Law Offices of Brian D. Lerner
Deportation Lawyers & Immigration Attorneys Helping Families Nationwide
DHS press release announcing “Study in the States,” a new initiative to streamline the international student visa process by examining regulatory changes, and expanding public engagement and providing a central online information hub for students and academia.
The court affirmed the district court’s ruling that an alien who enters the United States without inspection is ineligible for adjustment of status under INA §245(a) even if granted temporary protected status under INA §244.
U.S. Embassy in Sana’a, Yemen began rescheduling IV interviews for immediate relatives of USCs. NIV processing continues to be suspended until further notice. U.S. Department of State hopes to resume normal processes soon. An e-mail and website announcement are included.
A 9/15/11 memorandum from the Department of State Immigrant Visa Control Office notifying USCIS of the exhaustion of all employment-based visa numbers for FY2011.
Revised version of the Legal Workforce Act, a mandatory employment verification legislation from Rep. Smith (R-TX), introduced on September 12, 2011.
In an unpublished decision, the BIA found that as the minor derivative of her mother’s application, the respondent did not receive the necessary advisals, and held that the frivolousness finding applicable to her mother should not be applicable to her.
DOS instructions for the 2013 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program (DV-2013). This year, natives from South Sudan and Poland are eligible, while Bangladesh natives are ineligible. Entries for the DV-2013 program must be submitted electronically between 10/4/11 and 11/5/11.
OFLC filing tips to assist employers with the H-2A program by highlighting common mistakes which can delay the processing of an application, based upon the Chicago National Processing Center’s experiences in processing H-2A applications over the past 16 months.
USCIS alert announcing that some online businesses are charging fees to prepare USCIS forms which are, in most cases, the same as USCIS filing fees, and as a result, applicants are only paying for the preparation of their applications and not the official filing fees.
OFLC announcement regarding the re-issuing of wage determinations on more than 3,500 previously certified H-2B applications which must be completed prior to 9/30/11 in accordance with the shift in the effective date of the wage methodology final rule.
DOS Visa Bulletin for October 2011. Section C addresses advance notification of diversity (DV) immigrant category rank cut-offs which will apply in November. Section D addresses visa availability in the coming months.
DOS statement that the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai resumed issuing H and L interviews on 8/26/11, with the first appointments available on 9/6/11. The consulate stopped issuing H and L interview appointments in March 2011 due to aging infrastructure.
A 9/6/11 USCIS policy memo providing guidance on the continued eligibility for individuals to file a VAWA self-petition as a child over age 21, and younger than age 25, if the abuse was at least one central reason for the filing delay. This guidance is effective immediately.
DHS/USCIS Verification Division Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), dated 8/26/11, providing a separate, detailed explanation of the SAVE Program, and elaborating on SAVE’s expanded use of foreign passport numbers for non-immigrants from visa waiver countries.
DHS final rule implementing the CW classification, which is the temporary transitional worker classification specifically created for the CNMI, and establishing employment authorization incident to CW status. The rule is effective 10/7/11