The NIW Petition for J-1 Visa Holder Subjected to the Two-Year Home Country Residency Requirement

The NIW Petition for J-1 Visa Holder Subjected to the Two-Year Home Country Residency Requirement For a J-1 visa holder subjected to the two-year home country residency requirement, you can file the NIW based Form I-140 petition now for your immigrant visa, and get your J-1 waiver later. You do not need to have a J-1 waiver before file an Form I-140 petition. The two-year home country residency requirement does not allow you to adjust the status from J-1 to U.S. permanent residency. After your NIW based Form I-140 approval, you are still subject to the two-year home country residency requirement, and you need to get the J-1 waiver before you can file Form I-485 to adjust your status to U.S. permanent resident. To help you get your J-1 waiver easily and quickly, we provide a high quality and case-proven Complete Do-It-Yourself Package for J-1 Waiver Application, based on our extensive and practical experience. As added value in the Complete Do-It-Yourself Package for J-1 Waiver Application, we provide comprehensive instructions on J-1 waiver application requirements and processing, and we also let you know the required application documents, evidence, procedures, samples of recommendation letter and J-1 program sponsor letter, samples of required forms, http://www.greencardapply.com/ http://www.greencardapply.com/niw/what-is-niw.htm

New Fees for H-1B Status and L-1 Visa/Status Petition

New Fees for H-1B Status and L-1 Visa/Status Petition Question: What is the current fee for H-1B or L-1 visa application? is the fee required only for initial petition or change of employer? Answer, A law has passed in U.S. Comgress (Public Law 114-113) to increase the an already high filing fee for H-1B visa and L-1 visa petitions filed by companies that meet certain requirements, the subject employers must pay the increased fee of $4,000 for all new H-1B employees (increased from $2,000), and $4,500 for all new L-1A and L-1B employees (increased from $2,250). Only companies with fifty (50) employees or more in the U.S., at least 50 percent of whom are in H-1B status or L-1 status, are subject to the fee of $4,000 for H-1B, or $4,500 for L-1. If a company has fewer than 50 employees in the U.S., or if company's combined total of H-1B and L-1 workers is less than 50 percent of its total U.S. workforce, this fee does not apply. The following petitioners must submit the additional fees with an H-1B or L-1 petition filed: 1) Initially to grant status to a nonimmigrant status of H-1B or L-1, or 2) To obtain authorization for a nonimmigrant in such status to change employers. This fee is in addition to the a) Base Processing Fee, b) Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee, c) American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 fee (when required), as well as d) the premium processing fee, if applicable. Subject employers do not need to include the $4,000 or $4,500 fee each time an H-1B visa or L-1 visa petition is filed to USCIS. An employer generally is required to pay the fee only one time for such employee. It is important for employers to properly assess filing fee requirements. H-1B or L-1 petitions filed without the correct filing fees may be rejected directly. http://www.greencardapply.com/question/question16/H1B_L1_Fee_020216.htm http://www.greencardapply.com/h1b.htm http://www.greencardapply.com/l1visa.htm

Use the Chargeability Rule to File Form I-485 Application

Use the Chargeability Rule to File Form I-485 Application Question: My wife and I were born in different countries, and we are waiting for the immigrant visa to become current to file Form I-485 application to get our Green Card. A friend of my mentioned the "chargeability". How could I use my wife's visa number for "cross-charge" to file Form I-485 application? Answer, Immigration to the United States is numerically limited. This is controlled by an annual allocation of immigrant visa numbers. Each family-based immigrant category and employment-based immigrant category has its own limited immigrant visa number. Additionally, there is a per-country limit of 7 percent of the total immigrant visa numbers. The maximum number of family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas that can be issued to citizens of any country in a fiscal year. The limits are calculated each fiscal year depending on the total number of family-sponsored and employment-based visas available. No more than 7 percent of the visas may be issued to natives of any one independent country in a fiscal year. Because of the combined workings of the preference system and per-country limits, most countries do not reach this level of visa issuance. The foreign state of chargeability is a United States immigration concept – it is the country determined to be the applicant's origin. In general, the applicant's country of birth will determine their country of chargeability. For certain applicants born in oversubscribed countries such as India and China, approval to be chargeable to another country can significantly reduce the waiting time for their adjustment of status or consular processing of their green card application. This process is also known as alternate chargeability. The basic rule of chargeability is that one is charged against the quota for the country of his or her birth. This determination is not tied to citizenship or nationality. A person born in a particular country is subject to that country's quota. For example, a potential immigrant is born in India. He subsequently becomes a Canadian citizen. Unless this individual fits within one of the exceptions discussed below, he will still be subject to the backlogged quota for India, even as a Canadian citizen. In some circumstances, an immigrant can cross-charge to the country available to his or her spouse (provided that the spouse is immigrating also). For example, cross chargeability would usually be available if a person born in India were to marry a person born in Canada. If a U.S. employer filed an employment-based, second-preference (EB2) petition on behalf of the individual born in India, she or he would be able to use the Canadian chargeability, if immigrating with the spouse. Historically, this would mean immediate eligibility for immigration benefits under the Canadian quota, rather than many years of waiting under the heavily-backlogged Indian quota. http://www.greencardapply.com/question/question16/Immigrant_Visa_Chargeability_021516.htm http://www.greencardapply.com/i485.htm

Can I Apply for O-1 Visa? What Are the O-1 Visa Qualification Requirements?

Can I Apply for O-1 Visa? What Are the O-1 Visa Qualification Requirements? Question: As a research associate with Master degree in a private company, I could not get H-1B visa due to the visa quota. Can I apply for O-1 visa? and what are the qualification requirements? Answer, The O-1 visa is available to an alien applicant who has a job offer in the United States, with proven extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. The O-1 visa applicant should have received national or international acclaim in a particular field, or if working in motion pictures or television productions, have a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement. O-1 visas can be given only on the basis of an alien applicant's individual qualifications. Being a members of a group or team will not, by itself, qualify the alien applicant for an O-1 visa. Also, the alien applicant should come to the United States working or performing at an event or a series of events in the area of extraordinary ability. The term "event" is interpreted liberally outside the fields of athletics and arts, and it can include an ongoing research project for a private company or university. A job offer from a U.S. employer is a basic requirement for the O-1 visa applicant. There is no annual visa limit on the number of alien applicants who can receive the O-1 visas. Some of the advantages and disadvantages of the O-1 visa include: 1) The O-1 visas can be issued quickly by USCIS. The O-1 visa holder can work legally in the United States for the O-1 visa employer. If the O-1 worker wants to change jobs, a new visa application is required. 2) The O-1 visas will be issued for the length of time necessary for a particular event in the United States, up to a maximum of 3 years, with unlimited extensions in 1-year increments. 3) The O-1 visa holder and the family members can travel in and out of the United States, or stay continuously in the United States for as long as the O-1 status are valid. 4) The O-1 visa holder's spouse and unmarried children under age 21 can accompany the O-1 visa holder, but they could not accept employment with the O-2 visa in the United States. http://www.greencardapply.com/question/question16/O1_Visa_Requirements_021616.htm http://www.greencardapply.com/o1visa.htm

The Background Check for Form I-485 Adjustment of Status

The Background Check for Form I-485 Adjustment of Status Question: My Form I-485 application is pending. I called the USCIS Customer Service Help Line for my case progress, and was told that it is in the process of "background security check". What kind of checks will be included in this background security check? Answer: To ensure that immigration benefits are given only to eligible applicants, USCIS adopted background security check procedures that address a wide range of possible risk factors. Different kinds of applications undergo different levels of scrutiny. USCIS normally uses the following three background check mechanisms but maintains the authority to conduct other background investigations as necessary: 1) The Interagency Border Inspection System (IBIS) Name Check— IBIS is a multi-agency effort with a central system that combines information from multiple agencies, databases and system interfaces to compile data relating to national security risks, public safety issues and other law enforcement concerns. 2) FBI Fingerprint Check—FBI fingerprint checks are conducted for many applications. The FBI fingerprint check provides information relating to criminal background within the United States. Generally, the FBI forwards responses to USCIS within 24-48 hours. If there is a record match, the FBI forwards an electronic copy of the criminal history (RAP sheet) to USCIS. 3) FBI Name Checks—FBI name checks are also required for many applications. The FBI name check is totally different from the FBI fingerprint check. The records maintained in the FBI name check process consist of administrative, applicant, criminal, personnel and other files compiled by law enforcement. Initial responses to this check generally take about two weeks. In about 80 percent of the cases, no match is found. http://www.greencardfamily.com/question/question2016/I485_Background_Check_021516.htm http://www.greencardfamily.com/i485.htm

Documentation for Marriage-Based Green Card Application Interview

Question: I have married with my U.S. citizen husband for more than 2 years inside the U.S. Now USCIS local office will interview us for my permanent Green Card application for the "real marriage". What find of documents I should prepare for the interview. Answer: An alien spouse must prove that your marriage is real, not a sham just to get a Green Card. Collect and photocopy as many of the following items as possible. Do not send originals to USCIS. You should prepare the wedding invitations, church certificates, or other reliable documents that show the required relationship including: •Joint bank accounts; •Joint credit card statements; •Joint club memberships; •Joint federal and state tax returns; •Copies of actual credit cards, health insurance cards, or other "joint" cards that you have together, showing same account number; •Photographs of you and your spouse taken before and during your marriage, wedding photographs preferably those that include parents and other relatives from both families. http://www.greencardfamily.com/question/question2016/Green_Card_Interview_Document_021616.htm http://www.greencardfamily.com/citizenspouse.htm