No More Eyeglasses for U.S. passport or U.S visa 美国护照或签证申请人的照片不可以戴眼镜

On October 6, 2016, the state department announced that, starting November 1, 2016, all applicants for U.S. passport or visa must remove eyeglasses for their photo. The new policy is aimed to enhance the performance of facial recognition systems and reduced the likelihood of misidentifying the applicants.

Beginning on December 1, 2016, Consular Affairs will no longer accept applicant’s photographs with eyeglasses. The soft enforcement period until November 30, 2016 is quickly ending.

However, if the applicant has a medical condition requiring eyeglasses, exceptions can be made when the applicant submits a signed medical statement.

It is acceptable if the photo in an unexpired passport or visa shows eyeglasses. The new rule only applies to new or renewal applicants.

For photo requirements, click here.

国务院在2016年10月6日宣布,从2016年11月1日起,所有美国护照或签证申请人的照片不可以戴眼镜。新政策旨在提高面部识别系统的性能,并减少错误识别申请人的可能性。

自2016年12月1日起,领事事务处将不再接受申请人的眼镜照片。到2016年11月30日的软实施期即将结束。

然而,如果申请人具有需要眼镜的医疗条件,则当申请人提交医疗声明时可以进行例外。

如果未过期的护照或签证中的照片显示眼镜,将没有关系。新规则仅适用于新申请人或续签申请人。

有关照片要求,请点击这里

You Have Your H-1B Visa Now, How to Get EB-2 or EB-3

Most of the employment-based petitions require a Permanent Labor Certification (Labor Cert) from the Department of Labor and a permanent, full-time job offer. The operation of the permanent labor certification program is generally referred to as PERM. Once a permanent labor certification application has been approved by the DOL, the employer will need to seek the immigration authorization from USCIS.

Generally speaking, there are three steps before you become a permanent resident of the United States. First is that your employer must seek a PERM to show there is no Americans available for the job offered to you. Second is to submit the Form I-140, Petition for Alien Worker, to USCIS. Last is the filing of the Form I-485, Adjustment of Status, or Consular Processing if the applicant are outside of the U.S.

How long will the entire process take? Well, before seeking the PERM, the employer needs  to advertise the job offer to potential job seekers. After that, the Department of Labor has to adjudicate the PERM, which will take four to eight months. If the PERM is successful, and the employer files the Form I-140 immediately after, it will take another six months. However, the employer can seek premium processing to speed up the process for a fee. If the I-140 passes, the applicant now awaits the visa bulletin to update his or hers priority date. EB-2 or EB-3 of China faces a relatively long wait, but not all countries are the same. Once the priority date is current, the applicant can seek to adjust status, which will take another approximately six months to adjudicate.

Employment-Based Immigration: Second Preference EB-2

An employment-based, second preference visa is available to you if you are a member of the professions holding an advanced degree or its equivalent, or a foreign national who has exceptional ability.

  • Under the Advanced Degree subcategory, you have to prove that the job you apply for require an advanced degree and you possess such a degree or its equivalent (a baccalaureate degree plus 5 years progressive work experience in the field). Typically, documentations like official academic record showing you have an advanced degree is sufficient.
  • If you are an alien with exceptional ability in the sciences, arts, or business, you can apply for EB-2 as well. Exceptional ability documentations generally include, academic record, license to practice your profession, at least 10 years of full-time experience, recognition for your achievements, and etc.
  • Last but not least, a national interest waiver (NIW) will waive the Labor Certification process because your admission is in the interest of the United States. NIW applicants generally need to prove the combined quality of exceptional ability and your employment will greatly benefit the nation. In addition, the alien seeking a NIW can petition for him or herself.

Employment-Based Immigration: Third Preference EB-3

The EB-3 category is designed for skilled worker, professional, or other worker.

  • Within the Skilled Worker subcategory, you must show that your job requires a minimum of 2 years training or work experience.
  • The Unskilled Worker subcategory requires the applicant to demonstrate capability of performing unskilled labor.
  • If you seek to be qualified as a professional, you must be able to demonstrate that you possess a U.S. baccalaureate degree or the equivalent, and that a baccalaureate degree is the normal requirement for entry into the occupation. There is no substitution for the degree requirement.

 

 

 

H-1B签证流程以及可选实习培训(OPT)就业资格的F-1学生

越来越多的雇主针对美国国土安全部和美国公民及移民服务局USCIS的H-1B签证彩票流程提起诉讼。诉讼声称H-1B签证彩票流程缺乏明确性以及整体H-1B彩票过程是非法的。H-1B签证彩票使得公司及其员工很难为未来做计划。

H-1B计划背景

美国公司使用H-1B计划雇用外国工人在特定领域至少需要学士学位的职业。由于其多功能性,它是最常用的工作授权签证类别。因此,许多公司希望申请H-1B,但是每个财政年度可以颁发的新H-1B签证的数量有法定上限。每年只有65,000个新的H-1B签证号码,另有20,000个保留给至少拥有美国机构硕士学位的个人。当提交的请求超过可以发放的彩票时,USCIS采用计算机生成的随机选择过程来选择申请进行裁决。USCIS然后返回未选择的H-1B申请以及申请费。重要的是要注意,这个彩票不适用于以前被计入H-1B上限的个人,也不适用于那些豁免上限的机构。

对H-1B签证的需求通常超过供应,所以快速到达上限。USCIS决定彩票系统是最公平的方式。仅在今年,USCIS宣布今年4月的前5个工作日内收到了236,000件H-1B申请。这意味着每个请愿书有大约30%的选择机会。对于来自美国机构的硕士学位持有人来说,这个统计数字略高,因为如果没有从20,000个彩票中选中的上限申请,那么它被放入65,000的彩票池中。

彩票过程是一种机会游戏。最好的解决办法是国会提高允许的H-1B签证的法定数量,使雇主更容易保留美国教育机构中最好和最聪明的。明年开始,非移民工人请愿书(I-129)也将涨价到$460,原来的价格是$325。

如果您是具有可选实习培训(OPT)就业资格的F-1学生,并且您的H-1B状态备案更改已被美国公民和移民服务局(USCIS)接受。批准的请愿将有2016年10月1日开始日期。如果你的OPT在此之间过期,你的就业卡根据“限额”OPT扩展规则可以自动延长到2016年9月30日。这种差距延长,仅适用于提交更改身份的H-1B申请,即使在OPT就业卡过期后,您仍可继续合法工作。你需要向您学校的国际学生办公室提供H-1B收据通知副本,更新您的I-20。

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OPT以及H-1B期间境外旅行须知

  • 如果你的OPT就业卡尚未过期,H-1B申请已被接受,但尚未批准,最好来说,您在此之间不要出国旅行。如果您的F-1签证已过期,您需要申请一个新的签证。如果你离开美国,即使H-1B批准,您的身份将不会更改为H-1B,因为您离开美国,而H-1B“状态更改”请求正在等待。
  • 如果你的OPT就业卡尚未过期而且H-1B已被批准,你有可能可以旅行。在这种情况下旅行有非常真实的风险,当USCIS批准你的H-1B申请,学生和交换观众信息系统(SEVIS)可能不再反映您是F-1学生,并且在F-1状态进入美国可能有困难。
  • 如果你的OPT就业证已过期,您有资格留在美国,并继续在上述讨论的上限扩展规则下工作。如果您在此期间必须离开美国,您将无法返回美国,直到您获得H-1B签证的H-1B签证。在申请批准的开始日期之前,允许在H-1B签证最初进入美国10天。
  • 如果你必须离境的话,您可以在H-1B申请获得批准后随时在美国大使馆或领事馆安排预约,随时申请H-1B签证。签证将在2016年10月1日之前生效。
  • 如果你H-1B请愿被USCIS拒绝。你可以在您的F-1 OPT身份结束后的60天内留在美国,但仅用于解决您在美国境内的个人事务和国内旅行。您在这60天的宽限期内不得工作。