H1B Visa Lawyer Blog

April 1, 2011

MVP LAW GROUP – Immigration Q&A Forum, Friday, April 1, 2011

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. And, therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.

Question #1 – Employment Based Immigration – Green Card

If my priority date is June 2008 under the EB-3 category and my H-1B visa will expire in October 2012 (using up my 6 years), should I move to a different company so I can re-file my green card application under EB-2? Or should I wait until I renew my H-1B until 2012 before moving?

March 31, 2011

USCIS will begin to accept H1B Petitions for FY2012 on April 1, 2011

by Kellie N. Lego

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin to accept H-1B petitions for the FY 2012 cap on April 1, 2011 for employment beginning on October 1, 2011 . Cases are considered accepted on the date USCIS receives a complete application with the fee enclosed, not on the postmarked date.

H-1B nonimmigrant visas are for professional foreign workers with a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent. Congress allows 65,000 visas to be issued annually to qualifying foreign workers. An additional 20,000 H-1Bs are reserved for professional foreign workers who receive U.S. Master’s degrees. Frequently, employers interested in utilizing the H-1B visa program contact an experienced Immigration Lawyer for a consultation about the process, determine eligibility, discuss applicable lawyer’s fees and filing fees, and so forth.

If an individual works at any of the below entities, their H-1B petition will be considered EXEMPT from the CAP:

March 30, 2011

Immigration in 2011 – Part 5 of 10, Punitive Enforcement Approaches

by Kellie N. Lego

Fifth part of our ten part series examining the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) publication of “What to Watch Out for in Immigration in 2011.”

Topic #5: Punitive Enforcement Approaches

In the 112th Congress violations of immigration laws are expected to have stricter penalties and further legislation is likely to be proposed in connection to the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) that was passed in 1996.

March 29, 2011

ICE Secure Communities Program in Maryland Counties

by Kellie N. Lego

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) program “Secure Communities” was activated in the following counties as of March 22, 2011: Calvert, Cecil, Charles, Harford and Howard County. Currently, all counties in Maryland use the program except Allegany, Garrett, Washington, Montgomery, Wicomico and Baltimore City.

The implementation of Secure Communities into these counties means that individuals arrested and fingerprinted by the police will also have their fingerprints cross-checked against those stored in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) database. If an individual who was arrested in one of the previously mentioned counties is discovered to be in the United States illegally, deportation proceedings will begin immediately.

Statistics complied on the Secure Communities program reveal that individuals who were arrested and later deported because they did not have lawful status had no previous criminal convictions.

March 28, 2011

REMINDER – Submit Your Questions

by Kellie N. Lego

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – This Friday, April 1st, 2011

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, please contact us by submitting your question/comment/viewpoint in our comment box provided on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.

March 23, 2011

Immigration in 2011 – Part 4 of 10, State and Local Authority to Enforce Immigration Law

by Kellie N. Lego

Fourth part of our ten part series examining the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) publication of “What to Watch Out for in Immigration in 2011.”

Topic #4: State and Local Authority to Enforce Immigration Law

The role state and local officials should play when enforcing immigration laws has been a heavily debated issue especially since the passing of Arizona’s SB 1070 law.

March 18, 2011

MVP LAW GROUP – Immigration Q&A Forum, Friday, March 18, 2011

by Kellie N. Lego

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. And, therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.

Question #1 – Temporary Work Visa – H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa

As an employer, how do I qualify to file an exempt H-1B nonimmigrant petition with the USCIS?

March 17, 2011

Updated Service Center Processing Times

by Kellie N. Lego

Processing Time reports for all of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Service Centers were released on March 14, 2011 with processing dates as of January 31, 2011.

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

March 16, 2011

Immigration in 2011 – Part 3 of 10, Restrictions on State Identification Cards (REAL ID)

by Kellie N. Lego

Third part of our ten part series examining the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) publication of “What to Watch Out for on Immigration in 2011.”

Topic #3: Restrictions on State Identification Cards (REAL ID)

The REAL ID Act was brought up after national security concerns grew in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The act scrutinized state driver licenses as well as identification cards, creating a federal standard for driver licenses issued.

March 14, 2011

REMINDER – Submit Your Questions

by Kellie N. Lego

MVP “Immigration Q & A Forum” – This Friday, March 18th, 2011

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, please contact us by submitting your question/comment/viewpoint in our comment box provided on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.