Immigration Law Facts and Issues - Articles by Richard Hanus - USA Visa Counsel.com http://www.usavisacounsel.com Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:23:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Barack Obama and the Future of Our Immigration Laws http://www.usavisacounsel.com/barack-obama-and-the-future-of-our-immigration-laws.htm http://www.usavisacounsel.com/barack-obama-and-the-future-of-our-immigration-laws.htm#comments Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:46:56 +0000 Admin http://www.usavisacounsel.com/?p=849 Today’s article is not a political one, especially because I am just as tired as you are of hearing about how wonderful or terrible an Obama presidency will be. The campaign is finally over, the hoopla is hopefully dying down, and whether you think President Elect Barack Obama is the [...]]]> http://www.usavisacounsel.com/barack-obama-and-the-future-of-our-immigration-laws.htm/feed New Civics Test Implemented for N-400 Applicants http://www.usavisacounsel.com/new-civics-test-implemented-for-n-400-applicants.htm http://www.usavisacounsel.com/new-civics-test-implemented-for-n-400-applicants.htm#comments Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:12:46 +0000 Admin http://www.usavisacounsel.com/?p=848 Beginning Oct. 1, 2008, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is using new questions for the U.S. civics portion of the N-400, Application for Naturalization testing process. Applicants filing for naturalization on or after October 1, 2008 will be administered the new test at their interview. Applicants filing prior [...]]]> http://www.usavisacounsel.com/new-civics-test-implemented-for-n-400-applicants.htm/feed Filing Locations for N-400: Applications for Naturalization Stay the Same… For Now http://www.usavisacounsel.com/filing-locations-for-n-400-applications-for-naturalization-stay-the-same-for-now.htm http://www.usavisacounsel.com/filing-locations-for-n-400-applications-for-naturalization-stay-the-same-for-now.htm#comments Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:06:17 +0000 Admin http://www.usavisacounsel.com/?p=847 In the past week or so, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service has reversed course and now confirms that the filing locations for N-400 Applications for Naturalization will not change as recently announced. Therefore prospective applicants are directed to disregard any filing location change notification . For the time being, applications [...]]]> http://www.usavisacounsel.com/filing-locations-for-n-400-applications-for-naturalization-stay-the-same-for-now.htm/feed The New Visa Lottery (DV-2010) http://www.usavisacounsel.com/the-new-visa-lottery-dv-2010.htm http://www.usavisacounsel.com/the-new-visa-lottery-dv-2010.htm#comments Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:22:31 +0000 Admin http://www.usavisacounsel.com/?p=846 As in years past, millions of people from all over world will submit entries to have a chance at one of 55,000 diversity immigrant visas and obtain “green card” status in the U.S. Excluded from eligibility are natives of Brazil (new to the list), Canada, China (mainland born), Colombia, Dominican [...]]]> http://www.usavisacounsel.com/the-new-visa-lottery-dv-2010.htm/feed Now is the Time for Employers and New Foreign National Employees to Start Thinking about H-1B Petitions http://www.usavisacounsel.com/now-is-the-time.htm http://www.usavisacounsel.com/now-is-the-time.htm#comments Mon, 15 Sep 2008 21:16:36 +0000 Admin http://www.usavisacounsel.com/?p=845 65,000 and 20,000. As of this writing, those are the numbers for the annual allotment of new H-1B visas that employers and their (prospective) foreign national employees will be scrambling for come April, 2009. 65,000 is the general supply , and an additional 20,000 are for individuals who have been [...]]]> http://www.usavisacounsel.com/now-is-the-time.htm/feed The Role of Counsel in PERM / Labor Certification Processing http://www.usavisacounsel.com/the-role-of-counsel-in-perm-labor-certification-processing.htm http://www.usavisacounsel.com/the-role-of-counsel-in-perm-labor-certification-processing.htm#comments Fri, 05 Sep 2008 21:16:17 +0000 Admin http://www.usavisacounsel.com/?p=843 Foreign nationals seeking to obtain permanent resident status in the U.S. by way of a job offer are usually subject to a process wherein the employer must document the unavailability of ready, willing and qualified U.S. workers to fill the position at issue. The process is initiated by way of [...]]]> http://www.usavisacounsel.com/the-role-of-counsel-in-perm-labor-certification-processing.htm/feed In the Immigration Law Realm, “Expungement” Does Not Mean the Criminal Case Never Happened http://www.usavisacounsel.com/in-the-immigration-law-realm-expungement-does-not-mean-the-criminal-case-never-happened.htm http://www.usavisacounsel.com/in-the-immigration-law-realm-expungement-does-not-mean-the-criminal-case-never-happened.htm#comments Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:35:18 +0000 Admin http://www.usavisacounsel.com/?p=841 But I had the matter expunged! That is usually the first response a client will provide when I suggest that we must disclose all arrests or criminal charges when it comes to answering questions listed on an Application for Permanent Residence (I-485) or Application for Naturalization (N-400).

Although for some purposes, [...]]]> http://www.usavisacounsel.com/in-the-immigration-law-realm-expungement-does-not-mean-the-criminal-case-never-happened.htm/feed New Medical Forms, New Vaccine Requirements, and One Small Detail http://www.usavisacounsel.com/new-medical-forms-new-vaccine-requirements-and-one-small-detail.htm http://www.usavisacounsel.com/new-medical-forms-new-vaccine-requirements-and-one-small-detail.htm#comments Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:38:25 +0000 Admin http://www.usavisacounsel.com/?p=842 This summer US Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) has issued a new list of required vaccinations and a new medical form for applicants for permanent residence (I-485).

Applicants for Adjustment of Status will need to show that they’ve had the following vaccinations:
- rotavirus
- hepatitis A
- meningococcal
- human [...]]]> http://www.usavisacounsel.com/new-medical-forms-new-vaccine-requirements-and-one-small-detail.htm/feed Oath Ceremonies at US CIS, Chicago District Office http://www.usavisacounsel.com/oath-ceremonies-at-us-cis-chicago-district-office.htm http://www.usavisacounsel.com/oath-ceremonies-at-us-cis-chicago-district-office.htm#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2008 18:34:10 +0000 Admin http://www.usavisacounsel.com/?p=840 When I attended a client’s Naturalization Interview earlier this week, I observed a departure from what has typically been Chicago CIS office procedure. Applicants who were being approved for U.S. citizenship at their interview were being asked to stick around an extra half hour to receive printed notices, scheduling them [...]]]> http://www.usavisacounsel.com/oath-ceremonies-at-us-cis-chicago-district-office.htm/feed The Scheduled Departure Program http://www.usavisacounsel.com/the-scheduled-departure-program.htm http://www.usavisacounsel.com/the-scheduled-departure-program.htm#comments Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:33:05 +0000 Admin http://www.usavisacounsel.com/?p=839 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) put a puzzling offer on the table last week to immigrants with final orders of removal, deportation or exclusion who never actually departed the U.S.  ICE refers to this group of people as “fugitive aliens”.  The offer is this: Help us deport [...]]]> http://www.usavisacounsel.com/the-scheduled-departure-program.htm/feed