As of November 12, 2014, the National Visa Center (NVC), which is responsible for the collection of visa application fees and supporting documentation for immigrant visa petitions, no longer requires original civil documents (such as birth, marriage, and police certificates) in support of immigrant visa applications. Instead, visa applicants will be required to submit photocopies of these documents and take the originals with them at the time of their interview.
Beginning November 12, 2014, the State Department will issue multiple-entry visas with extended validity period to qualified B category Chinese visitors, as well as Chinese students and exchange visitors and their dependents, who qualify for F, M & J visas. The new validity period may extend up to 10 years for business or tourist visitors and up to 5 years for students and exchange visitors, as well as their dependents. Currently, the validity of these visa categories are limited to a 12-month period.
According the the State Department, there will be no changes with the visa application fees, and that:
We expect that these changes in visa validity will be very popular among Chinese travelers. The U.S. Mission in China is taking steps to handle a potential increase in visa workload and intends to keep visa processing times as short as they have been over the past several years.
The State Department has released the December Visa Bulletin. EB-3 (including Mexico and the Philippines) advanced by 5 months. EB-3 mainland China advanced by 6 months.
Meanwhile, the cut-off date for EB-2 stays still at February 15, 2005 following a 4-year retrogression last month due to heavy demand.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that beginning today, Visa Waiver Program (VWP) applicants will be required to provide additional information when applying through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). With the additional data requirement, DHS expects to enhance its ability to accurately screen and identify potential security risks.
The additional questions are:
Also according to DHS, ESTA fees will not increase and that it does not anticipate any processing delays.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a new policy to include gestational mothers, using Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), under the definition of a “natural mother,” provided that she is also the legal mother at the time of birth.
Previous policy requires that a mother have a genetic relationship with the child in order to qualify as a a parent for purposes of obtaining immigration benefits.
What does this mean?
Under this new policy, a mother who meets this definition but does not have a genetic relationship with her child (for example, she became pregnant through an egg donor) will:
Last January, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) also issued a Policy Change Related to Children Born Abroad Through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), which was applied retroactively.
The State Department has released the November Visa Bulletin. As noted last month, EB-2 India retrogressed due to heavy demand. The current EB-2 cut-off date is now February 15, 2005, retrogressing from May 1, 2009 (a total of over 4 years and 2 months)!
Meanwhile, EB-3 (including Mexico and the Philippines) advanced by 8 months. EB-3 mainland China advanced by 9 months.
The State Department also notes that EB-3, except India, will continue to advance, while no forward movement is expected for EB-2 India, in the following months.
#immigrationupdates #visabulletin
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) introduces myE-Verify, a new online tool which gives workers the ability to create and manage secure accounts when participating in the E-Verify program. It will be initially available in Arizona, Idaho, Colorado, Mississippi, Virginia – as well as the District of Columbia.
myE-Verify gives workers a free and secure way to participate in the E-Verify process by accessing features dedicated for employees, including Self Check and the Employee Rights Toolkit. For added security, individuals will have their identities verified through Self Check, in order to create a myE-Verify account.
myE-Verify introduces the following new services:
myE-Verify accounts and Self Lock will initially be accessible to individuals in five states – Arizona, Idaho, Colorado, Mississippi, Virginia – as well as the District of Columbia. In future releases, USCIS will roll out myE-Verify across the country with plans for additional features focused on employees and job seekers.
Over the weekend, California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 1159, which authorizes agencies to accept tax identification numbers (TIN) in lieu of social security numbers (SSN) from individuals applying for professional licensure, and prohibits the denial of licensure applications based on citizenship status or immigration status.
Existing law provides for the licensure and regulation of various professions and vocations by boards within the Department of Consumer Affairs, among other licensing bodies. Existing law requires those licensing bodies to require a licensee, at the time of issuance of the license, to provide its federal employer identification number if the licensee is a partnership, or his or her social security number for all other licensees. Existing law requires those licensing bodies to report to the Franchise Tax Board any licensee who fails to provide the federal employer identification number or social security number, and subjects the licensee to a penalty for failing to provide the information after notification, as specified.
This bill, no later than January 1, 2016, would require those licensing bodies to require an applicant to provide either an individual tax identification number or social security number if the applicant is an individual. The bill would require the licensing bodies to report to the Franchise Tax Board, and subject a licensee to a penalty, for failure to provide that information, as described above. The bill would prohibit, except as specified, any entity within the department from denying licensure to an applicant based on his or her citizenship status or immigration status. The bill would require every board within the department to implement regulatory and procedural changes necessary to implement these provisions no later than January 1, 2016, and would authorize implementation at any time prior to that date. The bill would make other conforming changes.
Gov. Brown also signed two other immigration bills: SB 1159, which authorizes the creation of the California DREAM Loan Program; and, SB 873, which authorizes the funding of nonprofit organizations to provide legal services to unaccompanied minors.
On September 25, 2014, USCIS published the first Form I-9 Webinar On-Demand. Now you can watch the free Form I-9 webinar at any time. Choose the chapters of your choice or watch the entire 22 minute video in one sitting. You will see how to complete Sections 1, 2 and 3, best practices and much more.
#immigrationcompliance #immigrationupdates
Beginning in mid-September, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is optimizing processing for first-time Canadian TN and L applicants seeking entry into the United States under NAFTA. CBP has designated ports of entry that will ensure a more efficient approach to processing the high volume of TN and L applicants.
The designated ports of entry are:
1. Lester B. Pearson International Airport
2. Trudeau International Airport
3. Vancouver International Airport
4. Calgary International Airport
5. Highgate Springs Port of Entry
6. Derby Line Port of Entry
7. Alexandria Bay Port of Entry
8. Peace Bridge Port of Entry
9. Rainbow Bridge Port of Entry
10. Champlain Port of Entry
11. Detroit Canada Tunnel Port of Entry
12. Detroit Ambassador Bridge Port of Entry
13. Blaine Peace Arch Port of Entry
14. Sweetgrass Port of Entry
Traveling on a TN or L-1 Visa From Canada? | U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Optimize Your Processing at these U.S. Ports of Entry
Beginning in mid-September, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is optimizing processing for first-time Canadian TN and L applicants seeking entry into the United States under NAFTA. CBP has designated ports of entry that will ensure a more efficient approach to processing the high volume of TN and L applicants.
