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Updates from MURTHY.COM - the web's largest source for U.S. immigration information!
- DHS on the State of Immigration and No-Match Letters
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff gave a State of Immigration address, on October 23, 2008, primarily focused on issues of border protection and enforcement. He discussed what he deemed to be positive results from the strategies that have been utilized to deal with illegal migration. He discussed the release of a Final Rule pertaining to Social Security "no-match" letters. This controversial practice involves employer obligations and liability regarding letters sent from the Social Security Administration (SSA) indicating that the data from the employer does not match SSA records on a particular employee. - USCIS Conducts National Stakeholder Meeting - Sep 2008
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) held a September 30, 2008 stakeholder meeting on important adjudication and procedural matters. Topics of interest to MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers included an update on the restructuring of USCIS business processes, procedures for adjudication of I-485 applications with name checks pending beyond 180 days, delays of adjudication of concurrently-filed I-140 petitions, premium processing of I-140 petitions, and other important items - H1B Workers and Layoffs
In response to news of stock market fluctuations, employee layoffs, government bailouts, and other indicators of economic problems, we at the Murthy Law Firm are providing articles and information on the immigration issues that arise in this context. MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers will find our NEW page that serves as an information hub for immigration concerns in the current economy, with suggestions for workers and their employers during Layoffs, Acquisitions & Mergers. The following is an update of our December 28, 2001 article, Terminated H1B Workers: FAQs, specifically for H1B workers facing potential layoffs. Readers in H1B status, who are facing difficulties due to the economic downturn, may benefit from this current information. These FAQs provide general information, only. Readers are urged to obtain advice on specific situations, as there are complexities that depend upon the facts and details of each case. - DHS on the State of Immigration and No-Match Letters
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff gave a State of Immigration address, on October 23, 2008, primarily focused on issues of border protection and enforcement. He discussed what he deemed to be positive results from the strategies that have been utilized to deal with illegal migration. He discussed the release of a Final Rule pertaining to Social Security "no-match" letters. This controversial practice involves employer obligations and liability regarding letters sent from the Social Security Administration (SSA) indicating that the data from the employer does not match SSA records on a particular employee. - USCIS Conducts National Stakeholder Meeting - Sep 2008
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) held a September 30, 2008 stakeholder meeting on important adjudication and procedural matters. Topics of interest to MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers included an update on the restructuring of USCIS business processes, procedures for adjudication of I-485 applications with name checks pending beyond 180 days, delays of adjudication of concurrently-filed I-140 petitions, premium processing of I-140 petitions, and other important items - H1B Workers and Layoffs
In response to news of stock market fluctuations, employee layoffs, government bailouts, and other indicators of economic problems, we at the Murthy Law Firm are providing articles and information on the immigration issues that arise in this context. MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers will find our NEW page that serves as an information hub for immigration concerns in the current economy, with suggestions for workers and their employers during Layoffs, Acquisitions & Mergers. The following is an update of our December 28, 2001 article, Terminated H1B Workers: FAQs, specifically for H1B workers facing potential layoffs. Readers in H1B status, who are facing difficulties due to the economic downturn, may benefit from this current information. These FAQs provide general information, only. Readers are urged to obtain advice on specific situations, as there are complexities that depend upon the facts and details of each case. - Visa Waiver Program to Include an Additional Seven Countries
President George W. Bush announced on October 17, 2008 that an additional seven countries have qualified for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). These countries will be made part of the VWP in approximately one month, according to a White House press release. The newly eligible countries are: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and South Korea. A White House fact sheet regarding this announcement is available online. As explained in the White House releases, there are six other countries on track to qualify for the VWP. These countries are: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Poland, and Romania. - USCIS Responds to the CIS Ombudsman's 2008 Report
On September 30, 2008, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a 2008 Comprehensive Response to the DHS CIS Ombudsman Report (PDF 167KB), in which the USCIS addressed recommendations and problem areas identified in the CIS Ombudsman's Annual Report. The USCIS response provided information on the current state of FBI name checks, visa usage, multi-year Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), information technology enhancements, customer service updates, and other matters, such as E-Verify and more effective scheduling of naturalization ceremonies. - H1B Benefit Fraud & Compliance Assessment Signals Changes
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently released a report entitled H1B Benefit Fraud & Compliance Assessment (PDF 175KB). This report was prepared by the USCIS's National Security and Records Verification Directorate (NSRV) and its subcomponent, the Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS). The report offers insights into rates and types of fraud and technical violations in the H1B program. Its purpose is to identify areas of potential change needed to address vulnerabilities in the H1B program. - Visitor Visas for HIV-Positive Individuals under Recent Law
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently issued a press release announcing the publication of a final rule intended to streamline issuance of short-term nonimmigrant visas to individuals infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This new regulation, for the first time, will make it possible for U.S. consular officers to grant the short-term nonimmigrant visas to HIV-positive applicants without a waiver - Conrad Waiver Program Extension and Flexibility Waivers
As anticipated, the President signed a temporary extension of the Conrad State Waiver program on October 8, 2008. The Conrad program is important for many International Medical Graduates (IMGs) who obtain training in the U.S. in J-1 status. The Conrad Waiver program provides an option for some of these physicians to waive or eliminate the requirement that they return to their home countries for two years after program completion. We provided a detailed information about the Conrad program in our March 16, 2007 article, Congress Extends the Conrad State Program until June 1, 2008. - Reminder : Voter Registration for U.S. Citizens Only
One of the important benefits of U.S. citizenship is the right to vote in federal, state, and municipal elections. With the presidential election less than a month away, naturalized U.S. citizens are reminded of the need to register in order to vote on November 4, 2008. Each state has different requirements and deadlines. These details, and the links to the particular state websites for more information, can be found in a chart (PDF 78KB) compiled by the United States Election Assistance Commission (EAC). - TN Eligible for Three-Year Admission
The USCIS has announced an increase in the allowable period of admission for foreign nationals using the Trade-NAFTA (TN) status. This status is available only to Canadian and Mexican citizens. The TN status was previously issued in one-year increments, with no limit on the number of extensions or readmissions possible. This has been changed to maximum possible three-year periods of admission, still with no limit on the number of extensions or readmissions possible. - November 2008 Visa Bulletin : EB Categories Inch Forward