IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: VISA BULLETIN FOR MARCH 2015

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: VISA BULLETIN FOR MARCH 2015: LAW OFFICES OF NORKA M. SCHELL, LLC 11 Broadway, Suite 615 New York, NY 10004 Tel. (212)564-1589 / (973)621-9300 Website: www.l...

VISA BULLETIN FOR MARCH 2015

LAW OFFICES OF NORKA M. SCHELL, LLC

11 Broadway, Suite 615

New York, NY 10004

Tel. (212)564-1589 / (973)621-9300

Website: www.lawschell.com 

Here is the updated summary of Bulletin Visa for March 2015. 

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

Family-Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01AUG07	01AUG07	01AUG07	22OCT94	01FEB05
F2A	22JUN13	22JUN13	22JUN13	22MAY13	22JUN13
F2B	08JUL08	08JUL08	08JUL08	01JAN95	22MAR04
F3	22JAN04	22JAN04	22JAN04	22FEB94	01AUG93
F4	15MAY02	15MAY02	15MAY02	01JUN97	08SEP91

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES

Employment- Based	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA - mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	01SEP10	01JAN07	C	C
3rd	01JUN14	22OCT11	01JAN04	01JUN14	01JUN14
Other Workers	01JUN14	15AUG05	01JAN04	01JUN14	01JUN14
4th	C	C	C	C	C
Certain Religious Workers	C	C	C	C	C
5th Targeted EmploymentAreas/ Regional Centers and Pilot Programs	C	C	C	C	C

NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER #VISA BULLETIN FOR FEBRUARY 2015

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: VISA BULLETIN FOR FEBRUARY 2015:                                                   LAW OFFICES OF NORKA M. SCHELL, LLC 11 Broadway, Suite 615 New York, NY 10004 ...

VISA BULLETIN FOR FEBRUARY 2015

                                                 

LAW OFFICES OF NORKA M. SCHELL, LLC

11 Broadway, Suite 615

New York, NY 10004

Tel. (212)564-1589/ (973)621-9300

Website www.lawschell.com 

The following summary is the visa numbers availability for February 2015 by the Department of State. 


FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

Family-Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	22JUL07	22JUL07	22JUL07	01OCT94	08JAN05
F2A	08MAY13	08MAY13	08MAY13	22APR13	08MAY13
F2B	22MAY08	22MAY08	22MAY08	15DEC94	22FEB04
F3	01JAN04	01JAN04	01JAN04	15JAN94	15JUL93
F4	15APR02	15APR02	15APR02	22APR97	08AUG91

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFEENCES

Employment- Based	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA - mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	15MAR10	01SEP05	C	C
3rd	01JAN14	01SEP11	22DEC03	01JAN14	01JAN14
Other Workers	01JAN14	15AUG05	22DEC03	01JAN14	01JAN14
4th	C	C	C	C	C
Certain Religious Workers	C	C	C	C	C
5th Targeted EmploymentAreas/ Regional Centers and Pilot Programs	C	C	C	C	C

For more information on the availability of visa numbers and priority dates,please contact the Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC at (212)564-1589.  Thank you. 

VISA BULLETIN FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES FOR

LAW OFFICES OF NORKA M. SCHELL, LLC

11 Broadway, Suite 615

New York, NY 10004

Tel. (212)564-1589

Website: www.lawschell.com

Summary from the Department of State of the availability of immigrant numbers for Employment-Based Preferences during January 2015.

Employment- Based	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA - mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	01FEB10	15FEB05	C	C
3rd	01JUN13	01MAR11	15DEC03	01JUN13	01JUN13
Other Workers	01JUN13	22JUL05	15DEC03	01JUN13	01JUN13
4th	C	C	C	C	C
Certain Religious Workers	C	C	C	C	C
5th Targeted Employment Areas/ Regional Centers and Pilot Programs	C	C	C	C	C

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES VISA BULLETIN FOR JANUARY 2015

LAW OFFICES OF NORKA M. SCHELL, LLC

11 Broadway, Suite 615

New York, NY 1004

Tel. (212)564-1589

Website: www.lawschell.com

The following is a summary from the U.S. Department of State of the availability of the immigrant visa numbers for Family-Sponsored Preferences during the month of January 2015.


 FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

Family-Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	08JUL07	08JUL07	08JUL07	15SEP94	22DEC04
F2A	15APR13	15APR13	15APR13	22FEB13	15APR13
F2B	01APR08	01APR08	01APR08	01NOV94	01FEB04
F3	22DEC03	22DEC03	22DEC03	15DEC93	08JUL93
F4	22MAR02	22MAR02	22MAR02	22MAR97	15JUL91

Minimum Standards for Driver’s Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary

6 CFR Part 37

RIN 1601–AA74

[Docket No. DHS–2006–0030]

Minimum Standards for Driver’s Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, DHS.

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to REAL ID regulations, beginning December 1, 2014, federal agencies may not accept State-issued driver’s licenses or identification cards for official purposes from individuals born after December 1, 1964, unless the license or card is REAL ID-compliant and was issued by a compliant State as determined by DHS.

Also, beginning December 1, 2017, federal agencies may not accept driver’s licenses or identification cards for official purposes from any individual unless the card is REAL ID-compliant and was issued by a compliant State as determined by DHS. This final rule changes both document enrollment dates to October 1, 2020.

Nothing in this rule affects the prohibition against federal agencies accepting for official purposes licenses and identification cards issued by noncompliant States, pursuant to the REAL ID Act and in accordance to the phased enforcement schedule.

DATES: Effective on December 29, 2014.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ted Sobel, Director, Office of State-Issued Identification Support, Screening Coordination Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528, (202) 282–9570.

NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON RECOMMENDATIONS TO STREAMLINE AND IMPROVE THE NATION'S LEGAL IMMIGRATION SYSTEM

Department of State, Department of Homeland Security
[DHS Docket No. USCIS-2014-0014]

Immigration Policy, Department of State; Department of Homeland Security
ACTION: NOTICE OF REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

SUMMARY: On November 21, 2014, the President issued a memorandum of the heads of executive departments and agencies on the subject of modernizing and streamlining the U.S. immigrant and nonimmigrant visa system of the 21st century. The Memorandum directs the Secretaries of State and Homeland Security, in consultation with various other Cabinet secretaries and the While House, to make recommendations to streamline and improve the Nation's legal immigration system. Such effort should focus on reducing Government costs, improving services for applicants, reducing burdens on employers, and combating waste, fraud, and abuse in the system, while safeguarding the interests of American workers. This notice solicits public input to inform the development of those recommendation.

DATES: Responses must be received by January 29, 2015 to be considered.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

• Email:USCISFRComment@uscis.dhs.gov. Indude Visa Modernization in the subject line of the message. 
• Online: You may access the Federal Register Notice and submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal Website by visiting www.regulations.gov. In the search box either copy and paste, or type in, the e-Docket ID number USCIS-2014-0014. 
• Mail: Attn: Laura Dawkins, Chief of the Regulatory Coordination Division, Massachusetts Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20529-2140. 

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: Haitian and Cuban Family Reunification Parole Prog...

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: Haitian and Cuban Family Reunification Parole Prog...: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE On December 18, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published  two  Federal Register notices. Th...

Haitian and Cuban Family Reunification Parole Programs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On December 18, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published two Federal Register notices. These notices relate to the Haitian Family Reunification Parole (HFRP) Program and the Cuban Family Reunification Parole (CFRP) Program. Please see specifics regarding both programs identified below.

HFRP Program:  On October 17, 2014, USCIS announced that it would begin preparatory work to implement a HFRP Program in early 2015. The purpose of the HFRP Program is to expedite family reunification for certain Haitian family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs). By expanding existing legal means for Haitians to immigrate, the HFRP Program serves a significant public benefit by promoting safe, legal and orderly migration from Haiti to the United States.  In addition, it supports U.S. goals for Haiti’s long-term reconstruction and development.

On December 18, USCIS published a Federal Register notice establishing the HFRP Program. This program will allow certain eligible Haitian beneficiaries of family-based immigrant visa petitions approved on or before December 18, 2014, who are currently in Haiti, to be paroled into the United States up to approximately two years before their immigrant visa priority dates become current. Once paroled into the U.S., these beneficiaries will be able to apply for work permits while waiting for their immigrant visas to become available. Once their visa is available, they can apply for LPR status. 

On or after February 2, 2015, the U.S. Department of State National Visa Center will begin sending invitations to eligible petitioners to apply for the HFRP Program on behalf of their family members. The invitation that is sent to eligible U.S. petitioners will provide instructions on how to file the Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, and submit the required fee or fee waiver request to apply. 

CFRP Program: In 2007, USCIS announced the CFRP Program in support of the U.S. Government’s commitment under the U.S.-Cuba Migration Accords to ensure the legal migration to the United States of a minimum of 20,000 Cubans annually. Under the CFRP Program, USCIS offers certain beneficiaries of approved family-based immigrant visa petitions the opportunity to be paroled into the United States to apply for lawful permanent resident status, rather than remain in Cuba waiting for their immigrant visas to become available. The purpose of the program is to expedite family reunification through safe, legal, and orderly channels of migration to the United States and to discourage irregular and inherently dangerous maritime migration.

On December 18, USCIS published a Federal Register Notice announcing changes to this program that will require invited petitioners to file a Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, and submit the required fee or fee waiver request to have their beneficiary considered for parole under the CFRP Program in the future. These changes bring parole requests under the CFRP Program in line with most other parole requests filed on behalf of individuals outside the United States, including parole requests under the HFRP Program.

USCIS will “grandfather” cases that were already in process prior to December 18, 2014. In addition, USCIS will “grandfather” cases filed by petitioners who received a program eligibility notice from the NVC at any time prior to December 18, 2014, and who submitted to the NVC before February 17, 2015, complete documentation necessary to apply for the CFRP Program. These “grandfathered” cases will not be subject to the new filing requirements, i.e., the submission of Form I-131 with the required fee or a fee waiver request. A complete application package will be grandfathered only if the required documentation is postmarked before February 17, 2015.

Types of Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices Discrimination

The following are types of discriminatory conduct under the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. § 1324b.

1) Citizenship or immigration status discrimination with respect to hiring, firing, and recruitment or referral for a fee by employers with four or more employees.

Employers may not treat individuals differently because they are, or are not, U.S. citizens or work authorized individuals. U.S. citizens, recent permanent residents, temporary residents, asylees and refugees are protected from citizenship status discrimination. Exceptions: permanent residents who do not apply for naturalization within six months of eligibility are not protected from citizenship status discrimination. Citizenship status discrimination which is otherwise required to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or government contract is permissible by law.

2) National origin discrimination with respect to hiring, firing, and recruitment or referral for a fee, by employers with more than three and fewer than 15 employees.

Employers may not treat individuals differently because of their place of birth, country of origin, ancestry, native language, accent, or because they are perceived as looking or sounding "foreign." All U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and work authorized individuals are protected from national origin discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has jurisdiction over employers with 15 or more employees.

3) Unfair documentary practices related to verifying the employment eligibility of employees.

Employers may not request more or different documents than are required to verify employment eligibility, reject reasonably genuine-looking documents, or specify certain documents over others with the purpose or intent of discriminating on the basis of citizenship status or national origin. U.S. citizens and all work authorized individuals are protected from document abuse.

4) Retaliation/Intimidation.

Individuals who file charges with the Office of Special Counsel for Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices ("OSC"), who cooperate with an OSC investigation, who contest action that may constitute unfair documentary practices or discrimination based upon citizenship or immigration status, or national origin, or who assert their rights under the INA's anti-discrimination provision are protected from intimidation, threats, coercion, and retaliation. http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/osc/htm/Webtypes2005.php