Immigration NewsFlash

To offer you the best possible immigration representation, we provide our clients with the latest immigration laws, policies, and news.  We update our immigration blog on a daily basis  and routinely contact our clients with developments relevant to their situation.  If you would like to be added to our mailing list for immigration updates, please enter your email address below.  If you have any questions or concerns,
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Tuesday, June 16, 2009

JULY 2009 VISA BULLETIN – EB3 STILL UNAVAILABLE and EB2 CHINA RETROGRESSES
Employment Based Visa Bulletin
CategoriesWorldwideChina (mainland)IndiaMexicoPhilippines
EB-1: Priority WorkersCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
EB-2: Advanced Degree or Exceptional AbilityCurrent01JAN0001JAN00CurrentCurrent
EB-3: Skilled Workers
Unskilled
EB-4: Special ImmigrantsCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
Religious WorkersCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
EB-5: Target Area InvestmentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
 Family Based Visa Bulletin
CategoriesWorldwideChina (mainland)IndiaMexicoPhilippines
1st: Unmarried sons and daughters of US Citizens15NOV0215NOV0215NOV0201JAN9101SEP93
2A: Spouses and Unmarried Children (under 21) of Permanent Resident15NOV0215NOV0215NOV0201JAN9101SEP93
2B: Unmarried Children (over 21) of Permanent Resident15APR0115APR0115APR0101MAY9201APR98
3rd: Married Children of US Citizen22OCT0022OCT0022OCT0001JUL9101JUL91
4th: Brothers and Sisters of US Citizen22OCT9822OCT9822OCT9815JUN9508AUG86
 
Tue, June 16, 2009 | link 

PERM Processing Times As Of April 30, 2009
Processing QueuePriority Date (Month/Year)
Final ReviewNovember 2008
AuditsSeptember 2007
Standard AppealsJune 2007
Govt Error AppealsCurrent
 Source: Department of Labor
Tue, June 16, 2009 | link 

Permanent Resident Card Production Delays
USCIS is announcing that applicants may experience up to an eight week delay in the delivery of their permanent resident card while we are in the process of upgrading our card production equipment.   USCIS Field Offices will be issuing temporary evidence of permanent residence in the form of an I-551 stamp to applicants approved for permanent residence at the time of their interview.   You will need to take your passport to your appointment.  If you do not have a passport, you must bring a passport style photo and government issued photo identification to receive temporary evidence of permanent residence. Schedule an appointment at INFOPASS appointment to be issued temporary evidence of permanent residence in the form of an I-551 stamp.
Tue, June 16, 2009 | link 

LCA SYSTEM TRANSFERS TO iCERT PORTAL EFFECTIVE JUNE 30, 2009
The USDOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification has announced that the Department will keep the old LCA system operational through June 30, 2009 to give users sufficient time to fully transition their LCA case management to the iCert system. Users are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the iCert system (http://icert.doleta.gov) as quickly as possible to allow adequate time to establish accounts and file LCAs using the new ETA-9035.  Refer to iCERT PORTAL.
Tue, June 16, 2009 | link 

H1B VISA QUOTA STILL AVAILABLE
As ofJune 12, 2009, approximately 44,400 H-1B cap-subject petitions and approximately 20,000 petitions qualifying for the advanced degree cap exemption had been filed. USCIS will continue to accept both cap-subject petitions and advanced degree petitions until a sufficient number of H-1B petitions have been received to reach the statutory limits, taking into account the fact that some of these petitions may be denied, revoked, or withdrawn.  See USCIS –Cap Count.
Tue, June 16, 2009 | link 

JUNE 2009 VISA BULLETIN – EB3 UNAVAILABLE AND EB2 INDIA RETROGRESSES
  Employment Based Visa Bulletin
CategoriesWorldwideChina (mainland)IndiaMexicoPhilippines
EB-1: Priority WorkersCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
EB-2: Advanced Degree or Exceptional AbilityCurrent15FEB05 01JAN00 CurrentCurrent
EB-3: Skilled Workers
Unskilled
EB-4: Special ImmigrantsCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
Religious WorkersCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
EB-5: Target Area InvestmentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
 Family Based Visa Bulletin
CategoriesWorldwideChina (mainland)IndiaMexicoPhilippines
1st: Unmarried sons and daughters of US Citizens08NOV02 08NOV02 08NOV02 08OCT92 01SEP93
2A: Spouses and Unmarried Children (under 21) of Permanent Resident15DEC04  15DEC04  15DEC04 15MAY02 15DEC04
2B: Unmarried Children (over 21) of Permanent Resident01FEB01 01FEB01 01FEB01  01MAY9201APR98
3rd: Married Children of US Citizen08OCT00 08OCT00  08OCT00 22OCT92  01JUL91
4th: Brothers and Sisters of US Citizen15AUG9815AUG98 15AUG9822MAY95 01AUG86
Tue, June 16, 2009 | link 

Monday, April 20, 2009

May 2009 Visa Bulletin - EB3 Unavailable
Employment Based Visa Bulletin
CategoriesWorldwideChina (mainland)IndiaMexicoPhilippines
EB-1: Priority WorkersCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
EB-2: Advanced Degree or Exceptional AbilityCurrent15FEB0515FEB04 CurrentCurrent
EB-3: Skilled Workers
Unskilled
EB-4: Special ImmigrantsCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
Religious WorkersCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
EB-5: Target Area InvestmentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
 Family Based Visa Bulletin
CategoriesWorldwideChina (mainland)IndiaMexicoPhilippines
1st: Unmarried sons and daughters of US Citizens22SEP0222SEP0222SEP0208OCT9201AUG93
2A: Spouses and Unmarried Children (under 21) of Permanent Resident08OCT04 08OCT0408OCT04 01APR02 08OCT04
2B: Unmarried Children (over 21) of Permanent Resident15NOV0015NOV0015NOV00 01MAY9201FEB98
3rd: Married Children of US Citizen08SEP00 08SEP00 08SEP0022OCT92 22JUN91
4th: Brothers and Sisters of US Citizen08JUN9822MAR98 08JUN98 01MAY9508JUL86
 
Mon, April 20, 2009 | link 

USCIS Updates Count of FY2010 H-1B Petition Filings
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced an updated number of filings for H-1B petitions for the fiscal year 2010 program.
USCIS has received approximately 44,000 H-1B petitions counting toward the Congressionally-mandated 65,000 cap.  The agency continues to accept petitions subject to the general cap. 

Additionally, the agency has received approximately 20,000 petitions for aliens with advanced degrees; however, we continue to accept advanced degree petitions since experience has shown that not all petitions received are approvable.  Congress mandated that the first 20,000 of these types of petitions are exempt from any fiscal year cap on available H-1B visas.   

For cases filed for premium processing during the initial five-day filing window, the 15-day premium processing period began April 7.  For cases filed for premium processing after the filing window, the premium processing period begins on the date USCIS takes physical possession of the petition.
USCIS will provide regular updates on the processing of FY2010 H-1B petitions.  The updates can be found on the USCIS’ Web site at www.uscis.gov/h-1b_count.
Mon, April 20, 2009 | link 

USCIS Reminds all U.S. Employers of Requirements to Use Revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification
WASHINGTON, April 3, 2009 — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a reminder that the revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification (Rev. 02/02/09), goes into effect today for all U.S. employers. The revision date is printed on the lower right-hand corner of the form.  USCIS Press Release (04/03/2009)
Mon, April 20, 2009 | link 

Questions and Answers: Extension of Post Completion Practical Training and F-1 Status for Eligible Students under the Cap Gap Regulations

These Questions & Answers address the automatic extension of F-1 student status in the United States for certain students with pending or approved H-1B petitions (indicating a request for change of status from F-1 to H-1B) for an employment start date of October 1, 2009 under the FY 2010 H-1B cap. USCIS Press Release (04/01/09)

Mon, April 20, 2009 | link 

2009.06.01 | 2009.04.01 | 2009.02.01 | 2009.01.01 | 2008.12.01 | 2008.11.01 | 2008.10.01 | 2008.09.01 | 2008.08.01 | 2008.07.01 | 2008.06.01 | 2008.05.01 | 2008.04.01 | 2008.03.01 | 2008.02.01 | 2008.01.01 | 2007.12.01 | 2007.11.01

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