Immigration news

Immigration news http://www.indiantoday.com/rss/Immigration.xmlIndia, Bharat, News, Cricket, Politics, Finance, Stock Market, Stock Exchanges, Indian Today, bollywood news, hindi movie, indian movie,indian entertainment, NRI, Immigration, Interview, Travel, Recipe, YogaUSCIS to Issue Regulation on Multiple H1B Filingshttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.visapro.com%2fImmigration-News%2f%3fa%3d807%26z%3d10http://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.visapro.com%2fImmigration-News%2f%3fa%3d807%26z%3d10The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will soon issue an interim final regulation that will prohibit employers from filing more than one <a href="http://usimmigration.visapro.com/H1B-Visa.asp" target="_blank">H-1B</a> petition on behalf of a single foreign national. The regulation is now being reviewed by federal authorities and is expected to be made public in time for the start of the Fiscal Year 2009 filing season on April 1. The exact breadth and scope of the prohibition is not yet known, and it is unclear whether the rule will permit the filing of multiple petitions in the event that more than one distinct bona fide job opportunity exists for an individual foreign national. At a meeting with the American Council for International Personnel (ACIP) last week, USCIS officials indicated that the agency is grappling with whether to permit two filings for foreign professionals who are eligible for the pool of 20,000 H-1B numbers set aside for U.S. advanced degree graduates - one under the standard H-1B cap and a second under the advanced-degree quota.Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:01:24 GMTUSCIS Offers Helpful Hints for Filing a FY 2009 H1B Cap Casehttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.visapro.com%2fImmigration-News%2f%3fa%3d821%26z%3d10http://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.visapro.com%2fImmigration-News%2f%3fa%3d821%26z%3d10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), anticipates that April 1, 2008 will see a repeat of the mass filings from last year. With this expectation USCIS has published this list of measures the petitioner can take to ensure that their petition is correctly filed. For Fiscal Year 2009, the first filing date is Tuesday, April 1, 2008. Cap-subject petitions filed prior to that date will be rejected. Petitions should be filed at Vermont and California Service Centers, depending on petitioner&#8217;s location. To download the forms and the instructions <a href="http://www.visapro.com/US-Immigration-Forms.asp" target="_blank">click here</a>. Here are some general tips on making sure that your petition is completed and filed properly. <ol> <li>Clearly label all H-1B cap cases in red ink on top margin of Form I-129 petition. Use the following codes: <ul> <li> Reg. Cap (65,000 regular cap cases minus the C/S cap cases received) </li> <li>C/S Cap (Chile/Singapore H-1B1s) </li> <li>U.S. Masters (20,000 cap exemption for beneficiaries with U.S. Masters or higher degrees) </li> <li>Exempt (for petitions filed by certain institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations; and nonprofit research organizations or governmental research organizations, as defined in USCIS regulations) </li> </ul> </li> <li>Fill out Form I-129 and supplements correctly, consistently and completely. <ul> <li>Form I-129 petition </li> <li>H classification supplement </li> <li>H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement </li> <li>Original signatures are required. Tip: blue ink makes it easy to confirm an original. </li> </ul> </li> <li>Employer must submit the correct fees as seen on form instructions (Tip: separate checks for each are best).</li> <table width="75%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tr> <td bgcolor="#CCCCCC"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="2"> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td height="25">Base filing fee</td> <td><blockquote> $320 </blockquote></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td height="25">American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (ACWIA fee) </td> <td> <ul> <li> $750 For employers with 1 to 25 full time equivalent employees unless exempt </li> <li>$1,500 For employers with 26 or more full time equivalent employees unless exempt </li> <li>(see H-1B Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement, Part B) </li> </ul></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td height="25">Fraud fee</td> <td><blockquote> $500 To be submitted with the initial H-1B petition filed on behalf of each beneficiary by a petitioner. (Not for Chile/Singapore H-1B1 cases) </blockquote></td> </tr> <tr bgcolor="#FFFFFF"> <td height="25">Premium Processing fee</td> <td><ul> <li>$1,000 For employers seeking Premium Processing Service</li> </ul></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> </table> <li>Please send only one petition per envelope. (These may then be mailed together in one mailing package.) <ul> <li> Regular Cap </li> <li>U.S. Master&#8217;s Cap </li> <li>Regular Cap Premium Processing </li> <li>U.S. Master&#8217;s Cap Premium Processing </li> <li>H-1B1 Chile/Singapore</li> </ul> </li> </ol> Please note that incorrectly completed or filed petitions may result in rejection or denial of the petition. VisaPro highly encourages petitioners to consult an attorney before filing an H-1B case. At a time when the H-1B quota does not allow for re-filing of a petition after its return due to mistakes, ensuring a proper initial filing is crucial.Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:01:24 GMTSenate Approves Strict Rules on Hiring H1-B Workershttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.visapro.com%2fImmigration-News%2f%3fa%3d1151%26z%3d10http://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.visapro.com%2fImmigration-News%2f%3fa%3d1151%26z%3d10The U.S. Senate agreed on Friday to set restrictions on the hiring of H-1B workers by financial services firms that receive federal bailout funds, but it didn't bar the hiring of foreign workers as proponents had sought. U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) had proposed legislation this week to prohibit any firm that received money under the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP) from hiring foreign workers. The amendment, part of the stimulus plan being debated in the Senate, didn't include a blanket restriction on H-1B use and instead set a series of strict standards on H-1B hiring. The Senate's amendment would require companies receiving TARP funds, mostly financial services firms with a lot of bad mortgages, to comply with hiring rules set for "H-1B dependent" firms -- those with more than 15% of their workers on H-1B visas. Any firm receiving TARP funds will be automatically considered H-1B dependent, regardless of the percentage of H-1B workers on the payroll. The H-1B dependent designation subjects employers to a number of provisions, including a good faith effort to hire U.S. workers first. Sen. Grassley said in a statement late Friday that the modified bill means companies receiving TARP funds would still be able to hire H-1B visa holders, but would have to comply with the "H-1B dependent"-employer rules "which include attesting to actively recruiting American workers; not displacing American workers with H-1B visa holders; and not replacing laid off American workers with foreign workers." "Hiring American workers for limited available jobs should be a top priority for businesses taking taxpayer money through the TARP bailout program," Sen. Grassley said. "With the unemployment rate at 7.6 percent, there is no need for companies to hire foreign guest workers through the H1-B program when there are plenty of qualified Americans looking for jobs," Sen. Grassley said. Both Sen. Grassley and Sen. Sanders argue that U.S. firms have a moral obligation to protect U.S. workers' jobs. This amendment may be tougher than the existing law. There are now exceptions to the H-1B dependency rule for foreign workers who are paid at least $60,000 in base wages or who have advanced degrees -- but those exceptions don't appear in the amendment. It is thus believed that the companies affected by this proposed law would be unlikely to hire H-1B workers. The fate of this H-1B amendment rests on the fate of the stimulus bill before the Senate today, and if that's approved it will head to a conference where other changes are possible.Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:01:24 GMTNews: USCIS Publishes Fact Sheet On New Website Featureshttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ilw.com%2fimmigrationdaily%2fnews%2f2010%2c0803-uscis.shtmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ilw.com%2fimmigrationdaily%2fnews%2f2010%2c0803-uscis.shtmWed, 04 Aug 2010 01:01:24 GMTNews: DOS Publishes Final Rule On Electronic Application For Immigrant Visa and Alien Registrationhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ilw.com%2fimmigrationdaily%2fnews%2f2010%2c0803-dos.shtmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ilw.com%2fimmigrationdaily%2fnews%2f2010%2c0803-dos.shtmWed, 04 Aug 2010 01:01:24 GMTImportant Changes and Clarifications for the H1B Application Processhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.visapro.com%2fImmigration-News%2f%3fa%3d827%26z%3d10http://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.visapro.com%2fImmigration-News%2f%3fa%3d827%26z%3d10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has issued clarifying regulations today, explaining how exactly the <a href="http://usimmigration.visapro.com/H1B-Visa.asp" target="_blank">H-1B</a> application process will be handled this year. Some important changes have been announced to the process, including the benefit of having five business days to file the petition even if the cap runs out on the first day, prohibition on filing of multiple petitions by the same employer for the same employee, explanation of the Master's cap and a clarification on the Premium Processing rules. USCIS issued an interim final rule today that prohibits employers from filing more than one petition for an H-1B visa for a single employee in a fiscal year. The change is intended to promote a fair and systematic process for H-1B petitioners. This rule ensures that companies filing H-1B petitions that are subject to numerical limits will have an equal chance to receive consideration for an H-1B worker. The interim final rule will become effective upon publication in the Federal Register and may be accessed via USCIS' website at <a href="http://www.uscis.gov/" target="_blank">www.uscis.gov</a>. Background U.S. businesses utilize the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in fields that require theoretical and practical expertise in specialized occupations requiring a bachelor's degree or higher (or its equivalent), such as scientists, engineers, or computer programmers. By law, USCIS cannot grant more than 65,000 new H-1B visas per fiscal year, subject to certain limited exceptions. The first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of aliens with U.S.-earned masters' or higher degrees are exempt from the H-1B numerical limitation of 65,000. USCIS administers a separate "20,000 cap" for such exempt petitions. USCIS will use a random selection process for all the master's degree or higher cap-exempt cases received on the first five business days available for filing H-1B petitions for a given fiscal year, if necessary. In the event that the U.S. master's exemption limit is reached on the first five business days, USCIS will first conduct the random selection process for such petitions before it begins random selection for petitions to be counted toward the 65,000 cap. Petitions eligible for the U.S. master's degree or higher exemption that are not selected to receive an H-1B visa number from the 20,000 cap will be considered with the other H-1B petitions in the random selection for the 65,000 cap filed on the first five business days. Cap-Exempt Petition USCIS also notes that petitions for new H-1B employment are exempt from the cap if the aliens will work at the defined institutions of higher education or a related or affiliated nonprofit entities, or at nonprofit research organizations or governmental research organizations. Thus, employers may continue to file petitions for these exempt H-1B categories regardless of H-1B visa number availability. Cap Procedures USCIS will use the following process for handling H-1B petitions subject to the FY 2009 cap: <ul> <li> April 1, 2008 is the first day petitions may be received for an October 1, 2008 start date. When it is determined that the numerical limitations have been reached, USCIS employs a random selection process to choose among the petitions received on the "final receipt date." If the "final receipt date" falls within any one of the first five business days, the random selection will be run using all the cap-subject petitions received on those five days. </li> <li> USCIS will reject and return the filing fee(s) for all cap-subject H-1B petitions that are not selected in the process described above. The new rule clarifies that this provision only applies to petitions that indicate they are cap-subject. If a petitioner claims to be exempt from the cap and is later found to be subject to the cap, USCIS will not refund or return fees and that petition will be denied if no cap numbers are available. </li> <li> Petitions for the FY 2009 cap received before April 1, 2008 will be rejected. A petition is considered received when USCIS takes possession of and stamps the petition as received, not by the date the petition is postmarked. </li> </ul> In order to fully utilize its data entry and initial processing capacity, USCIS may choose to distribute filings received at one service center to other service centers for data entry. In the event that USCIS exercises this option, petitioners may receive receipt notices or other correspondence from a service center other than the one to which their H-1B petition was mailed. Premium Processing Cap-subject petitions requesting premium processing that are received on the "final receipt date," or during the initial five business day period mentioned above, cannot be processed until after the random selection has been completed. The premium processing 15-day adjudication period (processing deadline) will not begin until such time as USCIS has completed the random selection process. The number of master's exemption cases received cannot be determined until all the petitions have been sorted and counted. The same holds true for the master's exemption premium processing cases. In accordance with established guidelines, USCIS will refund premium processing fees for any filings for which it cannot meet processing deadlines. Even if USCIS issues a refund of the premium processing fee, it will continue to provide premium processing for these filings until completion. Current H-1b Workers Petitions filed on behalf of current H-1B workers (who have already been counted towards the cap) do not count towards the congressionally mandated H-1B cap. Accordingly, this rule does not affect USCIS processing of petitions filed to: <ul> <li> Extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the United States;</li> <li> Change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers; </li> <li> Allow current H-1B workers to change from one cap-subject position to a different cap-subject position with a different employer; or </li> <li> Allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in a second H-1B position. </li> </ul>Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:01:24 GMTCommon H1B Errors Leading to Rejections and Denialshttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.visapro.com%2fImmigration-News%2f%3fa%3d822%26z%3d10http://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.visapro.com%2fImmigration-News%2f%3fa%3d822%26z%3d10U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a statement showing the common errors leading to petition rejections or denials. This is a list of the most frequently seen and easily cured mistakes. Incorrect Fees Frequently, petitioners miscalculate the amount of money needed for each filing. If you submit the fees in one check and the amount is wrong, USCIS rejects the petition. USCIS suggest you submit the fees in separate checks, because this lessens the likelihood of unintentional math errors when calculating the total fees due in connection with the filing of an H-1B petition. Inconsistent and Incorrect Answers on Form I-129 and Supplements: <ul> <li> Please double check the petition to make sure you have answered all the questions and that the answers are consistent and correct throughout the entire package, including the petition and all accompanying documentation. USCIS cannot make assumptions about what a petitioner really intended, if that is not clear on the face of the documents submitted. </li> <li> For example, if you check &quot;yes&quot; to the question of whether the beneficiary has a U.S. Master's degree in Part A, #5 of the supplement, then Part C, #7 should also be checked &quot;yes.&quot; </li> <li> Another common mistake is where the petitioner indicates on one part of the Form I-129 that the beneficiary is not subject to the cap, but on top of the petition they may write &quot;Regular Cap.&quot; This can also delay processing of a case or even cause it to be rejected.</li> </ul> If your worker is or has ever been a J-1 please note: Part C, #4 of the supplement does not refer to all J-1s who have been granted waivers of the 212(e) 2-year foreign residency requirement. Check &quot;Yes&quot; only if your worker is a doctor or a medical researcher who has been granted a Conrad 30 waiver under INA section 214(I)(1)(B) to work in a medically underserved area, or a waiver under INA section 214(I)(1)(C) based on a request by an Interested Government Agency (IGA). For Fiscal Year 2009, the first filing date is Tuesday, April 1, 2008. USCIS wants to be sure to accept all qualifying petitions for inclusion in the random selection. If you file a petition correctly, you increase your chances of obtaining an H-1B cap number. USCIS reports that it is working on making the process as smooth as possible both this coming April and in the future. Petitions are filed at Vermont and California Service Centers, depending on jurisdiction over the petitioner&#8217;s location. To download Both forms and the instructions <a href="http://www.visapro.com/US-Immigration-Forms.asp" target="_blank">click here</a>.Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:01:24 GMTArticle: The "Leaked" Mayorkas Memo by Roger Algasehttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ilw.com%2farticles%2f2010%2c0803-algase.shtmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ilw.com%2farticles%2f2010%2c0803-algase.shtmWed, 04 Aug 2010 01:01:24 GMTArticle: Lady Gaga To Turn Arizona Show Into A Protest Against Arizona by Greg Siskindhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ilw.com%2farticles%2f2010%2c0803-siskind.shtmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ilw.com%2farticles%2f2010%2c0803-siskind.shtmWed, 04 Aug 2010 01:01:24 GMTArticle: As Virginia AG Targets Immigrants, What About Asylum Seekers? by Jason Dzubowhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ilw.com%2farticles%2f2010%2c0803-dzubow.shtmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.ilw.com%2farticles%2f2010%2c0803-dzubow.shtmWed, 04 Aug 2010 01:01:24 GMTUK Immigration Cap will take into account Indian Government concernshttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workpermit.com%2fnews%2f2010-08-03%2fuk%2fuk-immigration-cap-will-take-into-account-indian-government-concerns.htmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workpermit.com%2fnews%2f2010-08-03%2fuk%2fuk-immigration-cap-will-take-into-account-indian-government-concerns.htmUK Prime Minister David Cameron recently led the largest UK delegation to India since the end of British rule in India. This included the chancellor, George Osborne, Foreign Secretary William Hague, Vince Cable Business Secretary and a number of top businessmen. For the first time ever the British Government has said that they will take into account the views of the Indian Government on UK immigration policy. A Downing Street spokesman had the following to say:...Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:00:00 GMTUK English Language test for spouses and partners to be introducedhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workpermit.com%2fnews%2f2010-07-28%2fuk%2fuk-english-language-test-for-spouses-partners-introduced.htmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workpermit.com%2fnews%2f2010-07-28%2fuk%2fuk-english-language-test-for-spouses-partners-introduced.htmIf you wish to join or marry your British citizen spouse or a permanent resident in the UK you will from 29 November 2010 need to pass an English language test with an approved test provider....Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMTCanada immigration funds Toronto program for minoritieshttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workpermit.com%2fnews%2f2010-07-28%2fcanada%2fcanada-immigration-funds-toronto-program-for-minorities.htmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workpermit.com%2fnews%2f2010-07-28%2fcanada%2fcanada-immigration-funds-toronto-program-for-minorities.htmThe Canadian Government will be providing $300,000 of funding over four years to provide learning opportunities from ethnic groups to help them better participate in Canadian society. This was announced recently by Colin Carrie, Oshawa Member of Parliament on behalf of Immigration Minister Jason Kenney. MP Colin Carrie had the following to say:...Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMTUK Tier 4 student visa English Language Tests and other changeshttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workpermit.com%2fnews%2f2010-07-27%2fuk%2fuk-tier-4-student-visa-english-language-tests-changes.htmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workpermit.com%2fnews%2f2010-07-27%2fuk%2fuk-tier-4-student-visa-english-language-tests-changes.htmUK Immigration is making or has already made a number of significant changes to the UK tier 4 visa scheme for students:...Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMTUK Immigration Tier Visa refusals on basis of maintenance funds can be reviewedhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workpermit.com%2fnews%2f2010-07-27%2fuk%2fuk-immigration-tier-visa-refusals-on-basis-of-maintenance-funds.htmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.workpermit.com%2fnews%2f2010-07-27%2fuk%2fuk-immigration-tier-visa-refusals-on-basis-of-maintenance-funds.htmFollowing an important High Court victory on 23 June 2010 it was judged that maintenance funds assessment must be in line with the immigration rules. UKBA had brought in a requirement that the relevant maintenance funds had to be in your bank account for a continuous period of three months instead of just on the day the application is made as under the immigration rules....Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:00:00 GMTDV-2011 Entry Status: Is There Still a Chance?http://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fimmigration.about.com%2fb%2f2010%2f07%2f10%2fdv-2011-entry-status-is-there-still-a-chance.htmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fimmigration.about.com%2fb%2f2010%2f07%2f10%2fdv-2011-entry-status-is-there-still-a-chance.htm<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/09/state-department-posts-dv-2011-results.htm">Selectee letters for the DV-2011 green card lottery</a> have all been mailed out, and all applicants can now <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/06/30/dv-2011-green-card-lottery-online-status-check-is-now-open.htm">confirm their entry status through the E-DV website</a>. A question related to the selection and notification process has been popping up a lot this week: <blockquote>If the E-DV entry status confirmation page says that I HAVE NOT BEEN selected, is there still be a chance that my entry could be selected later in the year? Should I keep checking the website?</blockquote> It's a reasonable question, knowing that DV-2011 entrants can keep checking the E-DV website for nearly a year. Unfortunately, if you receive a message saying that you have not been selected (and the information/confirmation number you entered is correct), it means that you won't be selected for a visa this year (but you can try again next year!). There are 50,000 diversity visas available in each year's lottery, but twice that number of applicants are selected for further processing since it is likely that some of the first 50,000 people registered will not finish the process to get a diversity visa. For those of you who weren't selected this year, the DV-2012 green card lottery registration period is scheduled to start in October 2010. Watch for more information in August.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/10/dv-2011-entry-status-is-there-still-a-chance.htm">DV-2011 Entry Status: Is There Still a Chance?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/">About.com Immigration Issues</a> on Saturday, July 10th, 2010 at 01:23:14.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/10/dv-2011-entry-status-is-there-still-a-chance.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/10/dv-2011-entry-status-is-there-still-a-chance.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://immigration.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/10/dv-2011-entry-status-is-there-still-a-chance.htm&#038;zItl=DV-2011 Entry Status: Is There Still a Chance?">Email this</a>Fri, 09 Jul 2010 21:23:14 GMTState Department Posts DV-2011 Resultshttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fimmigration.about.com%2fb%2f2010%2f07%2f09%2fstate-department-posts-dv-2011-results.htmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fimmigration.about.com%2fb%2f2010%2f07%2f09%2fstate-department-posts-dv-2011-results.htmOver 12.1 million qualified entries were received in the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1317.html">DV-2011 lottery</a>; a slight drop from the over 13.6 million qualified entries received during last year's DV-2010 lottery. Following are the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_5073.html">complete DV-2011 results from the Department of State</a>: <blockquote>The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky has registered and notified the winners of the DV-2011 diversity lottery.�The diversity lottery was conducted under the terms of section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and makes available *50,000 permanent resident visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.�Approximately 100,600 applicants have been registered and notified and may now make an application for an immigrant visa. Since it is likely that some of the first *50,000 persons registered will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, this larger figure should insure that all DV-2011 numbers will be used during fiscal year 2011 (October 1, 2010 until September 30, 2011). Applicants registered for the DV-2011 program were selected at random from over 12.1 million qualified entries (16.5 million with derivatives) received during the 60-day application period that ran from noon on October 2, 2009, until noon, November 30, 2009.�The visas have been apportioned among six geographic regions with a maximum of seven percent available to persons born in any single country.�During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or show two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience within the past five years. Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly. Applicants should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete the information requested. Registrants living legally in the United States who wish to apply for adjustment of their status must contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for information on the requirements and procedures.�Once the total *50,000 visa numbers have been used, the program for fiscal year 2011 will end. Selected applicants who do not receive visas by September 30, 2011 will derive no further benefit from their DV-2011 registration.�Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2011 principal applicants are only entitled to derivative diversity visa status until September 30, 2011. Only participants in the DV-2011 program who were selected for further processing have been notified. Those who have not received notification were not selected. They may try for the upcoming DV-2012 lottery if they wish. The dates for the registration period for the DV-2012 lottery program will be widely publicized during August 2010. * The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulated that up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas be made available for use under the NACARA program.�The reduction of the limit of available visas to 50,000 began with DV-2000.</blockquote> A <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_5073.html">breakdown of DV-2011 registrations by country</a> is also available. Did you enter the DV-2011 green card lottery? <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/od/faqgreencardlottery/f/gcl_FAQ_confirmation.htm">Find out if your entry was selected</a>.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/09/state-department-posts-dv-2011-results.htm">State Department Posts DV-2011 Results</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/">About.com Immigration Issues</a> on Friday, July 9th, 2010 at 13:55:44.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/09/state-department-posts-dv-2011-results.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/09/state-department-posts-dv-2011-results.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://immigration.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/09/state-department-posts-dv-2011-results.htm&#038;zItl=State Department Posts DV-2011 Results">Email this</a>Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:55:44 GMTHappy Independence Dayhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fimmigration.about.com%2fb%2f2010%2f07%2f04%2fhappy-independence-day.htmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fimmigration.about.com%2fb%2f2010%2f07%2f04%2fhappy-independence-day.htm<img src="http://z.about.com/d/immigration/1/0/9/-/-/-/July4FlagCitizenship.jpg" alt="A newly naturalization U.S. citizen holds a program booklet during a naturalization ceremony" hspace="5" align="right" /> Independence Day is a special day for many Americans, but in particular for new immigrants. For those who lack basic freedoms in their own country, there is a ray of hope contained within our <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://usgovinfo.about.com/bldecind.htm">Declaration of Independence</a>: "...that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." In 1776 when the Declaration was signed, Congress understood that immigration was the building block of the nation and needed to be protected. They even listed the prevention of immigration as one of the oppressions by the King of Great Britain. "He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands." To our naturalized citizens and permanent residents, I wish you a happy 4th of July weekend. And to those of you seeking immigration that have not yet joined us in the U.S., I wish you a speedy journey. Happy 4th of July! Suggested Reading: <ul> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/historicdocuments/a/bldechist.htm">Declaration of Independence Timeline</a></li> <li><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/od/uscitizenship/f/NatRequirements.htm">General Naturalization Requirements for U.S. Citizenship</a></li> </ul> Photo: Tim Boyle/Getty Images<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/04/happy-independence-day.htm">Happy Independence Day</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/">About.com Immigration Issues</a> on Sunday, July 4th, 2010 at 02:22:37.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/04/happy-independence-day.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/04/happy-independence-day.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://immigration.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/07/04/happy-independence-day.htm&#038;zItl=Happy Independence Day">Email this</a>Sat, 03 Jul 2010 22:22:37 GMTDV-2011 Green Card Lottery Online Status Check is Now Openhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fimmigration.about.com%2fb%2f2010%2f06%2f30%2fdv-2011-green-card-lottery-online-status-check-is-now-open.htmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fimmigration.about.com%2fb%2f2010%2f06%2f30%2fdv-2011-green-card-lottery-online-status-check-is-now-open.htm<div>DV-2011 green card lottery status check <a href="http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ESC/" target="Netscape344">is now available online</a> at the E-DV website. From now until June 30, 2011, DV-2011 green card lottery applicants can <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ESC/">check the status of their entry through the E-DV website</a>. You will need the confirmation page that you received when you entered the lottery during the last entry period (October 2, 2009 to November 30, 2009). You will be asked to provide your entrant's confirmation number (16 alphanumeric number), last name/family name, and year of birth in order to check the entrant status online. To find out if your DV-2011 green card lottery entry was selected, go to the E-DV website at <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ESC/">http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ESC/</a>. (Note: There is a warning that the E-DV site only supports Internet Explorer. If you are successful using another web browser, please take the time to write a comment to let others know.) Good luck!</div><a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/06/30/dv-2011-green-card-lottery-online-status-check-is-now-open.htm">DV-2011 Green Card Lottery Online Status Check is Now Open</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/">About.com Immigration Issues</a> on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 17:20:16.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/06/30/dv-2011-green-card-lottery-online-status-check-is-now-open.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/06/30/dv-2011-green-card-lottery-online-status-check-is-now-open.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://immigration.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/06/30/dv-2011-green-card-lottery-online-status-check-is-now-open.htm&#038;zItl=DV-2011 Green Card Lottery Online Status Check is Now Open">Email this</a>Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:20:16 GMTDV-2011 Results Available Online Tomorrowhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fimmigration.about.com%2fb%2f2010%2f06%2f30%2fdv-2011-results-available-online-tomorrow.htmhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fimmigration.about.com%2fb%2f2010%2f06%2f30%2fdv-2011-results-available-online-tomorrow.htmUPDATE: <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/06/30/dv-2011-green-card-lottery-online-status-check-is-now-open.htm">The E-DV website is up and running a day early</a>. For the second year, applicants can go online to the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ESC/">Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) website</a> to find out if they have been selected to apply for a diversity visa in the DV-2011 green card lottery. Judging by your <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/05/03/dv-2011-green-card-lottery-results.htm#gB3">recent comments</a>, a lot of you are counting down the minutes! All entrants, including those not selected, can check the <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ESC/">E-DV website</a> and find out if their entry was selected using the 16-character alphanumeric confirmation number received at the time of entry. (You'll find this number on the confirmation page you received when you entered online.) You will also need to provide the last name/family name and year of birth provided in the same entry. Tip: You might want to have a couple of different web browsers at-the-ready to check your status through the E-DV website. The E-DV site has experienced intermittent problems with all versions of Safari and Google Chrome web browsers, and it is suggested that you use Internet Explorer or Firefox. It's also possible that the servers could get overloaded tomorrow due to high traffic, so be patient if you receive a server error and retry the site after an hour or two. Status information for DV-2011 will be available online from July 1, 2010, until June 30, 2011. If you haven't yet received a notification letter, be sure to check for confirmation on the E-DV website at <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ESC/">www.dvlottery.state.gov/ESC/</a> starting tomorrow. Good luck!<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/06/30/dv-2011-results-available-online-tomorrow.htm">DV-2011 Results Available Online Tomorrow</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/">About.com Immigration Issues</a> on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 13:56:47.<a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/06/30/dv-2011-results-available-online-tomorrow.htm">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&#038;zu=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/06/30/dv-2011-results-available-online-tomorrow.htm#gB3">Comment</a> | <a href="http://immigration.about.com/gi/pages/shareurl.htm?PG=http://immigration.about.com/b/2010/06/30/dv-2011-results-available-online-tomorrow.htm&#038;zItl=DV-2011 Results Available Online Tomorrow">Email this</a>Wed, 30 Jun 2010 09:56:47 GMTPremium Processing of I-140http://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usvisanews.com%2fcontent%2fview%2f199%2f2%2fhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usvisanews.com%2fcontent%2fview%2f199%2f2%2fUSCIS has announced that beginning June 29, 2009, it will resume premium processing service for Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers...Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:44:37 GMTBad News Concerning Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Availabilityhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usvisanews.com%2fcontent%2fview%2f198%2f2%2fhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usvisanews.com%2fcontent%2fview%2f198%2f2%2fThe American Immigration Lawyers Association reported on June 11th that they received the following information concerning the availability of visa...Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:20:01 GMTUSCIS Continues to Accept FY 2010 H-1B Petitionshttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usvisanews.com%2fcontent%2fview%2f197%2f2%2fhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usvisanews.com%2fcontent%2fview%2f197%2f2%2fWASHINGTON &ndash; April 8, 2009, USCIS announced it continues to accept H-1B nonimmigrant visa petitions subject to the fiscal...Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:32:42 GMTNew H-2B Regulations from USCIS and DOLhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usvisanews.com%2fcontent%2fview%2f194%2f2%2fhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usvisanews.com%2fcontent%2fview%2f194%2f2%2fThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amended the regulations regarding temporary nonagricultural workers, and their U.S. employers, within the H-2B...Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:25:31 GMTUpgraded Biometric Technology at Major U.S. Ports of Entry http://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usvisanews.com%2fcontent%2fview%2f192%2f2%2fhttp://www.indiantoday.com/news.aspx?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.usvisanews.com%2fcontent%2fview%2f192%2f2%2fOn January 15, 2009, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that upgraded biometric technology is in place at major U.S....Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:00:00 GMT