Employers must verify that an individual whom they plan to employ or continue to employ in the United States is authorized to accept employment in the United States. For more information about the employment authorization verification process, see the “About Form I-9 and E-Verify” link to the right. As an employer, you may require the [...] Read more »
Working in the United States – Permanent Workers
Approximately 140,000 immigrant visas are available each fiscal year for aliens (and their spouses and children) who seek to immigrate based on their job skills. If you have the right combination of skills, education, and/or work experience and are otherwise eligible, you may be able to live permanently in the United States. The five employment-based [...] Read more »
O and P Visa Requirements
USCIS Clarifies Requirements for Agents Filing as Petitioners for the O and P Visa Classification Introduction U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is clarifying for performing arts associations and their members the regulatory requirements for agents who file as petitioners for the O and P visa classification. Background USCIS has received inquiries from the public [...] Read more »
USCIS Reminds Applicants for Adjustment of Status, Asylum, Legalization, and TPS Beneficiaries to Obtain Advance Parole Before Traveling Abroad
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds individuals that they must obtain Advance Parole from USCIS before traveling abroad if they have: been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS); a pending application for adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident; a pending application for relief under section 203 of the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief [...] Read more »
Questions and Answers Revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification Effective
Introduction U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a reminder that effective April 3, 2009, all U.S. employers are required to use the revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, (Rev. 02/02/09). The revision date can be found in the lower right-hand corner of the form. The interim final rule, published Dec.17, 2008 in the Federal [...] Read more »
Intercountry Adoption — Adoption Alert, Kyrgyzstan
The U.S. Department of State does not recommend that U.S. citizens consider adoption from Kyrgyzstan at this time. Currently, no adoption cases are being processed, including at least sixty-five adoption cases by U.S. citizens already in progress. In addition, the Kyrgyz government is considering significant changes to its adoption regulations. The Kyrgyz Government has formed [...] Read more »
Sunset Date to Affect Regional Center Proposals Under the Immigrant Investor Pilot Program
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminds customers that the applicable provisions of immigration law concerning the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Pilot Program (Pilot Program) will “sunset” or expire at midnight on March 6, 2009. The sunset date affects all Regional Center Proposals and certain Forms I-526, Immigrant Petition for Alien Entrepreneurs and Forms I-485, Applications [...] Read more »
11 Arrested, Indicted in Multi-State Operation Targeting Visa and Mail Fraud
Federal agents arrested 11 individuals in 6 states Wednesday as part of an investigation into suspected visa and mail fraud. Matthew G. Whitaker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, announced the operation, which was carried out by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Iowa, California, Massachusetts, Texas, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and [...] Read more »
Fact Sheet: Iraqi Refugee Processing
U.S. Refugee Admissions Program The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is an inter-agency effort involving a number of governmental and non-governmental partners, both overseas and domestically, whose mission is to resettle refugees in the United States. The U.S. Department of State’s (DOS) Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) has overall management responsibility for the [...] Read more »