We'll sue EU commission over US visa policy, say MEPs

The European Commission may end up in court unless it threatens to impose visa restrictions on US citizens.

MEPs in the civil liberties committee demanded on Wednesday (12 October) that the commission makes the threat because citizens of five EU states - Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania - still need a visa to enter the US.

"The European Parliament would have a case to take you to court," Dutch liberal Sophie In't Veld told EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Swedish liberal Cecilia Wikstroem made similar comments.

"This is a flagrant failure to act and it has to have consequences. This institution [EU parliament] has to act against the European Commission in full compliance with the treaties," she said. Read more: https://euobserver.com/justice/135471

For more information, please, contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

Once a newcomer, she now helps others apply for US citizenship

This essay is part of an occasional series provided by our partner organization Encore.org, which is building a movement to tap the skills and experience of those in midlife and beyond to improve communities and the world. Read more stories and share yours at Encore.org/story.

It was the 1970s and I had been plunked down in a place called Norman, Okla.

It was a challenge for a 21-year-old immigrant from Taiwan with little English, but I was excited. I had a scholarship to study biochemistry at the University of Oklahoma graduate school. Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Making-a-difference/Change-Agent/2016/1005/Once-a-newcomer-she-now-helps-others-apply-for-US-citizenship

For more information, please, contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

U.S. Immigration Judges Look Within to Minimize Bias

SAN FRANCISCO — One of the immigrants appearing before Judge Dana Marks in a crowded court here was a boatworker from the former Soviet Union who stared in silence as a prosecutor asked about his criminal history. Another was a mother who started praying after testifying that she had fled Honduras because her husband beat her. She sought divine rather than judicial intervention.

In all, 336 people from 13 countries and even more ethnic backgrounds appeared in San Francisco’s immigration court recently over three days. All of them were facing possible deportation, because they either were in the United States illegally or had committed crimes serious enough to jeopardize their legal presence as noncitizens. One challenge facing Judge Marks was deciding whether to deport some of them immediately after they had testified. Another challenge was her own biases. Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/05/us/us-immigration-judges-bias.html?_r=0

For more information, please, contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

Why Congress Will Extend The EB-5 Immigrant Visa Program

Congress will decide on Tuesday whether to make changes to an immigrant visa V +0.19% program that’s been bringing in thousands of foreign nationals since it was revamped in 2011. And while there has been ample focus on the number of companies set up to lure wealthy foreigners into projects that sometimes go bust, it seems to be the exception to the rule. The EB-5 immigration visa may be the best immigration program the U.S. has to offer.

Foreign investors — most of them from China — are putting up a minimum of $500,000 to renew and rebuild rundown urban areas and create jobs. It’s a legal way in for the kind of immigrant, a fortunate one, that tends to contribute to the neighborhood by bringing in money and jobs. In return, the investor, their spouses and their children under the age of 21 all get a green card. Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrapoza/2016/09/27/why-congress-will-extend-the-eb-5-immigrant-visa-program/#506552b66344

For more information, please, contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

From May 10, 2016, STEM F-1 visa students can work for 3 years under OPT

NEW YORK: F-1 visa students who are enrolled in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields of study from accredited educational institutions in the United States will be allowed, beginning from May 10, 2016, to work for as long as three years under the Optional Practical Training (OPT).
The Department of Homeland Security released its final rule in this matter, which will be published in the Federal Register Friday, March 11. The rule goes into effect on May 10, 2016, which means that all students who are either under OPT till that date, or who qualify for OPT by then, will be able to work further, for a period totaling 36 months. Read more: https://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2016/03/10/may-10-2016-stem-f-1-visa-students-can-work-3-years-opt-45656/
For more information, please, contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

Missing Fingerprints Lead to Over 800 Wrongful U.S. Citizenship Approvals: DHS Report

At least 858 people from countries that are of concern to the United States' national security were able to avoid deportation orders — and actually received citizenship — due to incomplete digital fingerprint records, according to a report released Monday.

The report from the the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General determined that records were missing from a DHS digital repository because paper-based fingerprint cards used prior to 2008 were not consistently digitized.

An FBI repository is also missing records, the report found, because immigrationofficials had not always forwarded fingerprints to the FBI in the past. Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/missing-fingerprints-lead-over-800-wrongful-u-s-citizenship-approvals-n650951

For more information, please, contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

How immigration helps the US economy: Report

Contrary to popular belief, immigration has benefited the US economy and had little effect on the overall wage gap and job market, according to a report by the The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

The report updates a 1997 document that detailed the fiscal effects of the 40 million immigrants on the US economy and labor market. The updatecomes at a time when immigration has come to the forefront of political thought and has become a decisive issue in the presidential election.

When looking at the big picture, the researchers found "little evidence that immigration significantly affects the overall employment levels of native-born workers." Read more: http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/new-economy/2016/0924/How-immigration-helps-the-US-economy-Report

For more information, please, contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

Report: 858 People Got US Citizenship When They Should Have Been Deported

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services granted U.S. citizenship to at least 858 individuals who had been ordered deported or removed under another identity, a report released Monday found.

The individuals had been previously deported and had again entered the U.S. illegally, giving authorities a different name when they were obtained. According to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General, these individuals were not flagged by the digital fingerprint repositories at DHS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation because paper-based fingerprint cards used before 2008 were not reliably digitized and uploaded into the repository. Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/09/19/report-858-people-got-us-citizenship-when-they-should-have-been-deported/

For more information contact, please, Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

2018 Immigrant Visa Lottery Opens in Two Weeks

The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery Registration for 2018 opens Tuesday, October 4, 2016. Entries must be submitted electronically at: https://www.dvlottery.state.gov/ between noon on October 4, 2016 and noon on November 7, 2016, Eastern Standard Time. Qualified applicants are strongly encouraged to register as early as possible. Heavy demand may result in system delays in the final days of the registration period.

The DV Lottery is administered annually by the Department of State, and provides immigrant visas (green cards) each year to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the U.S. This year there are 50,000 DVs available. The visas are distributed among six geographic regions, with a greater number of visas going to regions with lower rates of immigration, and with no visas going to natives of countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants to the U.S. in the past five years. Read more: http://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/2018-immigrant-visa-lottery-opens-in-85667/
For more information contact, please, Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

U.S. Citizenship Can Help You Achieve Your American Dream

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

These are the very first words that I utter on the floor of the Virginia House of Delegates at the beginning of each legislative day.

As the first Asian-born immigrant elected to Virginia’s state legislature since it began meeting in 1619, these words have tremendous personal meaning to me.

When I place my right hand over my heart and recite the Pledge of Allegiance, the words penned in 1892 by Francis Bellamy remind me of that day in December 1991 when I became an American citizen by choice.

That day, the Pledge became more than mere words memorized by school children. For me, making a public commitment of loyalty to America also meant that many doors of opportunities opened for me. Read more: http://newamericamedia.org/2016/09/us-citizenship-can-help-you-achieve-your-american-dream.php
Fore more information, please, contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

Illegal Central American Immigration Surges Again at U.S. Border

For the second time in three years, the U.S. Border Patrol is apprehending more non-Mexicans than Mexicans along the southwest border, reflecting a renewed surge of Central American migrants fleeing violence and gang warfare in their home countries. 

Many of those apprehended are children traveling alone or in so-called “family units,” and come from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, according to newly released statistics from U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement. Nearly two-thirds of the apprehensions occurred within the Rio Grande Valley Border Patrol Sector, spanning much of Texas’s southernmost tip. Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2016/09/15/central-american-illegal-immigration-us-border-loo/

For more information, please, contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman.

How U.S. Immigration Policy Has Changed Since 9/11

U.S. immigration policy is inextricably linked with national security and border control policies. But that wasn’t always the case. The Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks prompted a major shift in the way the country handles immigration, creating new government bodies and tightening restrictions on who is and isn’t allowed in.

“The 9/11 hijackers entered the country with ― a fact that immediately linked immigration with terrorism and national security,” explained the Migration Policy Institute in a 2011 fact sheet. Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/us-immigration-since-911_us_57d05479e4b0a48094a71bc0

For more information, please contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney Darren Heyman

Becoming a U.S. Citizen During Constitution Week

Editor's Note: USCIS Director León Rodríguez, who spoke during last year's national conference of the non-partisan New Americans Campaign, writes that USCIS takes special pride in naturalizing new citizens during Constitution Week.
The U.S. Constitution: it’s a legalistic document that takes about a half-hour to read. Yet it changed the course of history, by encoding the basic principles and values that have managed to sustain our nation as a beacon burning bright for the world for more than two centuries. 

Which is why U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) takes special pride in naturalizing new citizens – good people drawn by that beacon -- during Constitution Week. These ceremonies are an appreciation of the historic connection to the roughly 4,500 words that these brand-new Americans just swore an oath to support and defend. Read more: http://newamericamedia.org/2016/09/becoming-a-us-citizen-during-constitution-week.php
For more information, please contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney, Darren Heyman.

Library hosting US citizenship information workshop

The Paso Robles City Library will host a Spanish language US citizenship information session on Friday, Sept. 23 from 6-8 p.m. in the library conference room located at 1000 Spring Street.

This public workshop is part of the continued efforts of U.S. Citizenship and Information Services (USCIS) to help immigrants better understand the naturalization process, including the content of the naturalization test. The sessionwill also serve to provide access to free educational resources and materials available from the agency.

USCIS personnel will be on-hand to discuss the naturalization process step-by-step and provide information about eligibility and residency requirements, application forms, fees, the background security check and processing times. Participants will also see sample questions from the naturalization test and receive an overview of U.S. history and civic principles. Free educational materials will be available while supplies last. Read more: http://pasoroblesdailynews.com/library-hosting-us-citizenship-information-workshop/61688/

For more information, please contactLas Vegas Immigration Attorney, Darren Heyman.

How hard is it to pass the US citizenship test?

The BBC's Laura Trevelyan, who has lived in the US for the past 12 years, is applying to become a US citizen. That process includes a citizenship test. Here, she recounts her efforts to get up to speed.

It's more than 25 years since I last took a test, and so I'm more than a little out of practice. The brain cells are not what they were, and even the short-term memory is fading.

My initial attempts to study for the US citizenship test were a dismal failure. Pathetic, even. A large booklet called Learn About the United States: Quick Civics Lessons for the Naturalization Test has been sitting by my bedside for months. Read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37014747. 

For more information, please contact Las Vegas Immigration Attorney, Darren Heyman.

Can you pass the test to become a U.S. citizen?

The path to U.S. citizenship includes specific residency requirements, the ability to read, write and speak English, and an understanding of U.S. history and government.

During a naturalization interview, an officer from US Citizenship and Immigration Services may ask up to 10 questions from a list of 100 questions in English. Some answers may change because of elections or political appointments. Applicants must answer correctly 6 of the 10 questions to pass the civics test. Read more: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/07/can_you_pass_the_test_to_become_a_us_citizen.html

Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas Immigration Attorney, for more information. 

US border control could start asking for your social media accounts

US Customs and Border Protection proposal would see Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts requested on landing and visa forms.

The US government is proposing making social media accounts part of the visa screening process for entry into the country.

US Customs and Border Protection’s proposed change would add a line on both the online and paper forms of the visa application form that visitors to the US must fill out if they do not have a visa and are planning on staying for up to 90 days.

The following question would be added to both the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta) and I-94W forms: “Please enter information associated with your online presence—Provider/Platform—Social media identifier.”

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/28/us-customs-border-protection-social-media-accounts-facebook-twitter

Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas Immigration Attorney, for more information.

British Tourists Without New Passports Banned From Entering US

For the thousands of Britons who have booked trips to America recently, their travels may end before they begin, as last month the US quietly rolled out new entry requirements in a stated effort to boost security.

On April 1, the Department of Homeland Security changed admission rules for all foreigners so that every person entering the US is required to have a biometric passport, sometimes referred to as an e-passport. "All travellers wishing to enter the US under the VWP (Visa Waiver Programme) now need to hold a passport with an integrated chip (an ePassport). Your passport is an ePassport if it carries this internationally recognized symbol on the front cover," the YouGov information reads.
For many tourists that have UK passports the news came as an unwelcome revelation.

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/us/20160506/1039156701/brits-banned-us.html#ixzz47pD92wmD

 

Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas Immigration Attorney

Indian Students, Among Hundreds, Face Deportation Over US Visa Fraud

Mostly Indian and Chinese students are among over 1,000 people facing deportation from the US after being caught in an undercover operation that involved a fake university set up by the US government to catch visa fraud.

21 suspects were arrested on Tuesday of felony charges that include conspiracy to commit visa fraud; they could face multiple years in prison.

"Foreigners who used the services will likely not be prosecuted, but will have their visas revoked," New Jersey US Attorney Paul Fishman told reporters on Tuesday. Read more: http://www.ndtv.com/indians-abroad/indians-students-among-hundreds-face-deportation-over-us-visa-fraud-1339668

Contact Darren Heyman, Immigration attorney Las Vegas, for free immigration consultation.

U.S. adds visa restrictions to Yemen, Somalia, Libya travelers

The United States has added Yemen, Somalia and Libya as "countries of concern" under its visa waiver program, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said on Thursday, in a move that will make U.S. visa procedures more stringent for individuals who have visited those nations during the past five years.
The new restrictions were imposed under a law passed after the November attacks in Paris attributed to Islamic State. Citizens of U.S. allies who previously had been able to travel to the United States without first obtaining a visa now will have to apply to U.S. consulates for such visas if they have traveled to those designated countries in the past five years. Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-travel-visa-idUSKCN0VR1W1.

Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas Immigration Attorney for details.

Visa fee hike to hamper trade ties with US: FICCI

Terming the hike in visa fee as “discriminatory”, industry body FICCI today said the move will have a negative impact on efforts made by India and the US to build stronger trade ties.
Such legislation will also hamper the growth of the US economy as it will hurt huge tax revenues coming from Indian IT firms, it said.
“FICCI feels that the hike in special fee on the popular H-1B and L-1 visas for James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 will hamper the growth of the US economy and will be discriminatory for Indian IT companies,” FICCI said in a statement. Read more:http://www.financialexpress.com/article/economy/us-h1b-l-1-visa-fee-hike-to-hamper-trade-ties-with-us-ficci/182688/.

Contact Darren Heyman, Las Vegas Immigration Attorney, for more information.

WASHINGTON: The US today notified massive increase in fees in certain categories of the popular H-1B and L-1 visas which would mainly hit Indian IT companies.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) said applicants for certain categories of H-1B visas post December 18, 2015 must submit an additional fee of USD 4,000.

In addition, for those applying for certain L-1A and L-1B must submit an additional USD 4,500.

Referring to the Consolidated Appropriations ..

Read more at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/50554159.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

WASHINGTON: The US today notified massive increase in fees in certain categories of the popular H-1B and L-1 visas which would mainly hit Indian IT companies.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) said applicants for certain categories of H-1B visas post December 18, 2015 must submit an additional fee of USD 4,000.

In addition, for those applying for certain L-1A and L-1B must submit an additional USD 4,500.

Referring to the Consolidated Appropriations ..

Read more at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/50554159.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst