pd_recapturing
09-23 07:20 PM
Guys, According to following URL, it seems that all july filers should get the RN by now irrespective of the processing centers. I am 24th July filer but still did not get the RNs so far. Are other ppl also in same boat? Please let me know. I am worried now.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ace7ec20cfbd4110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCR D
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ace7ec20cfbd4110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCR D
wallpaper The Three Little Pigs Print
Drifter
09-01 04:50 PM
I recently had an interview in July end at the San Francisco Office. I am hoping that there is positive movement on my case. I wonder what the process is in local offices.
1. Would it be that all the interviewed cases sent to a common pool where some one picks them up.. not sure what order they will pick up and then approves them till the numbers run out and then the cases are dumped back into the pile.
OR
2. The IO who interviewed you retains the case file in his/her office and based on the VB every month approves the cases that have completed the interview. Now if this is the case then we are at the mercy of individual IO and how organized or unorganized they personally are... wonder if they have a set procedure to follow....
lots of questions .... no answers... only silence....
1. Would it be that all the interviewed cases sent to a common pool where some one picks them up.. not sure what order they will pick up and then approves them till the numbers run out and then the cases are dumped back into the pile.
OR
2. The IO who interviewed you retains the case file in his/her office and based on the VB every month approves the cases that have completed the interview. Now if this is the case then we are at the mercy of individual IO and how organized or unorganized they personally are... wonder if they have a set procedure to follow....
lots of questions .... no answers... only silence....
hebron
03-26 02:37 PM
I agree. Could we include location also in this poll. Salary & Location.
2011 Cute Pigs Photographic Print
GCBy3000
05-03 09:24 PM
Admin,
I was eagerly looking from May 1st for the contribution update. Today is May 3rd and it still shows the contribution as of April 28. Could you please update so that all of us can know the acheivement as of May 1st.
I was eagerly looking from May 1st for the contribution update. Today is May 3rd and it still shows the contribution as of April 28. Could you please update so that all of us can know the acheivement as of May 1st.
more...
raysaikat
07-28 08:12 PM
--
-- Is this really true? I have heard different opinions on this. I have also heard that once you use your travel doc, you become a parole and the H4/H1 status is no longer valid. I have the luxury to use both H4 or travel doc but I would rather use H4 to avoid entering as a parole.
You missed the point.
1. Every member of your family must have AP in possession before s/he leaves US so that his/her I-485 application is not considered abandoned.
2. S/he do not need to use AP when s/he reenters. S/he can only show his/her H1-B/H4.
In other words, it is the following scenario that you must avoid: "A person leaves US before s/he has his/her AP document in possession".
-- Is this really true? I have heard different opinions on this. I have also heard that once you use your travel doc, you become a parole and the H4/H1 status is no longer valid. I have the luxury to use both H4 or travel doc but I would rather use H4 to avoid entering as a parole.
You missed the point.
1. Every member of your family must have AP in possession before s/he leaves US so that his/her I-485 application is not considered abandoned.
2. S/he do not need to use AP when s/he reenters. S/he can only show his/her H1-B/H4.
In other words, it is the following scenario that you must avoid: "A person leaves US before s/he has his/her AP document in possession".
yabadaba
04-22 02:28 PM
May-08 1-Jan-04
i guess the question is where does it move next...we have been at april1 2004 before...will it move beyond 04 into 05 or not.
i guess the question is where does it move next...we have been at april1 2004 before...will it move beyond 04 into 05 or not.
more...
pappu
09-24 10:14 AM
My problem with these hearings is that they play soccer with the interests of immigrants. There are pro and anti immigrant views in discussion.
Enforcement is all about closing the borders and deporting immigrants. But why do we not see hearings to discuss and introduce bills that fine the employers and put them in jail if they hire an undocumented? But nobody, not even the anti-immigrant groups are pushing for such a bill. A lot of undocumented problem will be solved if employers cannot hire undocumented. We call immigrants as illegal, but why can't we use the same standard for employers who illegally hire undocumented?
Secondly when they talk about legalization and path to citizenship, there is no country limits for them. But as soon as we talk about removing country limits in front of the same people, we hear talks about diversity etc.
The same people who favor legals in such discussions, become anti-legal when they have a chance to do something for legals. Why a simple bill like recapture not introduced by these same people till now?
Overall Immigration is more about politics, votes than actually solving a problem. If these folks are serious about fixing a problem, a lot could have been done till now. We need to hear more action than just talk.
Enforcement is all about closing the borders and deporting immigrants. But why do we not see hearings to discuss and introduce bills that fine the employers and put them in jail if they hire an undocumented? But nobody, not even the anti-immigrant groups are pushing for such a bill. A lot of undocumented problem will be solved if employers cannot hire undocumented. We call immigrants as illegal, but why can't we use the same standard for employers who illegally hire undocumented?
Secondly when they talk about legalization and path to citizenship, there is no country limits for them. But as soon as we talk about removing country limits in front of the same people, we hear talks about diversity etc.
The same people who favor legals in such discussions, become anti-legal when they have a chance to do something for legals. Why a simple bill like recapture not introduced by these same people till now?
Overall Immigration is more about politics, votes than actually solving a problem. If these folks are serious about fixing a problem, a lot could have been done till now. We need to hear more action than just talk.
2010 print out the 8 pig sheets
permfiling
02-23 06:11 PM
Hi,
My advice is to stick with the same company till u get ur ead. If you move, any company will take 6 ~ 8 months to start the PERM process. I noticed that companies do mention that they will start as soon as you come on board but that never happens as they know your visa status.
I switched companies after 140 was approved at a big company and I paid the price by joining a startup which closed but I moved on before it closed.
I have yet to file PERM but I get to retain my PD
It is my personal opinion based on my experience. Most of the employers don't keep up their word as promised.
Hi,
I just started my 5th year on H1-B (EB-2) at a very large software firm. I also have a Masters degree from a good university etc. I was delaying filing my PERM (part stupidity and partly thinking of changing my job). Now, I received information from the company that new PERM applications may be impacted because we had layoffs recently. Although I am not personally aware of anyone with my job title being fired, I am wondering if they will wait for 6 months after the layoffs to actually start filing new applications.
I am new to this, and this may be a simple question. What usually happens? Do they put off all PERM applications for 6 months after layoffs? Does this mean that companies that have not had layoffs can continue to file PERM applications?
I ask this because I am thinking that maybe then I should look for a company that has not had layoffs (best of luck to me, right? :) I think there's a couple out there :) ). If I do go down this route, can I start a PERM application immediately or do I have to work at the company for a while before I can do this?
I am also worried that the PERM could get delayed by 6 months or more because there might be more layoffs. If there are further delays in the time to be approved (more than a year), then I might be cutting it really close as far as my H1-B term goes. Is anyone in a similar situation? Am I at risk here? What happens if PERM filing is in process when H1-B duration comes to an end? Do I just have to leave?
A lot of these are maybe newbie questions, but I am kind of worried and I would appreciate it if you can contribute answers to whichever questions of mine that you are familiar with.
Thanks
My advice is to stick with the same company till u get ur ead. If you move, any company will take 6 ~ 8 months to start the PERM process. I noticed that companies do mention that they will start as soon as you come on board but that never happens as they know your visa status.
I switched companies after 140 was approved at a big company and I paid the price by joining a startup which closed but I moved on before it closed.
I have yet to file PERM but I get to retain my PD
It is my personal opinion based on my experience. Most of the employers don't keep up their word as promised.
Hi,
I just started my 5th year on H1-B (EB-2) at a very large software firm. I also have a Masters degree from a good university etc. I was delaying filing my PERM (part stupidity and partly thinking of changing my job). Now, I received information from the company that new PERM applications may be impacted because we had layoffs recently. Although I am not personally aware of anyone with my job title being fired, I am wondering if they will wait for 6 months after the layoffs to actually start filing new applications.
I am new to this, and this may be a simple question. What usually happens? Do they put off all PERM applications for 6 months after layoffs? Does this mean that companies that have not had layoffs can continue to file PERM applications?
I ask this because I am thinking that maybe then I should look for a company that has not had layoffs (best of luck to me, right? :) I think there's a couple out there :) ). If I do go down this route, can I start a PERM application immediately or do I have to work at the company for a while before I can do this?
I am also worried that the PERM could get delayed by 6 months or more because there might be more layoffs. If there are further delays in the time to be approved (more than a year), then I might be cutting it really close as far as my H1-B term goes. Is anyone in a similar situation? Am I at risk here? What happens if PERM filing is in process when H1-B duration comes to an end? Do I just have to leave?
A lot of these are maybe newbie questions, but I am kind of worried and I would appreciate it if you can contribute answers to whichever questions of mine that you are familiar with.
Thanks
more...
vin13
03-09 08:59 AM
I think she need to fill I-9 form to switch to EAD and thus switching out of H1.
Right now she is on H1 as well as AOS.
How will a person fill I-9 form when she is not working. she lost her H1-B status when she stopped working. Now she will be on AOS. I do not think anything needs to be done
Right now she is on H1 as well as AOS.
How will a person fill I-9 form when she is not working. she lost her H1-B status when she stopped working. Now she will be on AOS. I do not think anything needs to be done
hair When Pigs fly Print by
gc_kaavaali
06-03 03:28 PM
Should i fill AR11 form for my wife too? i entered my wife's application receipt number when i am updating my pending cases and gave my wife name and her details...is it sufficient?
more...
kondur_007
05-10 09:22 AM
why does everyone on the forum get excited so easily?the proposals from CIR are just that-proposals. a bill has to be debated by both senate and house of reps and passed, then approved and signed by president to make it a law. Most bills do not become laws. The information of mere proposals has people all over the forum debating, arguing and doing all kinds of analysis about the various proposals in the CIR bill. So much speculation about something that is at an infantile stage makes me wonder what will happen if any of the proposals actually becomes a law!! i am sure many people in the forum will have heart attacks!!
I see your way of viewing this; but I have to disagree with you on this.
We have to do something for ourselves and for the future high skilled immigrants; it is now or never.
It is not just about the "proposal"; everyone here knows that it is just a proposal and it has long ways to go. However, if we do not work on our agenda now, chances of getting any of our provisions in any future immigration bill are slim.
Do you have any other proposal as to "what should we do"; besides "not doing anyting"? If you do, we are more than happy to hear your opinion.
I am sorry to say and do not mean to offend you, but if you think outside the "box" of the proposal; this is the right environment to promote our agenda and bring the awareness of high-skilled immigrantion issues.
I see your way of viewing this; but I have to disagree with you on this.
We have to do something for ourselves and for the future high skilled immigrants; it is now or never.
It is not just about the "proposal"; everyone here knows that it is just a proposal and it has long ways to go. However, if we do not work on our agenda now, chances of getting any of our provisions in any future immigration bill are slim.
Do you have any other proposal as to "what should we do"; besides "not doing anyting"? If you do, we are more than happy to hear your opinion.
I am sorry to say and do not mean to offend you, but if you think outside the "box" of the proposal; this is the right environment to promote our agenda and bring the awareness of high-skilled immigrantion issues.
hot quot;Swiss Pigsquot; - Screen print on
ampudhukode
03-24 03:51 PM
Mr. HarryOm,
I was really hoping to get my question answered thru this thread. Can you please open another thread for yours ?
Thanks,
ampudhukode
I just got me H1B approval Notice and copy of I-129 petition. There is nothing wrong with approval but I notice few things and have few concerns/questions to the group if some one had similar experience in the past:
1. Passport number was not correctly typed in form I-129 (however copies passport were sent along with the forms by immigration dept)
2. My Alien number does not show up in 797A approval notice as I have pending 485.
3. The I-94# on passport card does not match with the one on new approval notice.
Now My questions is :
Do I need to get this passport#(1) typo fixed now or its ok?
Is it ok not have A# updated in H1B Approval Notice? My wife's H4 have her A#.
Do I need to get my I-94# matched with the one I had in my previous notice and A/D card stapled in passport?
All this happened due to mistakes commited by our Immigration/attorney.Now she is not ready to listen and asks me to call customer service as she thinks its not her problem.
Any suggestions/experience are apreciated.
Thanks
PD Sept 2004
I-485 pending
I-140 pending
EAD pending
AP approved
I was really hoping to get my question answered thru this thread. Can you please open another thread for yours ?
Thanks,
ampudhukode
I just got me H1B approval Notice and copy of I-129 petition. There is nothing wrong with approval but I notice few things and have few concerns/questions to the group if some one had similar experience in the past:
1. Passport number was not correctly typed in form I-129 (however copies passport were sent along with the forms by immigration dept)
2. My Alien number does not show up in 797A approval notice as I have pending 485.
3. The I-94# on passport card does not match with the one on new approval notice.
Now My questions is :
Do I need to get this passport#(1) typo fixed now or its ok?
Is it ok not have A# updated in H1B Approval Notice? My wife's H4 have her A#.
Do I need to get my I-94# matched with the one I had in my previous notice and A/D card stapled in passport?
All this happened due to mistakes commited by our Immigration/attorney.Now she is not ready to listen and asks me to call customer service as she thinks its not her problem.
Any suggestions/experience are apreciated.
Thanks
PD Sept 2004
I-485 pending
I-140 pending
EAD pending
AP approved
more...
house three-little-pigs--13.gif
sandeepk_c
06-12 12:13 PM
thanks.
tattoo Guinea Pigs II Print by Fany001. Guinea Pigs II
nkavjs
09-25 02:17 PM
I would love the sound of it.. sit at home.. But what shd I answer to USCIs at the time of EAD renewal or RFE, about working less hours.. Does any law protect situations like us..like new baby law.. or over-stressed employee law.. or something...
more...
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aperregatturv
04-20 05:24 PM
I applied AP Feb 3 2011 for my wife and i got approved mail and also checked website saying it was approved.
Application Type: I131 , APPLICATION FOR USCIS TRAVEL DOCUMENT
Your Case Status: Post Decision Activity
On April 8, 2011, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I131 APPLICATION FOR USCIS TRAVEL DOCUMENT. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.
But i have not received the document yet and wife is leaving on 24 th Apr 2011.
I would like to know if she can go without and when i get it i can mail the document so she can come back.
Please help.
Thanks
Arun
Application Type: I131 , APPLICATION FOR USCIS TRAVEL DOCUMENT
Your Case Status: Post Decision Activity
On April 8, 2011, we mailed you a notice that we have approved this I131 APPLICATION FOR USCIS TRAVEL DOCUMENT. Please follow any instructions on the notice. If you move before you receive the notice, call customer service at 1-800-375-5283.
But i have not received the document yet and wife is leaving on 24 th Apr 2011.
I would like to know if she can go without and when i get it i can mail the document so she can come back.
Please help.
Thanks
Arun
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go_guy123
04-17 05:36 PM
they will not "do away" with comprehensive..... if it fails this year they will bring it up again next year and next..... there is no room for piecemeal...... if there were.... they would do it after cir failed in 2006, but they didn't..... they could do after cir failed in 2007, but again they didn't...... or they could do piecemeal in 2008, 9 or 10..... the fact they didn't .... it just tells us that we ought to learn something here..... there is nothing called piecemeal & there will never be anything called piecemeal in this leg of immigration reform, other than our own fantasy world.... so get over it...... there is only 1 way to do it.... cir
lets start the undocumented bashing party now......
Eventually something's got to give. Standoffs don't remain forever. Just like 1st world war
trench warfare was a standoff tactic but was eventually made redundant by invention of tanks.
Same way this standoff wont remain forever (of course many waiting EB2/3 I might lose patience ), either GOP will get into power and force the piecemeal through or Hispanic caucus might gain even more power to force CIR through.
Repeated failures might weaken the CIR coalition (Refer the Greg Siskind post about MALDEF chief few months back).
lets start the undocumented bashing party now......
Eventually something's got to give. Standoffs don't remain forever. Just like 1st world war
trench warfare was a standoff tactic but was eventually made redundant by invention of tanks.
Same way this standoff wont remain forever (of course many waiting EB2/3 I might lose patience ), either GOP will get into power and force the piecemeal through or Hispanic caucus might gain even more power to force CIR through.
Repeated failures might weaken the CIR coalition (Refer the Greg Siskind post about MALDEF chief few months back).
more...
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chanduv23
09-19 01:01 AM
We saw many toddlers and older kids! Brave little ones!!!
By the way chanduv, I looked for you everywhere! Too bad we didn't get to meet this time. You have done a truly amazing job and wanted to congratulate your in person! Hope to meet you soon!
And I was looking for you - actually I was on the stage - behind the speakers holding the flag
I am partially visible in this shot behind Aman
http://picasaweb.google.com/legalimmigrationvoice/ImmigrationVoiceSep18thDCRally/photo#5111711221748306082
I was walking with MACACA all along the rally
By the way chanduv, I looked for you everywhere! Too bad we didn't get to meet this time. You have done a truly amazing job and wanted to congratulate your in person! Hope to meet you soon!
And I was looking for you - actually I was on the stage - behind the speakers holding the flag
I am partially visible in this shot behind Aman
http://picasaweb.google.com/legalimmigrationvoice/ImmigrationVoiceSep18thDCRally/photo#5111711221748306082
I was walking with MACACA all along the rally
girlfriend Pigs index : : Print
amulchandra
11-04 04:41 PM
The title of the thread is misleading. Please change it.
Amul
Amul
hairstyles pig print in black and red
sayantan76
06-01 06:55 PM
It does not make sense to me how folks who are on L1 visa and manage some people can go at par with the people of Extraordinary ability .
I can understand if they holding a position where they make some policies/ generate bussiness that gonna have major impact on Employees or organizational direction ...
But I have seen some people who not at par qualified has applied for GC on EB1 category just because they are on L1 Visa it is getting expired....
But i feel that there is a big glitch in the definition of this category which many of the DESI Companies are abusing ....:(
you do not need to be on L1A to apply for EB-1 managerial as long as you meet the requirements of being a manager as per USCIS definition. also eb-1 managerial is not a self-file - it needs to be filed by employer.
I can understand if they holding a position where they make some policies/ generate bussiness that gonna have major impact on Employees or organizational direction ...
But I have seen some people who not at par qualified has applied for GC on EB1 category just because they are on L1 Visa it is getting expired....
But i feel that there is a big glitch in the definition of this category which many of the DESI Companies are abusing ....:(
you do not need to be on L1A to apply for EB-1 managerial as long as you meet the requirements of being a manager as per USCIS definition. also eb-1 managerial is not a self-file - it needs to be filed by employer.
harivenkat
06-28 03:17 PM
Huge demand to live in U.S. part of illegal immigration problem (http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2010/06/28/20100628legal-immigration-high-demand.html#comments)
WASHINGTON - While the national spotlight is focused on illegal immigration, millions of people enter the United States legally each year on both a temporary and permanent basis.
But the demand to immigrate to the United States far outweighs the number of people that immigration laws allow to move here legally. Wait times can be years, compounding the problem and reducing opportunities for many more who desperately want to come to the United States.
In 2009 alone, more than 1.1 million people, including nearly 21,000 living in Arizona, became legal permanent residents, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's 2009 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. The largest single group of new permanent residents nationwide, 15 percent, was born in Mexico. Six percent came from China and 5 percent came from the Philippines.
Also last year, nearly 744,000 immigrants, including about 12,400 Arizona residents, became naturalized U.S. citizens. The largest group, with 111,630 people, was from Mexico. The second largest group, with 52,889 people, came from India.
But those figures are eclipsed by the demand, which in part contributes to the problem of illegal immigration. Nearly 11 million immigrants are in the country illegally, according to estimates by the Department of Homeland Security. Earlier this year, there were an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants in Arizona.
But since Gov. Jan Brewer signed Arizona's controversial new immigration bill in April, hundreds, if not thousands, of illegal immigrants have left the state. And many more are planning to flee before the law takes effect July 29.
Some are going back to Mexico. Many are going to other states, where anti-illegal-immigrant sentiment isn't so strong and where they think they will be less likely to be targeted by local authorities.
"Insufficient legal avenues for immigrants to enter the U.S. ... has significantly contributed to this current conundrum," says a report by Leo Anchondo of Justice for Immigrants, which is pushing for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Arizona's immigration law makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally. It states that an officer engaged in a lawful stop, detention or arrest shall, when practicable, ask about a person's legal status when reasonable suspicion exists that the person is in the U.S. illegally.
Temporary visas
Temporary visas allow people to enter the United States and stay for a limited amount of time before returning to their home countries. In 2009, about 163 million people came in this way. The biggest groups came from Mexico, Britain and Japan.
Among those who can obtain temporary visas: tourists; visitors on business trips; foreign journalists; diplomats and government representatives and their staffs; students and foreign-exchange visitors and their dependents; certain relatives of lawful permanent residents and U.S. citizens; religious workers; and internationally recognized athletes and entertainers.
Temporary visas also are used to bring in foreign workers when U.S. employers say they do not have enough qualified or interested U.S. workers. Among the categories: workers in specialty occupations, registered nurses to help fill a shortage and agricultural workers. Mexican and Canadian professionals also are granted temporary visas under the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Permanent residents
A lawful permanent resident has been granted authorization to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. As proof of that status, a person is granted a permanent-resident card, better known as a "green card."
People petition to become permanent residents in several ways. Most are sponsored by a family member or employer in the United States.
Others may become permanent residents after being granted asylum status. In 2009, nearly 75,000 refugees were granted asylum from persecution in their home countries.
Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are given the highest immigration priority and are not subject to annual caps that apply to other categories of immigrants. Immediate relatives are defined as spouses, unmarried children under age 21 and parents.
Although there is no annual cap on the number of immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who can obtain green cards, there is a cap on the number of green cards for other relatives such as siblings and adult married children. That cap is about half a million people a year, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Employment-based immigration also is limited to 140,000 people a year, according to the lawyers association.
There also are limits based on a person's country of origin. Under U.S. immigration law, the total number of immigrant visas made available to natives of any single foreign nation shall not exceed 7 percent of the total number of visas issued. That limit can make it tough for immigrants from countries such as Mexico, where the number of people who want to come here greatly exceeds the number of people that the law allows.
The estimated wait time for family members to legally bring their relatives into the United States from Mexico ranges from six to 17 years, according to a May study by the non-profit, nonpartisan National Foundation for American Policy. It is nearly impossible for a Mexican, especially someone without a college degree or special skills, to immigrate to the United States legally without a family member or employer petitioning on his behalf.
The costs also can be high. A U.S. employer who wants to bring in an immigrant worker can expect to pay nearly $6,000 in fees and legal expenses, according to the foundation.
A U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident petitioning to bring a relative to the United States from another country must pay a $355 filing fee for each relative who wants to immigrate, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Naturalized citizens
In general, immigrants are eligible to become citizens if they are at least 18 and have lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for five years without leaving for trips of six months or longer.
An applicant for citizenship must be deemed to be of good moral character, which means in part that they must not have been convicted of a serious crime or been caught lying to gain immigration status.
Applicants must be able to pass a test demonstrating that they can read, write and speak basic English. They also must pass a basic test of U.S. history and government.
Immigrants become citizens when they take the oath of allegiance to the United States in a formal naturalization ceremony. The oath requires applicants to renounce foreign allegiances, support and defend the U.S. Constitution, and serve in the U.S. military when required to do so by law.
The time it takes to become naturalized varies by location and can take years. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency is trying to improve the system and decrease the time to an average of six months.
WASHINGTON - While the national spotlight is focused on illegal immigration, millions of people enter the United States legally each year on both a temporary and permanent basis.
But the demand to immigrate to the United States far outweighs the number of people that immigration laws allow to move here legally. Wait times can be years, compounding the problem and reducing opportunities for many more who desperately want to come to the United States.
In 2009 alone, more than 1.1 million people, including nearly 21,000 living in Arizona, became legal permanent residents, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's 2009 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics. The largest single group of new permanent residents nationwide, 15 percent, was born in Mexico. Six percent came from China and 5 percent came from the Philippines.
Also last year, nearly 744,000 immigrants, including about 12,400 Arizona residents, became naturalized U.S. citizens. The largest group, with 111,630 people, was from Mexico. The second largest group, with 52,889 people, came from India.
But those figures are eclipsed by the demand, which in part contributes to the problem of illegal immigration. Nearly 11 million immigrants are in the country illegally, according to estimates by the Department of Homeland Security. Earlier this year, there were an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants in Arizona.
But since Gov. Jan Brewer signed Arizona's controversial new immigration bill in April, hundreds, if not thousands, of illegal immigrants have left the state. And many more are planning to flee before the law takes effect July 29.
Some are going back to Mexico. Many are going to other states, where anti-illegal-immigrant sentiment isn't so strong and where they think they will be less likely to be targeted by local authorities.
"Insufficient legal avenues for immigrants to enter the U.S. ... has significantly contributed to this current conundrum," says a report by Leo Anchondo of Justice for Immigrants, which is pushing for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Arizona's immigration law makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally. It states that an officer engaged in a lawful stop, detention or arrest shall, when practicable, ask about a person's legal status when reasonable suspicion exists that the person is in the U.S. illegally.
Temporary visas
Temporary visas allow people to enter the United States and stay for a limited amount of time before returning to their home countries. In 2009, about 163 million people came in this way. The biggest groups came from Mexico, Britain and Japan.
Among those who can obtain temporary visas: tourists; visitors on business trips; foreign journalists; diplomats and government representatives and their staffs; students and foreign-exchange visitors and their dependents; certain relatives of lawful permanent residents and U.S. citizens; religious workers; and internationally recognized athletes and entertainers.
Temporary visas also are used to bring in foreign workers when U.S. employers say they do not have enough qualified or interested U.S. workers. Among the categories: workers in specialty occupations, registered nurses to help fill a shortage and agricultural workers. Mexican and Canadian professionals also are granted temporary visas under the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Permanent residents
A lawful permanent resident has been granted authorization to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis. As proof of that status, a person is granted a permanent-resident card, better known as a "green card."
People petition to become permanent residents in several ways. Most are sponsored by a family member or employer in the United States.
Others may become permanent residents after being granted asylum status. In 2009, nearly 75,000 refugees were granted asylum from persecution in their home countries.
Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are given the highest immigration priority and are not subject to annual caps that apply to other categories of immigrants. Immediate relatives are defined as spouses, unmarried children under age 21 and parents.
Although there is no annual cap on the number of immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who can obtain green cards, there is a cap on the number of green cards for other relatives such as siblings and adult married children. That cap is about half a million people a year, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Employment-based immigration also is limited to 140,000 people a year, according to the lawyers association.
There also are limits based on a person's country of origin. Under U.S. immigration law, the total number of immigrant visas made available to natives of any single foreign nation shall not exceed 7 percent of the total number of visas issued. That limit can make it tough for immigrants from countries such as Mexico, where the number of people who want to come here greatly exceeds the number of people that the law allows.
The estimated wait time for family members to legally bring their relatives into the United States from Mexico ranges from six to 17 years, according to a May study by the non-profit, nonpartisan National Foundation for American Policy. It is nearly impossible for a Mexican, especially someone without a college degree or special skills, to immigrate to the United States legally without a family member or employer petitioning on his behalf.
The costs also can be high. A U.S. employer who wants to bring in an immigrant worker can expect to pay nearly $6,000 in fees and legal expenses, according to the foundation.
A U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident petitioning to bring a relative to the United States from another country must pay a $355 filing fee for each relative who wants to immigrate, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Naturalized citizens
In general, immigrants are eligible to become citizens if they are at least 18 and have lived in the United States as a lawful permanent resident for five years without leaving for trips of six months or longer.
An applicant for citizenship must be deemed to be of good moral character, which means in part that they must not have been convicted of a serious crime or been caught lying to gain immigration status.
Applicants must be able to pass a test demonstrating that they can read, write and speak basic English. They also must pass a basic test of U.S. history and government.
Immigrants become citizens when they take the oath of allegiance to the United States in a formal naturalization ceremony. The oath requires applicants to renounce foreign allegiances, support and defend the U.S. Constitution, and serve in the U.S. military when required to do so by law.
The time it takes to become naturalized varies by location and can take years. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency is trying to improve the system and decrease the time to an average of six months.
hare01
02-25 12:32 AM
Dear friends,
I have a situation here and it may not be very different from what many others are facing as well. But just that I am not sure what I should be doing now.
I have a H1B visa and I am working for a company in NY state. I will be leaving the company on this Friday (laid off) . My company has informed me that they can hold my H1B for upto a month after which they have asked me to leave the country if they cant find another assignment for me.
My question is :
1) Can I transfer my H1B to some consulting company , that can atleast hold my H1B so that I stay in status? If anyone knows any info on some good consulting xompanies in NYC , that would be very helpful info for me.
2) My wife is on H1B as well .. If I go as a dependent (H4) on her (in case I dont find a job) , will I still be able to shift to H1 in the middle of the year or should I wait until Apr 2010 until the qouta opens? I also would like to know how long it takes for a H1 to H4 transfer and what are the procedures for the same.
3) Can I go from H4 to F1 and then back to H1B when the qouta opens in Apr.
Thanks a lot for your time. I appreciate your help in this regard.
I have a situation here and it may not be very different from what many others are facing as well. But just that I am not sure what I should be doing now.
I have a H1B visa and I am working for a company in NY state. I will be leaving the company on this Friday (laid off) . My company has informed me that they can hold my H1B for upto a month after which they have asked me to leave the country if they cant find another assignment for me.
My question is :
1) Can I transfer my H1B to some consulting company , that can atleast hold my H1B so that I stay in status? If anyone knows any info on some good consulting xompanies in NYC , that would be very helpful info for me.
2) My wife is on H1B as well .. If I go as a dependent (H4) on her (in case I dont find a job) , will I still be able to shift to H1 in the middle of the year or should I wait until Apr 2010 until the qouta opens? I also would like to know how long it takes for a H1 to H4 transfer and what are the procedures for the same.
3) Can I go from H4 to F1 and then back to H1B when the qouta opens in Apr.
Thanks a lot for your time. I appreciate your help in this regard.
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