. If so which form will it be I-129? Is there premium processing available for this?
Thanks!
I have a question regarding my wife's status. Here is our current status:
She got thru H1B lottery this year and is waiting for approval. Both our I94 are valid until Aug 11 this year. I have a valid visa until 09 today. She does have a gap between Aug 11 and Oct 1, 08.
Her employer says he filed her application as COS. I believe it will be CP as there is a gap in her status. We want to travel to India after receiving her H1B approval. We will be getting our H1B/H4 visa stamping and return before Oct 1.
My questions are
1. after our return what needs to be done for my wife to work from Oct 1. Do I need to file a COS or Amendment to change her status from H4 to H1b from Oct 1?
2. If so which form will it be I-129? Is there premium processing available for this?
Thanks!
more...
makeup Atlanta millionaire and
vdlrao
07-21 02:26 PM
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/s...PR_FR_2007.pdf
Link for U.S Legal Permanent Residents from 2005 to 2007.
Link for U.S Legal Permanent Residents from 2005 to 2007.
girlfriend Filmmaker Tyler Perry to build
illusions
05-18 11:14 AM
How has panini's profile in THIS THREAD got anything to do with immigration? this is NOT an immigration related thread. If you should police a person's profile in an immigration related thread no one would object, but this is the wrong thread. And isn't the default changeability the US ? Your accusations are pretty strong and doesn't seem to have any backing; what are the rumors that he has been spreading ? anti immigrant ???
If you should police this site, then ask the Admin's to close non immigration related threads that have a political debate involved.
If you should police this site, then ask the Admin's to close non immigration related threads that have a political debate involved.
hairstyles Movie mogul Tyler Perry wants
leo2606
09-23 06:00 PM
nope, I understand, I see valid points in your opposition. I had a similar discussion with one of my friend couple of months back, I did question about how US economy gets boosted by just GC holders buying house.
But any way otherside I was thinking what's wrong in just trying.
You are missing the point of the opposition. What is the fairness in this visa category? Every other category has US benefiting (not short term, but in long term) from us, except this proposed category. Do you think paying 20% down will benefit US enough that they drop every thing and grant you the GC??
Also, how do you define this 20%? A 20% down in CA will get your 5 homes in Alaskan tundra (ok exaggerating, but not by much). This proposal basically comes down to haves and have nots. By expending time on such misguided legislation, you are not only making the immigrants look like cheap opportunistic ****, but also giving enough fodder for the anti-immigrants that we are only looking for our GC without any tangible long term benefit for US (I could pay 20% down, get my GC, and then become a burden on the state).
But any way otherside I was thinking what's wrong in just trying.
You are missing the point of the opposition. What is the fairness in this visa category? Every other category has US benefiting (not short term, but in long term) from us, except this proposed category. Do you think paying 20% down will benefit US enough that they drop every thing and grant you the GC??
Also, how do you define this 20%? A 20% down in CA will get your 5 homes in Alaskan tundra (ok exaggerating, but not by much). This proposal basically comes down to haves and have nots. By expending time on such misguided legislation, you are not only making the immigrants look like cheap opportunistic ****, but also giving enough fodder for the anti-immigrants that we are only looking for our GC without any tangible long term benefit for US (I could pay 20% down, get my GC, and then become a burden on the state).
grupak
02-13 02:58 PM
We're all in this crap together, some worse than others... so let's stop with this ROW Vs India & China nonsense. Country quotas are unfair and frankly the entire GC process is unfair and unpredictable... We should aim for solutions that solve this issue in a comprehensive way, not by dividing us even further.
Well said. We are here only because we want to fix the employment-based GC processes. If I could fix the system on my own I wouldn't be hanging around here. Together we want to fix the system so lets propose solutions that helps everyone in IV.
For a start, everyone mail those letters to the President.
Well said. We are here only because we want to fix the employment-based GC processes. If I could fix the system on my own I wouldn't be hanging around here. Together we want to fix the system so lets propose solutions that helps everyone in IV.
For a start, everyone mail those letters to the President.
test101
07-03 08:11 PM
do you mind using what you wrote for emaling the media ?
thanks.
Posting here as asked by Pappu:
------
Hi Jessie,
I am contacting you today regarding the recent chain of events concerning employment-based immigrants.
I am positive you are aware of the recent debacle skilled professionals waiting for years in the immigration backlog have sufferred thanks to the Dept of State and the USCIS.
Some Facts:
- On June 13, DoS announced the July Visa Bulletin which made visa numbers available for all categories of employment-based immigrant visas, for all countries of chargeability. The July Visa Bulletin made all categories for all countries "CURRENT", giving a ray of hope to skilled professionals waiting in line for years to get a green card.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3258.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2ftravel.state.gov%2fvis a%2ffrvi%2fbulletin%2fbulletin_3258.html)
- Faced with this news, applicants and their families spent significant time and resources to put together the required documentation in a very short time, in many cases procuring important documents from their home countries and getting them couriered at considerable expense; and having family members like spouses and children fly in to the U.S. to be able to apply for a green card. Thousands of dollars were spent on this, and on the required medical checkups, and in many cases lawyers' fees, in order to submit the applications for the final stage of green card - Adjustment of Status (AOS), by filing Form I-485 by end of June so it reaches USCIS by July 2.
- Once a Visa Bulletin for the next month is announced, USCIS accepts all applications to adjust status that are received in that month. They may not have enough visa numbers for all applications received, and as such are not bound to actually issue green cards to all applicants in the month. However, applicants and their family members can receive interim benefits after filing e.g.:
1. Employment Authorization (EAD): This is particularly important for spouses, who are often unable to work because they are on H4 visas, and do not belong to specialized occupations that would entitle them to get an H1B visa.
2. Advanced Parole: Allowing applicants to travel freely.
3. Portability: Allows applicants to change employers 180 days after filing AOS, if the new job is the same as the one they based their positions/original green card applications on. This is very important for most professionals, who are bound to a particular employer for years during the green card processing, marred by its delays and complexity.
- Early on July 2, the first day when USCIS started receiving applications for AOS, the Dept of State announced an updated Visa Bulletin, stating that USCIS has issued extraordinary number of immigrant visas (60,000) for employment-based immigrants (between the July 2007 Visa Bulletin announcement on June 13 and end of June = June 29), thus running out of any available visa numbers for the rest of the year!
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3263.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2ftravel.state.gov%2fvis a%2ffrvi%2fbulletin%2fbulletin_3263.html)
- Following that, displaying amazing coordination, USCIS posted an update on its web site stating any AOS applications receivedi n the month of July will be rejected, effective immediately (July 2).
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/VisaBulletin2Jul07.pdf (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.uscis.gov%2ffiles% 2fpressrelease%2fVisaBulletin2Jul07.pdf)
In effect, this closed the available window for filing AOS applications - the entire month of July - even before it opened!
- The fact that a Visa Bulletin gets updated mid-month is unprecedented.
- The fact that the USCIS processed and adjudicated roughly the same number of AOS applications in about 15 days as they have done in the previous 10 months is both alarming and shocking!
- The American Immigrant Law Foundation is considering a class-action lawsuit agains USCIS/DoS.
- Immigration Voice (www.immigrationvoice.org (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.immigrationvoice.o rg%2f)), an organization of skilled professionals/documented immigrants is considering the same.
- Here's a Press Release from ImmigrationVoice.org:
http://www.prlog.org/10022648-no-celebration-for-thousands-of-highly-skilled-future-americans-this-july-4th.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.prlog.org%2f100226 48-no-celebration-for-thousands-of-highly-skilled-future-americans-this-july-4th.html)
- Also of interest, the following blog post by immigration lawyer Greg Siskind:
Full-Blown Scandal
http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2007/07/full-blown-scan.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fblogs.ilw.com%2fgregsi skind%2f2007%2f07%2ffull-blown-scan.html)
- Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has issued a statement against this move, and written to both USCIS and DoS:
http://lofgren.house.gov/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1808 (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2flofgren.house.gov%2fPR Article.aspx%3fNewsID%3d1808)
- Following link is from Forbes, a wire story by AP that got picked up by many media outlets in the last 24 hours:
Legal Workers Lose Chance at Green Cards
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/02/ap3879453.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.forbes.com%2ffeeds %2fap%2f2007%2f07%2f02%2fap3879453.html)
Hoping you will be able to highlight the plight of tens of thousands of such folks who got their single glimmer of hope taken away from them in a flash, before it even became available. (Ironically, all this happened whilst in the background lawmakers were considering legalizing 12-20 million undocumented immigrants.)
Thanks,
thanks.
Posting here as asked by Pappu:
------
Hi Jessie,
I am contacting you today regarding the recent chain of events concerning employment-based immigrants.
I am positive you are aware of the recent debacle skilled professionals waiting for years in the immigration backlog have sufferred thanks to the Dept of State and the USCIS.
Some Facts:
- On June 13, DoS announced the July Visa Bulletin which made visa numbers available for all categories of employment-based immigrant visas, for all countries of chargeability. The July Visa Bulletin made all categories for all countries "CURRENT", giving a ray of hope to skilled professionals waiting in line for years to get a green card.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3258.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2ftravel.state.gov%2fvis a%2ffrvi%2fbulletin%2fbulletin_3258.html)
- Faced with this news, applicants and their families spent significant time and resources to put together the required documentation in a very short time, in many cases procuring important documents from their home countries and getting them couriered at considerable expense; and having family members like spouses and children fly in to the U.S. to be able to apply for a green card. Thousands of dollars were spent on this, and on the required medical checkups, and in many cases lawyers' fees, in order to submit the applications for the final stage of green card - Adjustment of Status (AOS), by filing Form I-485 by end of June so it reaches USCIS by July 2.
- Once a Visa Bulletin for the next month is announced, USCIS accepts all applications to adjust status that are received in that month. They may not have enough visa numbers for all applications received, and as such are not bound to actually issue green cards to all applicants in the month. However, applicants and their family members can receive interim benefits after filing e.g.:
1. Employment Authorization (EAD): This is particularly important for spouses, who are often unable to work because they are on H4 visas, and do not belong to specialized occupations that would entitle them to get an H1B visa.
2. Advanced Parole: Allowing applicants to travel freely.
3. Portability: Allows applicants to change employers 180 days after filing AOS, if the new job is the same as the one they based their positions/original green card applications on. This is very important for most professionals, who are bound to a particular employer for years during the green card processing, marred by its delays and complexity.
- Early on July 2, the first day when USCIS started receiving applications for AOS, the Dept of State announced an updated Visa Bulletin, stating that USCIS has issued extraordinary number of immigrant visas (60,000) for employment-based immigrants (between the July 2007 Visa Bulletin announcement on June 13 and end of June = June 29), thus running out of any available visa numbers for the rest of the year!
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3263.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2ftravel.state.gov%2fvis a%2ffrvi%2fbulletin%2fbulletin_3263.html)
- Following that, displaying amazing coordination, USCIS posted an update on its web site stating any AOS applications receivedi n the month of July will be rejected, effective immediately (July 2).
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/VisaBulletin2Jul07.pdf (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.uscis.gov%2ffiles% 2fpressrelease%2fVisaBulletin2Jul07.pdf)
In effect, this closed the available window for filing AOS applications - the entire month of July - even before it opened!
- The fact that a Visa Bulletin gets updated mid-month is unprecedented.
- The fact that the USCIS processed and adjudicated roughly the same number of AOS applications in about 15 days as they have done in the previous 10 months is both alarming and shocking!
- The American Immigrant Law Foundation is considering a class-action lawsuit agains USCIS/DoS.
- Immigration Voice (www.immigrationvoice.org (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.immigrationvoice.o rg%2f)), an organization of skilled professionals/documented immigrants is considering the same.
- Here's a Press Release from ImmigrationVoice.org:
http://www.prlog.org/10022648-no-celebration-for-thousands-of-highly-skilled-future-americans-this-july-4th.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.prlog.org%2f100226 48-no-celebration-for-thousands-of-highly-skilled-future-americans-this-july-4th.html)
- Also of interest, the following blog post by immigration lawyer Greg Siskind:
Full-Blown Scandal
http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2007/07/full-blown-scan.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fblogs.ilw.com%2fgregsi skind%2f2007%2f07%2ffull-blown-scan.html)
- Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has issued a statement against this move, and written to both USCIS and DoS:
http://lofgren.house.gov/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1808 (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2flofgren.house.gov%2fPR Article.aspx%3fNewsID%3d1808)
- Following link is from Forbes, a wire story by AP that got picked up by many media outlets in the last 24 hours:
Legal Workers Lose Chance at Green Cards
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/02/ap3879453.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.forbes.com%2ffeeds %2fap%2f2007%2f07%2f02%2fap3879453.html)
Hoping you will be able to highlight the plight of tens of thousands of such folks who got their single glimmer of hope taken away from them in a flash, before it even became available. (Ironically, all this happened whilst in the background lawmakers were considering legalizing 12-20 million undocumented immigrants.)
Thanks,