OUTSIDE THE BOX THINKING, DELIVERING CUTTING EDGE SOLUTIONS!

We wanted to find a new way to engage our reader base. Every other Friday, we will post the ten (10) best/most frequently asked questions received during the week from our h1bvisalawyerblog, Facebook, and Twitter readers. We will answer those questions and provide the Q&A on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

If you have a burning question, are seeking assistance with a difficult immigration related case, wish to discuss your views on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, DREAMers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, priority dates, the monthly visa bulletin, adjustment applications, etc., please contact us by submitting your question/comment/viewpoint in our comment box provided on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

Our next “Q & A Forum” will take place this Friday, Sept. 2, 2016. Act now and submit your questions!

USCIS has alerted stakeholders that (Special Situations) immigration measures are available for unforeseen circumstances, such as the recent severe storms and flooding in Louisiana but they must request them. The News Alert details several specific measures that may be available and are listed below. When making any of these Special Situations requests, explain how the severe storms and flooding in Louisiana caused your need for relief.

Immigration measures may be available upon request:

• Change of nonimmigrant status or extension of nonimmigrant stay for an individual currently in the United States, even if the request is filed after the authorized period of admission has expired;

On August 25th, USCIS in partnership will the National Park Service will hold 16 naturalization ceremonies across the United States to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service! Nearly 450 new citizens were administered the Oath of Allegiance during these ceremonies at national parks and historic landmarks nationwide. USCIS Director León Rodríguez stated,” At USCIS, we believe that being an American means understanding and honoring our history and the places the National Park Service is charged to protect. We look forward to continuing to welcome new U.S. citizens and protecting ‘America’s Best Idea’ for the next 100 years.”

For further details please review the USCIS News Release, “USCIS Naturalizes New Citizens in celebration of National Park Service Centennial“.

Source of Information:

If you are searching for “English as a Second Language” or “Citizenship” classes in your local area try using the America’s Literacy Directory (ALD). First you choose the type of class/classes you are looking for, then just type in your zip code or city/state and active the search. If the directory locates a training source within your local area it will list the details. You can also generate a map and driving directions for all programs listed in the ALD.

America’s Literacy Directory (ALD) is a web site that allows users to find local literacy providers in all 50 states and the U.S. territories. The ALD includes literacy programs for adults looking for adult basic education, adult secondary education, computer literacy and English as a Second Language.

Update: Civics Practice Test for the Naturalization Test on YouTube!

The Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) recently overturned the decision of a Certifying Officer (CO) to deny labor certification for the position of “Software Engineer.”

After obtaining & examining an Employer’s Application for Permanent Labor Certification, the CO issued an Audit notification ordering the Employer to submit its Prevailing Wage Determination (PWD) and other requested documentation. The Employer replied to the Audit by providing the PWD as well as the other documents.

The CO denied the labor certification stating the prevailing wage on the ETA form 9089 did not match the one listed on the PWD. He cited a violation of PERM Regulations 656.10(c) (1), 656.40 AND 656.41. In addition, the Employer’s Notice of Filing did not contain the job requirements or duties as listed on the ETA Form 9089. The Employer requested a reconsideration of the denial stating the prevailing wage inconsistency was an unintentional harmless error. The Employer also believed all of its audit response materials were compliant with PERM regulations.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be holding an EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program Teleconference on Monday, August 29th, between 1:00pm and 2:00pm (Eastern). This second teleconference is being held because of telephone issues encountered during the July 28th EB-5 teleconference from Miami, FL. This second engagement will address questions that were not heard or shared during the previous engagement. The remarks from the July 28th EB-5 engagement are available at, “EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program: Stakeholder Engagement from Miami“.

Event Information:

DATE: Monday, August 29, 2016 TIME: 1:00pm to 2:00pm (Eastern)

MVP Law Group, P.A. makes available the information and materials in this forum for informational purposes only. The information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice or any contractual obligations. Further, the use of this site, and the sending or receipt of this information, does not create an attorney-client relationship between us. Therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.

Question #1 – General

Are there any type of restrictions on a Conditional Green Card? Once I get my green card, can I travel out of the country?

USCIS has published the transcript of the USCIS-DOS-HHS Press Call on Syrian Refugee Processing which took place on Friday, August 5, 2016. This Press Call (conference call) started off with statements by Assistant Secretary of State, The Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration, Anne C. Richard, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Leon Rodriguez, and Health and Human Services Director of Refugee Resettlement, Robert “(Bob)” Carey. The Question and Answer period start right after their opening statements. This transcript includes the opening statements and the Q&A period that followed.

Source of Information:

USCIS.gov, 8/9/16, Press Release:

The Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) recently affirmed the decision of a Certifying Officer (CO) to deny labor certification for the position of “Design Engineer-Mechanical.”

After receiving & reviewing an Employer’s Application for Permanent Labor Certification, the CO issued an Audit notification. The Employer responded by sending its recruitment report as well as resumes from U.S. applicants. In response, the CO informed the Employer that they would be required to conduct supervised recruitment. As part of the process, the Employer could only advertise the position in permitted publications and abide by specific advertising conditions. The Employer sent the CO a copy of the proposed job advertisement that was approved by the CO. A few weeks later, the Employer sent copies of the Arkansas State Workforce Agency job order; newspaper ads, on-line job postings from its company web page and a job search website. The CO told the Employer about the resumes that he had received as well.

A few months later, the CO told the Employer that the recruitment time had concluded. In 30 days, the employer was required to submit a comprehensive written report about the recruitment process and the outcomes. In a timely manner, the Employer presented its recruitment results. In the report, the Employer noted it had received resumes from 45 applicants. During the review of the resumes, the Employer cited it considered job applicants based on their education, training, experience as well as trainability. The Employer believed that none of the applicants fulfilled the minimum job requirements and therefore, were not qualified for the position.

Processing Time reports for all of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Service Centers were released on 8/11/16 with processing dates as of 6/30/16.

If you filed a petition with one of the Service Centers, please review the links below to determine the applicable processing time associated with your particular case.

California Service Center (CSC)

Contact Information