Posts Tagged ‘Department of State’
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE SENDING WAVES OF STAFF TO CHINA AND BRAZIL
The U.S. DOS is sending waves of temporary staff to China and Brazil to address growing visa demands and shorten visa wait times. The employees are helping process the high number of visa applications until permanent staff arrive.
The 2011 mission to Brazil resulted in processing 820,000 visa applications, which is a 42% increase from the previous year. The DOS plans to double the consular staffing in Brazil over 2012 by adding 50 new officer positions. Current visa wait times in Brazil are down to under 50 days.
China has seen even more growth than Brazil, specifically in 2011, during which DOS employees processed more than 1 million visa applications. This is a 34% increase over the previous year. Current visa wait times in China are down to under 10 days.
Tags: Brazil, China, Department of State, U.S. consulate, U.S. visas, visa wait times
Posted in H-1B, Immigrant Visas, Nonimmigrant Visas | Read More »
DIVERSITY LOTTERY SOFTWARE GLITCH FORCES RE-DO!
Today the Department of State (DOS) announced that it will re-run the diversity lottery due to a computer glitch that selected 90% of winners from those who filed within the first two days. The DOS has stated that this is not a fair and random selection of entrants. The DOS has also confirmed that the software glitch, which was a programming error, has now been fixed.
A new lottery will be held and the results will be announced July 15, 2011. Applicants do not need to re-enter to be eligible. The lottery will run from the same database of applicants.
Tags: computer glitch, Department of State, diversity lottery, DV lottery
Posted in Alerts, Immigrant Visas | Read More »
Priority Dates Advance for EB-2 Applicants
Due to a decline in green card filings in the employment-based first preference category (EB-1), 12,000 unused visa numbers will be reallocated to the employment-based second preference category (EB-2).
Each year, the Department of State (DOS) allocates a certain number of immigrant visa (green card) slots for the various employment-based categories. This allocation is based on the type of case and country of nationality of the applicant. Each month, the DOS publishes a visa bulletin showing which type of green card case and country is currently being reviewed by the USCIS. This review is based on the date of the applicant’s green card application filing (known as the “priority date”). If the priority date is current on the bulletin for the category and country, the USCIS may render a decision about the pending green card application.
The EB-2 category will see advancement of priority dates on the visa bulletin in the coming months. India is the country most affected by this news due to the fact that the EB-2 category for India is extremely backlogged. With an additional 12,000 slots available, Indian applicants who are currently waiting to hear about their green card applications may finally receive a decision.
Tags: backlog, Department of State, EB-1, EB-2, priority date, quota, visa bulletin
Posted in Alerts, Immigrant Visas, USCIS | Read More »
Department of State Issues Travel Warning For Egypt
On January 30, 2011, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued a travel warning advising U.S. citizens and others to avoid travel to Egypt. Due to the ongoing political and social unrest, which includes violent demonstrations in Cairo, Alexandria, and other parts of Egypt, the DOS also advises U.S. citizens in Egypt to try to leave immediately.
Cairo airport is open and operating, but flights and travel to the airport may be disrupted due to the protests. Travelers should be aware of the curfew imposed by the government of Egypt, which begins at 4PM and goes until 8AM the next morning. Arrival at the airport well in advance of the curfew is advised.
Updated information on travel and security in Egypt may be obtained from the DOS by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.
Tags: Alexandria, Cairo, Department of State, DOS, Egypt, protests, travel warning
Posted in Alerts | Read More »
Priority Dates Retrogress on January 2011 Visa Bulletin
Family-based visa categories have significantly retrogressed on the January 2011 visa bulletin. From early 2009 to September 2010, the level of demand for family-based immigration was very low, thus, the Department of State (the agency in charge of the visa bulletin), accelerated the numbers to utilize as many visa numbers as possible while there was time to do so. This generated demand, which led the DOS to retrogress the numbers (i.e. slow the demand). This is the ebb and flow of the visa bulletin method that frustrates many.
The DOS anticipates that the family-based categories will remain retrogressed for some time since the demand has not subsided. In contrast, employment-based categories have not retrogressed much, if at all. To view the January 2011 visa bulletin, please see this link: http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5212.html.
Tags: Department of State, employment-based, family-based, January 2011, visa bulletin
Posted in Alerts, Immigrant Visas, USCIS | Read More »
Diversity Lottery Period Opens October 5, 2010
The fiscal year 2012 (FY2012) diversity lottery application period opens October 5, 2010. Applicants can apply online at www.dvlottery.state.gov. Please note that all entries for the lottery must be submitted electronically between noon on October 5, 2010 and noon on November 3, 2010 (EST).
There are 50,000 diversity visas (DV) available in FY2012 to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Please note that the following countries are not eligible to apply for a DV: Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born), Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible.
Each DV applicant must meet certain education or experience requirements. The applicant must have either a high school education or its equivalent, which is defined as successful completion of a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education, OR two years of work experience within the past five years in an occupation requiring at least two years of training or experience.
Please contact our San Francisco immigration law firm if you have any questions about the DV application process.
Tags: Department of State, diversity lottery, diversity visa, FY2012
Posted in Alerts, Immigrant Visas | Read More »
VISA FEES TO INCREASE JULY 13, 2010
This is an update to a previous post on June 3, 2010, regarding passport and visa fee increases. The Department of State (DOS) is in the process of developing a final rule regarding its current passport and visa fee structure. The first proposed rule in March 2010 received over 1700 comments from individuals, businesses, advocates and attorneys. As a result, the DOS has developed an interim rule effective July 13, 2010, that will increase various passport and visa fees while they figure out the final rule’s parameters.
The interim rule changes the fees as follows:
1. The application fee for a U.S. passport book for an adult (age 16 and older) is increased from $55 to $70. The application fee for a passport book for a minor (under age 16) will remain at $40.
2. The passport book security surcharge is increased from $20 to $40
3. There will be an $82 fee for adding extra pages to an existing passport (this used to be a free service)
4. The adult passport card application fee is increased from $20 to $30 and the minor passport card application fee from $10 to $15
5. The fee for verifying U.S. citizenship when no evidence is presented is increased from $60 to $150
6. The fee for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (U.S. citizen birth in foreign country) is increased from $65 to $100
7. The application fee for a family-based visa (processed on the basis of an I-130, I-600 or I-800 petition) will be $330
8. The application fee for an employment-based visa (processed on the basis of an I-140 petition) will be $720
9. Other immigrant visa applications (including for diversity visa applicants, I-360 self- petitioners, special immigrant visa applicants, and all others) will have a processing fee of $305
10. The immigrant visa security surcharge will increase from $45 to $74
Please refer to our June 3, 2010 post for the nonimmigrant fee changes currently in effect. Please also stay-tuned for an update on the final rule to be implemented. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to contact our immigration law firm with any questions.
Tags: consulate, Department of State, embassy, immigrant, nonimmigrant, passport, visa fees
Posted in Alerts, Immigrant Visas, Nonimmigrant Visas | Read More »
Dominican Republic Now a Separate Category on Visa Bulletin
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has added an individual category to the visa bulletin for the Dominican Republic (formerly, in the category titled “all chargeability areas except those listed”). The visa bulletin is published every month to summarize the availability of family-based and employment-based immigrant visas (“green cards”) as allotted by Congress.
When a country is separated out, it means that the country has become “oversubscribed” (i.e. the demand for visas (the number of applications on file) exceeds the number of visas available). By separating it out, the DOS informs viewers that the Dominican Republic is oversubscribed at this time and lets viewers know whether visa applicants from the Dominican Republic are facing delays and backlogs in the processing time of their applications.
With the Dominican Republic as an individual category, the categories now are:
1. All chargeability areas except those listed
2. China – mainland born
3. Dominican Republic
4. India
5. Mexico
6. Philippines
To view the current visa bulletin and previous visa bulletins, please see http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5019.html. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our immigration law firm for assistance.
Tags: country of chargeability, Department of State, Dominican Republic, employment-based, family-based, visa bulletin
Posted in Immigrant Visas | Read More »
ALERT: DEPARTMENT OF STATE REDUCES VISA PERIOD FOR MEXICAN CITIZENS
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has reduced work visa validity periods for Mexican citizens after Mexico increased its visa fees for U.S. citizens. Starting February 22, 2010, any Mexican citizen applying for a U.S. work visa in the categories of H-1B, H-2B, E-1, E-2, TN or L-1 will receive a one-year validity period only. Multi-year work visa approvals are no longer available until further notice. This change applies to Mexicans seeking to come to the U.S. and those already in the U.S. filing extension petitions with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS). If you have any questions about this recent and sudden change, please don’t hesitate to contact our immigration law firm.
Tags: Department of State, H-1B, L-1, Mexican citizens, TN
Posted in Alerts, FAQ - TN, H-1B | Read More »
