Month: December 2016

USCIS Releases New Form Versions, Effective Immediately

On December 23, 2016, USCIS posted many new form versions without any prior notice. Affected forms include the following: I-90, I-102, I-129, I-129CW, I-129F, I-130, I-131, I-131A, I-140, I-191, I-192, I-212, I-290B, I-360, I-485, I-485 Supplement A, I-525, I-539, I-600, I-600A, I-601, I-601A, I-612, I-690, I-694, I-698, I-751, I-765, I-800, I-800A, I-817, I-824, I-910, I-924, I-924A, I-929, I-942, I-942P, N-300, N-336, N-400, N-470, N-600, and N-600K. The forms all have an effective date of December 23, 2016.

In addition, applications and petitions postmarked or filed on or after December 23, 2016, must include the new fees.

微商微店会属于非法就业吗？

美国移民法律上来说，“就业”一词通常是指个人提供服务或劳动，并为这些服务支付报酬的关系。如果没有工作授权，接受任何服务的报酬可能导致违反签证状态。

移民上诉委员会认为自雇也是“就业”。因此，经营业务是违反非移民类签证的身份，比如是旅游签证，学生签证等等。另外来说，如果在在美国在外国公司工作，也是不允许的 – 任何在美国完成的工作，即使对于外国公司，即使支付给外国银行账户，仍然在美国被视为“就业”，必须要有授业文件。这样来说的话，在美国境内的微商微店都可能触犯非法就业。

在没有工作授权的情况下，持非移民性签证的人可能可以在美国当志愿者或者被动地投资在美国。临时签证持有人可以管理自己的投资，如股票和物业，甚至可以购买正在经营的业务，只要他/她不提供任何劳动或服务，并且不积极经营业务。但是，每个签证都是为特定目的签发的，而且签证持有人预计将花大部分时间从事签发签证的活动。如果没有工作授权，投资管理，和志愿服务应该仍然是临时签证持有人在美国的经验的外围组成部分。

未经授权的雇佣：1）可能违反了非移民签证身份; 2）可能导致逮捕，并可能从美国递解出境; 3）将导致拒绝延长或改变签证; 4）可能在几年后发现签证申请人犯有签证欺诈行为，从而无法转变绿卡; 5）如果加上在I-9表格上对美国公民身份作假，可以导致永久不可受理公民申请递解出境，没有豁免可用。

Affirmative Asylum Scheduling Bulletin 庇护面谈时间表

On Dec. 26, 2014, USCIS began prioritizing asylum applications for interview scheduling as follows. USCIS schedules the oldest cases first. The table below lists how asylum offices are currently scheduling asylum interviews for applications pending.

美国移民局一般以申请日期来排列申请人的免谈时间。越早申请的案子会先有机会面谈。以下是个管协会庇护面谈的时间表。

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U visa Processing Time and Delays U签证处理时间和延迟

USCIS is seeing across the board delays. Several factors impact U non-immigrant visa processing times, including the statutory cap of 10,000 visas and an increase in the number of applications. Currently, USCIS is processing waitlist letters for U status submitted in June 2014. Comparing to 2009, USCIS Vermont Service Center received five times more U visa applications in 2015 (52,000 in 2015 versus 11,000 in 2009). USCIS is taking a “First In First Out” approach. VSC expects to approve for U applicants who filed their I-918 between May 2013 and February 2014.

Although  all U visa applications will continue to be filed at Vermont Service Center, Nebraska Service Center is processing U cases as well.

美国移民局现在经历整体的延误。 有很多因素影响U非移民签证的处理时间，包括10,000个签证的法定上限和每年申请数量的增加。 目前，美国移民局正在处理2014年6月提交的U签证申请。与2009年相比，美国移民局佛蒙特服务中心在2015年接受了5倍左右的U签证申请（2015年为52,000份，2009年为11,000份）。 USCIS采取“先进先出”的方法。 佛蒙特服务中心预计将批准在2013年5月至2014年2月期间提交I-918的U申请人。

虽然所有U签证申请将继续在佛蒙特服务中心提交，内布拉斯加州服务中心也在处理U案件。

你如果有任何疑问的话，请给我们事务所打电话 – 913-717-7112

MAVNI Program Status for Fiscal Year 2017 – Deferred Action and Military Naturalization Options

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) recently received notice from the U.S. Department of Defense. The U.S. Army will not accept Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI)  applications for FY 2017 until they complete the revisions.

The MAVNI program is extended for FY2017, starting from OCT 2016 to OCT 2017. However, it is currently suspended due to investigation delay. MAVNI or Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest is an exclusive recruiting program that is beneficial for the immigrants who are interested to be a part of the U.S. military force.

MAVNI enlistees in Delayed Entry Program (DEP) – whose entry has now been delayed or cancelled – have two potential options: (1) Deferred Action and/or (2) Naturalization.

Whether Deferred Action is being granted to reserve members is still a question. DoD seems to permit reserve soldiers fallen out of immigration status or authorized stay to basic training, therefore, DoD no longer views Deferred Action as necessary for reserve members. However, if you are Active Duty, you should apply for deferred action, even if you have other immigration options pending. 

In addition, under military naturalization of INA § 329, MAVNI enlistees already serving honorably on active duty, Selected Reserve, including any drilling Army Reserve MAVNI enlistee whose ship date to BCT is delayed or cancelled, are eligible to naturalize. Naturalization under the wartime naturalization statute does not have a time of service requirement. During the period of hostility, one day of service in the Selective Reserve of the Ready Reserve makes a foreign national, including any drilling Army Reserve MAVNI enlistee that has not shipped to basic training, eligible to naturalize.  

Call today at 913-717-7112 to find out about your options as an MAVNI enlistee.