sk2006
04-01 07:37 PM
Some time back when I asked my chinese colleagues to join IV they commented that immigrationvoice.org is an "indian" immigration forum...
No wonder they felt that way.
No wonder they felt that way.
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old_hat
05-01 07:27 PM
I agree with you. It really amazes me that India is not even saying "something" being a so-called "super-power" in south Asia. Until the last generation of politicians are out of the indian political system, nothing is going to change when it comes to the image or pride of India. At least we should exert out strength and take a leadership role in South Asia and show our power.
India has a history in Sri Lanka. It started long ago with IPKF. A lot of Indian lives were lost because IPKF had to fight the war with their hands tied. IPKF could have captured Pirbhakaran but they did not because Rajeev thought Tamils will not get their rights if they did so. Then Rajeev Gandhi got assassinated. A few years back LTTE had the upper hand and Sri Lankan govt wanted India to step in and help them. India did not sent the troops. now the battle has swung the other way. It is fairly complicated.
India has a history in Sri Lanka. It started long ago with IPKF. A lot of Indian lives were lost because IPKF had to fight the war with their hands tied. IPKF could have captured Pirbhakaran but they did not because Rajeev thought Tamils will not get their rights if they did so. Then Rajeev Gandhi got assassinated. A few years back LTTE had the upper hand and Sri Lankan govt wanted India to step in and help them. India did not sent the troops. now the battle has swung the other way. It is fairly complicated.
soljabhai
12-14 04:39 PM
Following text is from IV's about page
America has had per-country ceilings since decades on family based and diversity-lottery based visas and it makes sense to have uniform distribution of visas to countries where the basis for immigration is family relationship and family reunification. However, in the employment based immigration system, the petitioner is the employer who wants the retain the employee and facilitate employee retention based on skills, knowledge, education and talent. Employability has nothing to do country of birth. We do not allow employers to discriminate hiring based on their nationality or country of origin. Therefore, the employment-based immigration, which is a derivative benefit of employment, should also be free from rationing based on nationality or country of birth.
In other words IV itself holds the position challenging the merit of "Nationality Origin" in "Employment Based Green Cards"
America has had per-country ceilings since decades on family based and diversity-lottery based visas and it makes sense to have uniform distribution of visas to countries where the basis for immigration is family relationship and family reunification. However, in the employment based immigration system, the petitioner is the employer who wants the retain the employee and facilitate employee retention based on skills, knowledge, education and talent. Employability has nothing to do country of birth. We do not allow employers to discriminate hiring based on their nationality or country of origin. Therefore, the employment-based immigration, which is a derivative benefit of employment, should also be free from rationing based on nationality or country of birth.
In other words IV itself holds the position challenging the merit of "Nationality Origin" in "Employment Based Green Cards"
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srikondoji
06-26 01:16 PM
Bold, blue and big font. I couldnot read your message at all.
Could you retype it with normal font size,color and without any fancy stuff. Please?
EVERYONE ON THIS FORUM :
PLEASE DO NOT SPREAD RUMORS ! WE ARE ALREADY STRESSED AS IT IS. WE DONT NEED ONE MORE RUMOR LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF LOGIC TO SUPPORT IT, PLEASE KEEP IT TO YOURSELF, FOR GOD'S SAKE !
IF YOU ARE FEELING INSURED, HELPLESS AND WITH NO CONFIDENCE - JUST REMEMBER, ALMOST EVERYONE IS FEELING THE SAME. JUST DONT HIT THE PANIC BUTTON BASED ON NOTHING, PLEASE !
JUST FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR LAWYER AND MAKE ALL THE DOCUMENTS READY TO FILE AS SOON AS YOU CAN. THAT'S THE BEST YOU CAN DO ! IF SOMETHING HAPPENS LET IT HAPPEN. NO NEED TO LIVE IT THRU TWICE, ONCE NOW AND ONCE IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
PEACE.:mad:
Could you retype it with normal font size,color and without any fancy stuff. Please?
EVERYONE ON THIS FORUM :
PLEASE DO NOT SPREAD RUMORS ! WE ARE ALREADY STRESSED AS IT IS. WE DONT NEED ONE MORE RUMOR LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW.
IF YOU ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF LOGIC TO SUPPORT IT, PLEASE KEEP IT TO YOURSELF, FOR GOD'S SAKE !
IF YOU ARE FEELING INSURED, HELPLESS AND WITH NO CONFIDENCE - JUST REMEMBER, ALMOST EVERYONE IS FEELING THE SAME. JUST DONT HIT THE PANIC BUTTON BASED ON NOTHING, PLEASE !
JUST FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR LAWYER AND MAKE ALL THE DOCUMENTS READY TO FILE AS SOON AS YOU CAN. THAT'S THE BEST YOU CAN DO ! IF SOMETHING HAPPENS LET IT HAPPEN. NO NEED TO LIVE IT THRU TWICE, ONCE NOW AND ONCE IT ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
PEACE.:mad:
more...
gc28262
06-12 12:40 AM
People need to understand that you need to give some to win some. I would like to propose to IV a kind of proposal that would be a win win for both the immigrants and the US.
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dilipcr,
Don't tell us you are trying to save america for americans ( now that you are going to be a citizen)
You are just trying to close the door behind you.
You think Grassley bill is good for everyone. Yeah sure it is good for you !
You have begun to think like loosers guild( aka programmers guild)
You claim the fittest will survive and you don't need any luck to survive. However you had your round of layoffs too. That is a fact of american job market. Luck does play a lot in people's lives especially here in US. I have heard of an IBM engineer who was laid off during 2001 recession. He had 2 patents under his belt. So nobody is immune to luck factor.
Now that you have become a GC holder and soon going to be a citizen, you are so much worried about the wage levels and and L1 visas. You are ok with H1Bs because you were on H1B earlier in your life.
Did you ever worry about depressing citizen's wages when you were on H1B ?
It is one thing to be so self centered, another to say it aloud on a prospective immigrant's forum like IV.
BTW america is the best place to do business. If you feel threatened by more work force entering USA, become an entrepreneur like Vivek Wadhwa, not a loser like Ron Hira.
Aren't we Indians a bunch of crabs !
.................................................. .................................................. ..............
.................................................. ...................
dilipcr,
Don't tell us you are trying to save america for americans ( now that you are going to be a citizen)
You are just trying to close the door behind you.
You think Grassley bill is good for everyone. Yeah sure it is good for you !
You have begun to think like loosers guild( aka programmers guild)
You claim the fittest will survive and you don't need any luck to survive. However you had your round of layoffs too. That is a fact of american job market. Luck does play a lot in people's lives especially here in US. I have heard of an IBM engineer who was laid off during 2001 recession. He had 2 patents under his belt. So nobody is immune to luck factor.
Now that you have become a GC holder and soon going to be a citizen, you are so much worried about the wage levels and and L1 visas. You are ok with H1Bs because you were on H1B earlier in your life.
Did you ever worry about depressing citizen's wages when you were on H1B ?
It is one thing to be so self centered, another to say it aloud on a prospective immigrant's forum like IV.
BTW america is the best place to do business. If you feel threatened by more work force entering USA, become an entrepreneur like Vivek Wadhwa, not a loser like Ron Hira.
Aren't we Indians a bunch of crabs !
krishnam70
07-11 07:11 PM
Eom
more...
krish2005
01-16 06:18 PM
http://www.murthy.com/news/n_repatt.html dated March 2006
I discussed the matter of the Consular section requiring end-user client (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/#) letters. Many H1B employers and employees, as well as several AILA attorneys, have approached me as well as the Murthy Law Firm, inquiring about this. The matter deals with the fairly recent requests for letters from supervisors of the end-user clients. These requests require the end users to outline the nature of the job to be performed by the H1B visa candidate, provide details of where the candidate will work, the length of the project, and the need for a specific H1B employee by name and other details. Unfortunately, most end-user clients are not willing to comply with such an onerous request. The very reason for the end-user client to hire an outside consulting company is to minimize the burden of administrative or HR responsibilities. Moreover, the law does not require such detailed letters for the issuance of H1B visas.
�MurthyDotCom
I respectfully summarized the position of many of you, our clients or those using candidates who apply for the H1B visa at Chennai, as follows.
End-user clients generally will not issue letters to the consulate, as they do not wish to get involved with the H1B process. The very nature of the employment relationship, when hiring through consulting companies, is to avoid or minimize the work related to hiring candidates.
Employers who sign the H1B documents do so under penalty of perjury and must pay the required prevailing wage, irrespective of whether they have assignments for the H1B candidates. The employer may decide to send the candidate back to his/her home country if enough assignments cannot be found.
Legacy INS (now USCIS) raised many similar issues, in the early- to mid-1990s, regarding the length and nature of the projects in the U.S., timetable of assignments, and the H1B employer�s ability to pay the required prevailing wage. Senior Legacy INS officials from headquarters in Washington DC addressed the concerns of those examiners by pointing out that the law does not permit them to investigate a U.S. employer�s ability to hire H1B employees. The USCIS is bound by memos and policy guidance of the Legacy INS. After that memo, Legacy INS stopped issuing lengthy RFEs on these matters.
The law does not require any such letters by end-user clients for the issuance of the H1B visas to the visa applicants.
Delays in the issuance of H1B visas cause many of the employers considerable financial (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/#) loss and postpone the implementation of projects. This results in the additional loss of revenues and credibility with their clients, due to their inability to produce in a timely fashion the required specialty-worker candidates.
Thanks for the post. Is there such a requirement when there is a renewal of H1B ?
I discussed the matter of the Consular section requiring end-user client (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/#) letters. Many H1B employers and employees, as well as several AILA attorneys, have approached me as well as the Murthy Law Firm, inquiring about this. The matter deals with the fairly recent requests for letters from supervisors of the end-user clients. These requests require the end users to outline the nature of the job to be performed by the H1B visa candidate, provide details of where the candidate will work, the length of the project, and the need for a specific H1B employee by name and other details. Unfortunately, most end-user clients are not willing to comply with such an onerous request. The very reason for the end-user client to hire an outside consulting company is to minimize the burden of administrative or HR responsibilities. Moreover, the law does not require such detailed letters for the issuance of H1B visas.
�MurthyDotCom
I respectfully summarized the position of many of you, our clients or those using candidates who apply for the H1B visa at Chennai, as follows.
End-user clients generally will not issue letters to the consulate, as they do not wish to get involved with the H1B process. The very nature of the employment relationship, when hiring through consulting companies, is to avoid or minimize the work related to hiring candidates.
Employers who sign the H1B documents do so under penalty of perjury and must pay the required prevailing wage, irrespective of whether they have assignments for the H1B candidates. The employer may decide to send the candidate back to his/her home country if enough assignments cannot be found.
Legacy INS (now USCIS) raised many similar issues, in the early- to mid-1990s, regarding the length and nature of the projects in the U.S., timetable of assignments, and the H1B employer�s ability to pay the required prevailing wage. Senior Legacy INS officials from headquarters in Washington DC addressed the concerns of those examiners by pointing out that the law does not permit them to investigate a U.S. employer�s ability to hire H1B employees. The USCIS is bound by memos and policy guidance of the Legacy INS. After that memo, Legacy INS stopped issuing lengthy RFEs on these matters.
The law does not require any such letters by end-user clients for the issuance of the H1B visas to the visa applicants.
Delays in the issuance of H1B visas cause many of the employers considerable financial (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/#) loss and postpone the implementation of projects. This results in the additional loss of revenues and credibility with their clients, due to their inability to produce in a timely fashion the required specialty-worker candidates.
Thanks for the post. Is there such a requirement when there is a renewal of H1B ?
2010 %IMG_DESC_3%
DSLStart
09-14 10:11 PM
ALL perm cases
Mar-05 1
Apr-05 13
May-05 72
Jun-05 324
Jul-05 351
Aug-05 833
Sep-05 1172
Oct-05 1212
Nov-05 1541
Dec-05 1771
If these numbers are to be believed, then EB2-I could advance till Dec 2005 with ease by Dec bulletin, though some stats for Feb & March 05 (regular labor) also needs to be analysed...
Mar-05 1
Apr-05 13
May-05 72
Jun-05 324
Jul-05 351
Aug-05 833
Sep-05 1172
Oct-05 1212
Nov-05 1541
Dec-05 1771
If these numbers are to be believed, then EB2-I could advance till Dec 2005 with ease by Dec bulletin, though some stats for Feb & March 05 (regular labor) also needs to be analysed...
more...
BharatPremi
12-13 02:07 PM
Discrimination in employment based on nationality is not allowed. However, can we extend the argument to the employment based immigration? We can always choose to take that promotion though we will lose our place in the queue.
Leaving the question of fairness aside, under the current legal framework my guess is we do not have a case.
Then fight for changing that constitutinality. Who made it? Why did they make it the way the made it? Slavery was supported legally way back.. If black community might have thought " They do not have a case" as somebody has created the constitution to suit their own need and "within the framework of that legality" "they do not have a case"... then still we may be seeing slaves around.
I understand your point that we are not yet "citizens"... but for many fair practices society must not differentiate.
Leaving the question of fairness aside, under the current legal framework my guess is we do not have a case.
Then fight for changing that constitutinality. Who made it? Why did they make it the way the made it? Slavery was supported legally way back.. If black community might have thought " They do not have a case" as somebody has created the constitution to suit their own need and "within the framework of that legality" "they do not have a case"... then still we may be seeing slaves around.
I understand your point that we are not yet "citizens"... but for many fair practices society must not differentiate.
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vinzen
08-18 11:35 PM
I think you think too much...by the way this is how you communicate in your office. American would think twice even come near to you...Good defence...:D
hasnt happened yet. if it ever did, I will change my ways...slumdog.
hasnt happened yet. if it ever did, I will change my ways...slumdog.
more...
aps
09-23 10:48 AM
dude, suck in your hot air and sit down on the bench.
I support this, if most of us like this. I considered people with one income and who lost jobs in this economic situation. If this idea is supported by many members then i will also support.
aps
I support this, if most of us like this. I considered people with one income and who lost jobs in this economic situation. If this idea is supported by many members then i will also support.
aps
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go_guy123
07-12 03:43 PM
BTW its taking anywhere between 52-65 weeks to get Canadian PR now. They process ur initial application after 52 weeks only and any time taken on top of it is extra..
cheers
Canada Immgration back is also visa post quota based unlike birth country
(not citizenship) based.
Therefore as an Indian if you apply in India then backlog is massive (5 yrs).
However just like in US system exceptions are there for Indians born outside India, Indians in US on H1B visa can apply in US where backlog is lesser.
In the Canadian system you can apply in your county of citizenship or country where you are admitted for more than 1 year (eg H1B , L1 ,F1 ,J1 )
cheers
Canada Immgration back is also visa post quota based unlike birth country
(not citizenship) based.
Therefore as an Indian if you apply in India then backlog is massive (5 yrs).
However just like in US system exceptions are there for Indians born outside India, Indians in US on H1B visa can apply in US where backlog is lesser.
In the Canadian system you can apply in your county of citizenship or country where you are admitted for more than 1 year (eg H1B , L1 ,F1 ,J1 )
more...
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krish2005
01-14 02:19 PM
USCIS - Questions & Answers: USCIS Issues Guidance Memorandum on Establishing the "Employee-Employer Relationship" in H-1B Petitions (http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=3d015869c9326210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCR D&vgnextchannel=6abe6d26d17df110VgnVCM1000004718190a RCRD)
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ramus
06-28 04:59 PM
They couldn't do earlier because dates weren't current.. Now dates are current and they can approve all those pending application who were just waiting for visa number to assign..
I don't think that they will APPROVE 40,000 appplications in a week. Well they were unable to do so in an year, how come in a week or two.
I don't think that they will APPROVE 40,000 appplications in a week. Well they were unable to do so in an year, how come in a week or two.
more...
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ebizash
07-21 05:04 PM
i am not convinced u lost 20k in it? my roommate was a quikster guy, he never forced anyone., he would receive all this Junk stuff to sell, after 1 year he said enough and stopped, i dont think its madatory to buy stuff, its all about the new member add and comissions with it that prompts them to catch new desis.
For good sake desis, dont get your wifes and Kids involved in it, i ,met a desi in Target and asked him, dont u feel annoyed getting turned down with rude behaviours, ( he was with wife trying to get me to buy)
he said NO? WHY? after all its all about Money? hear it
People can loose a lot of money in this "business"... 20K in 4 years is petty... literally.
Once you achieve some level in this business, your "uplines" start pestering you to do 300PV every month instead of 100PV. Each PV is about $2.50 + tax + Shipping so 300PV = $800 a month. Most of this $800 stuff is at least with 300% markup and many of the things that we didn't need. So even if we take $200 as waste out of $800, in 4 years, I lost $200x12x4 = $9,600
Now, off course no one puts a gun to your head to buy 300PV but the pressure is nothing less than that. Its very hard to explain just like hard to explain the Niagara Falls experience (this example I have used many times while contacting people).
Now comes the suckiest part - Tapes, Books, Meetings, Conferences.
Each year there are 4 "conferences" over 4 different weekends. Each ticket costs about $125 and the hotel costs another $150. For a couple it comes to $6,400 for 4 years
Every week there is a "Open" meeting which costs $4 per person so for a couple it amounts to $1,664 for 4 years
You "have" to buy (again the pressure) 5 CDs ($8.50 each) and 2 books (~$20 each) every month. This amounts to another $4,000.
Now since it is a pyramid kind of structure, you will not have your entire team in one location or region. We had driven to "help" our group from MN to NY and PA, and MI at least 6-8 times and within northwest at least 20-25 times. This at least amounts to another $4,000
finally, you are "encouraged" to provide samples to new contacts, new team members so that they get hooked up to "Amway" products. Another $2,000.
So I am sure we lost much more than 20K just in hard cash without even counting the opportunity cost of all that time wasted. To be fair though, we are still receiving monthly bonus checks 3 years later which range from $100 to $300 depending on how much stuff is bought by the people who were in our group and who are still buying Amway products.
I don't know why I am explaining all this to you but I know many people who have never been in Amway think that you can not lose money in Amway. In fact it is totally opposite, you can lose your shirt in this "business"..
For good sake desis, dont get your wifes and Kids involved in it, i ,met a desi in Target and asked him, dont u feel annoyed getting turned down with rude behaviours, ( he was with wife trying to get me to buy)
he said NO? WHY? after all its all about Money? hear it
People can loose a lot of money in this "business"... 20K in 4 years is petty... literally.
Once you achieve some level in this business, your "uplines" start pestering you to do 300PV every month instead of 100PV. Each PV is about $2.50 + tax + Shipping so 300PV = $800 a month. Most of this $800 stuff is at least with 300% markup and many of the things that we didn't need. So even if we take $200 as waste out of $800, in 4 years, I lost $200x12x4 = $9,600
Now, off course no one puts a gun to your head to buy 300PV but the pressure is nothing less than that. Its very hard to explain just like hard to explain the Niagara Falls experience (this example I have used many times while contacting people).
Now comes the suckiest part - Tapes, Books, Meetings, Conferences.
Each year there are 4 "conferences" over 4 different weekends. Each ticket costs about $125 and the hotel costs another $150. For a couple it comes to $6,400 for 4 years
Every week there is a "Open" meeting which costs $4 per person so for a couple it amounts to $1,664 for 4 years
You "have" to buy (again the pressure) 5 CDs ($8.50 each) and 2 books (~$20 each) every month. This amounts to another $4,000.
Now since it is a pyramid kind of structure, you will not have your entire team in one location or region. We had driven to "help" our group from MN to NY and PA, and MI at least 6-8 times and within northwest at least 20-25 times. This at least amounts to another $4,000
finally, you are "encouraged" to provide samples to new contacts, new team members so that they get hooked up to "Amway" products. Another $2,000.
So I am sure we lost much more than 20K just in hard cash without even counting the opportunity cost of all that time wasted. To be fair though, we are still receiving monthly bonus checks 3 years later which range from $100 to $300 depending on how much stuff is bought by the people who were in our group and who are still buying Amway products.
I don't know why I am explaining all this to you but I know many people who have never been in Amway think that you can not lose money in Amway. In fact it is totally opposite, you can lose your shirt in this "business"..
dresses %IMG_DESC_12%
sachug22
06-11 09:22 AM
I guess my 9 months old prediction is coming true (off by a month).
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/1049939-post209.html
I have built a very simple EB2-I Visa predition model
Making following assumption
15000 new EB2 ROW I-485 applications
12000 new EB1 I-485 applications
EB4/EB5 use 70% of allocated visa (30% spillover)
EB2 Visa Bulletin prediction for FY 2010
Bulletin Quarterly-spillover Annual Spillover
Oct-09 22-Jan-2005 22-Jan-2005
Nov-09 22-Jan-2005 22-Jan-2005
Dec-09 31-Mar-2005 1-Feb-2005
Jan-10 31-Mar-2005 15-Feb-2005
Feb-10 31-Mar-2005 31-Mar-2005
Mar-10 31-Mar-2006 31-Mar-2005
Apr-10 31-Mar-2006 31-Mar-2005
May-10 31-Mar-2006 31-Mar-2005
Jun-10 15-Oct-2006 31-Mar-2005
Jul-10 15-Oct-2006 30-Sep-2005
Aug-10 15-Oct-2006 30-Apr-2007
Sep-10 31-Mar-2007 30-May-2007
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/1049939-post209.html
I have built a very simple EB2-I Visa predition model
Making following assumption
15000 new EB2 ROW I-485 applications
12000 new EB1 I-485 applications
EB4/EB5 use 70% of allocated visa (30% spillover)
EB2 Visa Bulletin prediction for FY 2010
Bulletin Quarterly-spillover Annual Spillover
Oct-09 22-Jan-2005 22-Jan-2005
Nov-09 22-Jan-2005 22-Jan-2005
Dec-09 31-Mar-2005 1-Feb-2005
Jan-10 31-Mar-2005 15-Feb-2005
Feb-10 31-Mar-2005 31-Mar-2005
Mar-10 31-Mar-2006 31-Mar-2005
Apr-10 31-Mar-2006 31-Mar-2005
May-10 31-Mar-2006 31-Mar-2005
Jun-10 15-Oct-2006 31-Mar-2005
Jul-10 15-Oct-2006 30-Sep-2005
Aug-10 15-Oct-2006 30-Apr-2007
Sep-10 31-Mar-2007 30-May-2007
more...
makeup %IMG_DESC_9%
vgweb
09-14 02:38 PM
Thanks for the great service- H1B valid for 3 years, 485 pending more than 180 days, need to go back abroad and work for another employer in abroad a year and then come back US - Working for different employer in abroad would cause any issues with H1B or GC? Pls provide ur valueable suggestions
girlfriend %IMG_DESC_14%
chanduv23
07-04 11:28 AM
While it is totally understandable that everyone get angry when rubbed in the wrong way - we must all remember that we are immigrants in this country and the country is currently driven by perception about job loses, terror plots, security threats etc..
In discussion forums or free speech forums, be very very careful - it is easy to trigger anger and get into heated discussions.
Please tone down the rhetoric and also tell your friends also.
In discussion forums or free speech forums, be very very careful - it is easy to trigger anger and get into heated discussions.
Please tone down the rhetoric and also tell your friends also.
hairstyles %IMG_DESC_11%
oomshiva
07-03 05:15 PM
http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Jul02/0,4670,ImmigrationGreenCards,00.html
Legal Workers Lose Chance at Green Cards
Monday, July 02, 2007
By SUZANNE GAMBOA, Associated Press Writer
E-MAIL STORY PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
WASHINGTON � Legal immigrants hoping to be first in line for employer-sponsored green cards lost time and money when the government suddenly announced Monday that no new applications would be taken until the fall, a lawyers group said.
Tens of thousands of people who work in the United States under employment visas and their families were affected by the change, said Crystal Williams, associate director for programs at the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
"There are people who flew to the United States so they could apply and had their families fly back. They paid attorney fees," Williams said.
The State Department announced last month that employment visa numbers were available for all people seeking employer-sponsored green cards, except unskilled workers. It sometimes takes years for applicants to get those numbers.
The announcement meant that as early as Monday, Citizenship and Immigration Services would begin accepting applications. The applications are hefty, requiring medical exams, a lot of documentation and the applicant's presence in the United States.
But an update on the State Department Web site posted Monday said 60,000 such numbers were no longer available because of "the sudden backlog reduction efforts by Citizenship and Immigration Services offices during the past month."
(Story continues below)
Advertise Here
Advertisements
The department called the backlog reduction an "unexpected action" and said employment visa numbers would be available again Oct. 1.
The State Department has been flooded with passport applications since new rules went into effect in January requiring passports for air travelers returning from the same destinations. The resulting backlog has caused delays of up to three months for passports and ruined or delayed the travel plans of thousands of people.
A spokesman at the State Department declined to comment.
Williams said several workers within Citizenship and Immigration Services told her and other lawyers that the agency had staffers working through the weekend to resolve pending cases. She said several lawyers reported getting phone calls from the agency with questions about applications when normally that happens by mail.
Chris Rhatigan, spokeswoman for Citizenship and Immigration Services, denied the weekend work occurred or that there was a push to use up the visa numbers. She said the agency had pending cases from previous months.
The fee to apply for a green card increases July 30 from $395 to $1,010, including a fingerprinting fee.
___
On the Net:
State Department: http://www.state.gov/
Citizenship and Immigration Services: http://www.uscis.gov
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Legal Workers Lose Chance at Green Cards
Monday, July 02, 2007
By SUZANNE GAMBOA, Associated Press Writer
E-MAIL STORY PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION
WASHINGTON � Legal immigrants hoping to be first in line for employer-sponsored green cards lost time and money when the government suddenly announced Monday that no new applications would be taken until the fall, a lawyers group said.
Tens of thousands of people who work in the United States under employment visas and their families were affected by the change, said Crystal Williams, associate director for programs at the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
"There are people who flew to the United States so they could apply and had their families fly back. They paid attorney fees," Williams said.
The State Department announced last month that employment visa numbers were available for all people seeking employer-sponsored green cards, except unskilled workers. It sometimes takes years for applicants to get those numbers.
The announcement meant that as early as Monday, Citizenship and Immigration Services would begin accepting applications. The applications are hefty, requiring medical exams, a lot of documentation and the applicant's presence in the United States.
But an update on the State Department Web site posted Monday said 60,000 such numbers were no longer available because of "the sudden backlog reduction efforts by Citizenship and Immigration Services offices during the past month."
(Story continues below)
Advertise Here
Advertisements
The department called the backlog reduction an "unexpected action" and said employment visa numbers would be available again Oct. 1.
The State Department has been flooded with passport applications since new rules went into effect in January requiring passports for air travelers returning from the same destinations. The resulting backlog has caused delays of up to three months for passports and ruined or delayed the travel plans of thousands of people.
A spokesman at the State Department declined to comment.
Williams said several workers within Citizenship and Immigration Services told her and other lawyers that the agency had staffers working through the weekend to resolve pending cases. She said several lawyers reported getting phone calls from the agency with questions about applications when normally that happens by mail.
Chris Rhatigan, spokeswoman for Citizenship and Immigration Services, denied the weekend work occurred or that there was a push to use up the visa numbers. She said the agency had pending cases from previous months.
The fee to apply for a green card increases July 30 from $395 to $1,010, including a fingerprinting fee.
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On the Net:
State Department: http://www.state.gov/
Citizenship and Immigration Services: http://www.uscis.gov
Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
sunty
02-12 11:00 PM
Lawsuit might be worth looking into...If you see majority of any type of immigration fixes, a lawsuit or a threat of a lawsuit has been one of the major reasons for USCIS to give some ground....
mallu
02-19 01:12 AM
.....
c) A lot of EB-based immigrants have been to American colleges and have graduate degrees. Again, see (b) above. Not the brightest idea to have this American-educated and trained high-skilled manpower forced to go back to India and China, the two main US competitors.
Atleast, not if you are America.
.......
Actually, EB1 is current for India,China etc. Aren't they the brightest ?
c) A lot of EB-based immigrants have been to American colleges and have graduate degrees. Again, see (b) above. Not the brightest idea to have this American-educated and trained high-skilled manpower forced to go back to India and China, the two main US competitors.
Atleast, not if you are America.
.......
Actually, EB1 is current for India,China etc. Aren't they the brightest ?