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February 19, 2014

DACA RENEWAL

Posted by Norka M. Schell, NYC Business Immigration Lawyer
Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC
Tel. (212)564-1589


If you were granted deferred action for childhood arrival (DACA) prior to August 15, 2012, or  if you were granted DACA by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement prior to August 15, 2012 or are a DACA recipient with an employment authorization document (EAD) that will expire in the next 120 days, you must apply for DACA renewal to avoid any lapse in your employment authorization or accrual of unlawful presence in the United States.  

For more information, please contact the Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC at (212)564-1589 or visit the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov. 

February 10, 2014

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: MARCH 2014 VISA BULLETIN UPDATED

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: MARCH 2014 VISA BULLETIN UPDATED: Posted by Norka M. Schell, NYC Immigration Lawyer Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC Tel. (212) 564-1589 www.lawschell.com FAMILY-SPO...

MARCH 2014 VISA BULLETIN UPDATED

Posted by Norka M. Schell, NYC Immigration Lawyer
Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC
Tel. (212) 564-1589
www.lawschell.com


FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
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F2B01SEP0601SEP0601SEP0601MAY93 08JUN03
F315JUN0315JUN0315JUN0308JUN9315FEB93
F408NOV0108NOV0108NOV0115NOV9601SEP90


EMPLOYMENT- BASED PREFERENCES
Employment- Based
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed
China - mainland bornINDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
1stCCCCC
2ndC15FEB0915NOV04CC
3rd01SEP1201SEP1215SEP0301SEP1201MAY07
Other Workers01SEP1201SEP1215SEP0301SEP1201MAY07
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Certain Religious WorkersCCCCC
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January 25, 2014

FEBRUARY 2014 VISA BULLETIN

Posted by NYC Attorney Norka M. Schell
Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC - 11 Broadway, Ste. 615 - New York, NY 10004
Tel. (212)564-1589 - Website www.lawschell.com


FAMILY-BASED CATEGORY
Family-SponsoredAll Chargeability Areas Except Those ListedCHINA-mainland bornINDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
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F422OCT0122OCT0122OCT0108NOV9608AUG90


EMPLOYMENT-BASED CATEGORY

Employment- Based
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed
China - mainland bornINDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
1stCCCCC
2ndC08JAN0915NOV04CC
3rd01JUN1201JUN1201SEP0301JUN1215APR07
Other Workers01JUN1201JUN1201SEP0301JUN1215APR07
4thCCCCC
Certain Religious WorkersCCCCC
5th
Targeted
Employment
Areas/
Regional Centers
and Pilot Programs
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IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: BULLETIN VISA 2013

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: BULLETIN VISA 2013: Posted by NYC Attorney Norka M. Schell Law Office of Norka M. Schell, LLC-11 Broadway, Suite 615, New York, NY 10004- Tel. (212)564-1589 We...

BULLETIN VISA DECEMBER 2013

Posted by NYC Attorney Norka M. Schell
Law Office of Norka M. Schell, LLC-11 Broadway, Suite 615, New York, NY 10004- Tel. (212)564-1589 Website www.lawschell.com


FAMILY-BASED CATEGORY
Family-SponsoredAll Chargeability Areas Except Those ListedCHINA-mainland bornINDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
F115NOV0615NOV06 15NOV0622SEP9301JUL01
F2A08SEP1308SEP1308SEP1301SEP1308SEP13
F2B01MAY0601MAY0601MAY0601APR94 22MAR03
F308MAR0308MAR0308MAR0301JUN9322JAN93
F408SEP0108SEP0108SEP0122OCT9601JUN90


EMPLOYMENT-BASED CATEGORY
Employment- Based
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed
China - mainland bornINDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
1stCCCCC
2ndC08NOV0815NOV04CC
3rd01OCT1101OCT1101SEP0301OCT1108JAN07
Other Workers01OCT1101OCT1101SEP0301OCT1108JAN07
4thCCCCC
Certain Religious WorkersCCCCC
5th
Targeted
Employment
Areas/
Regional Centers
and Pilot Programs
CCCCC

January 23, 2014

Trusted Traveler Program Denials

Posted by Norka M. Schell, NYC Business Immigration Lawyer
Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC
www.lawschell.com

To qualify for one of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Trusted Traveler Programs, all applicants must voluntarily undergo a thorough background check against criminal, law enforcement, customs, immigration, agriculture, and terrorist indices to include biometric fingerprint checks, and a personal interview with a CBP Officer.
 
In the event you are denied or revoked from the SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST or Global Entry programs, you will be provided information in writing detailing the reason for this action.

Individuals who feel that their trusted traveler application was denied due to inaccurate or incomplete information may provide additional documentation to the CBP Trusted Traveler Ombudsman and request reconsideration. Additional information should be sent to the CBP Trusted Traveler Ombudsman at:
 
    U.S. Customs and Border Protection
    P.O. Box 946
    Williston, VT 05495
    Attention: CBP Ombudsman


Calls to the Enrollment Centers or correspondence to the Trusted Traveler Ombudsman should contain supporting information that can demonstrate the denial or revocation was based on inaccurate information. 

Having a criminal record or past violation of CBP laws/regulations/policies may render you ineligible for participation in the NEXUS, SENTRI, and Global Entry programs. 

For more information about the Trusted Traveler Program Denials, visit www.cbp.gov.
 

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: USCIS REPORTS THAT A HALF MILLION COMPANIES PARTIC...

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: USCIS REPORTS THAT A HALF MILLION COMPANIES PARTIC...: Posted by Norka M. Schell, NYC Business Immigration Attorney Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC Tel. (212)564-1589 www.lawschell.com R...

USCIS REPORTS THAT A HALF MILLION COMPANIES PARTICIPATE IN E-VERIFY

Posted by Norka M. Schell, NYC Business Immigration Attorney
Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC
Tel. (212)564-1589
www.lawschell.com

Release Date: January 23, 2014

WASHINGTON - More than 500,000 companies now use E-Verify, the free online service that allows United States employers to confirm their new employees’ eligibility to work. "Since it was established, E-Verify has experienced exponential growth, increased accuracy and high customer-satisfaction ratings," said Lori Scialabba, Acting Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). "Participation in E-Verify is largely voluntary, so the fact that half a million companies have signed up demonstrates significant confidence in the program.

Employers using E-Verify find it helps them maintain a legal workforce in a quick, secure and accurate way." Employers who use E-Verify receive a response on an employee’s work authorization status within seconds. 98.8 percent of work-authorized employees are automatically confirmed instantly or within 24 hours, requiring no further employee or employer action. Users gave E-Verify a score of 86 out of 100 on the 2012 American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey. The average score for all government agencies was 67. USCIS has worked over the years to strengthen the system’s integrity. These efforts have led to E-Verify agreements with select states' departments of motor vehicles to ensure the authenticity of driver's licenses that employees use as identity documents; the introduction of Self Check, which allows workers to look up their own employment eligibility status and correct their records before they seek employment; and a program that combats identity fraud by locking Social Security numbers suspected of being misused for employment eligibility verification.
E-Verify has experienced significant growth since its establishment in 1996. Annual enrollments increased tenfold during the program’s first 16 years, from 11,474 in fiscal year (FY) 1996 to 111,671 in FY 2012. During FY 2013, employers used E-Verify more than 25 million times.

To commemorate the half-million-participant milestone, USCIS has released "E-Verify for Business Leaders ," a new video that introduces the program’s benefits to prospective users. USCIS has also launched an updated E-Verify website that has more plain-language content and easy-to-follow graphics. The site's new E-Verify History and Milestones page shows the program’s advances through the years.

Contact us at (212)564-1589 for information on the E-Verify Program or visit www.uscis.gov/E-Verify.

December 31, 2013

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: Making the Case for Comprehensive Immigration Refo...

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: Making the Case for Comprehensive Immigration Refo...: Posted By Attorney Norka M. Schell Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC Tel. (212)564-1589 www.lawschell.com Reform of the permanent...

Making the Case for Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2014

Posted By Attorney Norka M. Schell
Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC
Tel. (212)564-1589

Reform of the permanent employment-based visa program in 2014 is urgently needed in order for U.S. employers to hire the foreign talent necessary for the American economy to strive and compete in the global economy.There simply are not enough American workers available to meet U.S. employer demands for high-skilled labor in this country. Over half of all science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates of American universities are foreign born. Our current system, however, forces most of these graduates to leave the U.S. and apply their valuable skills in other countries, a scenario that is beneficial to all but the United States. Needless to say,foreign countries are not complaining, but are instead poised to take advantage in their increasingly successful attempts to surpass us. Simply put, Congress must pass immigration reform in 2014, so the United States does not lose the competitive economy edge that generations of Americans have worked so hard to achieve. 

 

December 30, 2013

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: VISA BULLETIN FOR JANUARY 2014

IMMIGRATION AND POLICY BY NYC BUSINESS IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 564-1589: VISA BULLETIN FOR JANUARY 2014: Posted by Norka M. Schell, Esquire Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC Phone: (212)564-1589 Website: www.lawschell.com HAPPY 2014! ...

VISA BULLETIN FOR JANUARY 2014


Posted by Norka M. Schell, Esquire
Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC
Phone: (212)564-1589
Website: www.lawschell.com

HAPPY 2014!

FAMILY-SPONSORED UPDATE

Family-SponsoredAll Charge -ability Areas Except Those ListedCHINA- mainland bornINDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
F108DEC0608DEC0608DEC0622SEP9301JUL01
F2A
08SEP13
08SEP13
08SEP13
01SEP13
08SEP13
F2B01JUN0601JUN0601JUN0601APR9401MAY03
F315APR0315APR0315APR0301JUN9301FEB93
F401OCT0101OCT0101OCT0101NOV9601JUL90


EMPLOYMENT-BASED UPDATE

Employment- BasedAll Chargeability Areas Except Those ListedCHINA- mainland bornINDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES
1st
C
C
C
C
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2nd
C
08DEC0815NOV04
C
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3rd
01APR12
01APR12
01SEP03
01APR12
15FEB07
Other Workers
01APR12
01APR12
01SEP03
01APR12
15FEB07
4th
C
C
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C
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Certain Religious Workers
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C
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Targeted
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Regional Centers and Pilot Programs
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C

December 13, 2013

DUTY-FREE EXEMPTIONS

Posted by Attorney Norka Schell
Law Offices of Norka M. Schell, LLC
Tel. (212)564-1589
Website: www.lawschell.com

While you are planning your holidays trip to another, here is some information on Duty-Free Exemption which you should remember.
 
Duty-Free Exemption also called the personal exemption, is the total value of merchandise you may bring back to the United States without having to pay duty. You may bring back more than your exemption, but you will have to pay duty on it. In most cases, the personal exemption is $800.00, but there are some exemptions to this rule.
 
Depending on the countries you visited, your personal exemption will be $200.00; $800.00; or $1,600.00.  There are limits on the amount of alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, cigars, and other tobacco products you may include in your duty-free personal exemption.  
 
Duty-Free Exemptions ($200.00; $800.00; $1,600.00) apply if (a) the items are for personal or household use or intend to be given as gifts; (b) they are in your possession, that is, they accompany you when you return to the United States. Items to be sent later may not be included in your $800.00 duty-free exemption; (c) they are declare to Customs Border Protection (CBP). If you do not declare something that should have been declared, you risk forfeiting it. In in doubt, declare it. (d) you have not used all of your exemption allowance, or used any part of it, in the past 30 days; (e) the items are not prohibited or restricted. Note the embargo prohibition on products from Cuba.
 
Final note. Family members who live in the same home and return together to the United States may combine their personal exemptions. Children and infants are allowed  the same exemption as adults, except for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.  
 



BIRTH ABROAD OF A U.S. CITIZEN

Posted by Attorney Norka Scheell
Law Offices of Norka M Schell, LLC
Phone: (212)564-1589
 
Birth Abroad of a U.S. Citizen

Most children born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents acquire U.S. citizenship at birth.  As soon as possible after the birth, the U.S. citizen parent should contact the nearest U.S.  Embassy or Consulate.  If the consul determines that the child has acquired U.S. citizenship, a consular officer prepares a Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America (Form FS-240).  This document is recognized in the United States as proof of acquisition of U.S. citizenship, and it is acceptable evidence of citizenship for obtaining a passport, entering school, and most other purposes.  Failure to document a child promptly as a U.S. citizen may cause hardship for the parents or child later on when attempting to obtain a passport or register for school.