Monthly Archives: February 2008 - Page 2

Seven Secrets To Surviving An Immigration Audit

Posted by on February 29, 2008 Comments Off

Recently, there has been a huge upsurge in workplace raids by Immigration in response to growing political pressure. Immigration is aggresively enforcing laws that are already on the books, which prohibit an employer from “knowingly” employing an unauthorized alien. This change was outlined in an April, 2006 memo, setting forth their new workplace enforcement strategy. Consequently, employers need to get ready now, so that they will be prepared when Immigration knocks on the door. Here are seven secrets to surviving an Immigration Audit:

#1 Do An Internal I-9 Audit Now. Don’t wait for Immigration to raid your workplace or to send you a letter demanding to inspect your I-9 Forms within 72 hours to first review them. Do it now. Compare your payroll with your I-9 forms and make sure that you have an I-9 Form for all employees. Make sure that they all have been filled out correctly and completely. Read more »

Understanding Green Card

Posted by on February 29, 2008 Comments Off

The United States Permanent Resident Card, better understood as the Green Card, is the identification card of individuals who live permanently in the United States but are not U.S. citizens. It is the proof that the person is legally permissible to stay and work in the United States and acquires most of the rights of a U.S. citizen. Its original name was Alien Registration Receipt Card which is now called the Permanent Resident Card or form I-551 or simply Green Card.

Originally, the Permanent Resident Card is green thus the name green card. But over the years, the card’s color has been replaced several times. By 2005, the lettering at the back of the card is the only prominent part of the card that is green and the rest it white. Still, the green card marks its title to the card and the current name in use. It contains the name and photograph plus other information of the holder. The card has also been improved a number of times to avoid counterfeiting. Read more »

The 7 Most Common Mistakes Green Card Applicants Make and How to Avoid Them

Posted by on February 29, 2008 Comments Off

Applying for a US Permanent Residency card (or Green Card) is an important step for immigrants seeking to live and work in the United States.

Green Cards are issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), who has set instructions and filing fees that must be followed stringently—otherwise, your application may be denied or delayed.

Below are some tips on how to avoid the most common mistakes that result in a Green Card application being delayed or denied. Read more »

The Green Card Interview At the INS

Posted by on February 29, 2008 Comments Off

Before your wife is issued a Green Card or given permanent residency, you both will have to attend a Green Card interview by an INS officer.

You will be notified of the date of your interview weeks in advance. Your INS interviewer will have your complete file in front of him or her and will have reviewed it by the time your interview has arrived.

Our interview went very smooth. The INS officer asked similar questions about how we met, how long we’ve known each other, et cetera, that we had at the US embassy when applying for our fiancé visa.

The purpose of the interview is to determine the legitimacy of our relationship and my wife’s claim for permanent residency. Read more »

Travel And Work Permits: Other Important Documents To Get While Applying For Your Green Card

Posted by on February 29, 2008 Comments Off

While applying for your adjustment of status, it makes sense to apply for two other INS documents:

One is Form I-131 Petition for Travel Document. Technically speaking, your fiancé cannot leave the country until her Permanent Residency is approved, i.e. she gets her Green Card. Getting a Green Card may take a minimum of several months and may take as long as two years.

If she does leave, she may not be readmitted to the United States. The fiancé visa is a visa that allows entry into the US one time. It is not a visa that allows you to come and go in and out of the US at will. Read more »

How to Become a Legal Immigrant – The Green Card and Naturalization

Posted by on February 29, 2008 Comments Off

The process for a foreign citizen to legally acquire a green card and eventually become a legal naturalized citizen of the U.S. is difficult, time consuming, and expensive. Many critics of the system maintain that if the process was simpler there would be far fewer foreign citizens entering and remaining in the U.S. illegally.

When a foreign citizen visits the U.S. as a tourist, a medical patient, a student, or for business purposes, they generally need to present only a valid national passport, a photo ID card or birth certificate, and sometimes an entry visa. A visa is simply an endorsement on a document that shows authenticity and conveys permission to travel to and to enter a foreign country. This type of visa is also known as a nonimmigrant visa. Fees for a passport, a nonimmigrant visa, and a border crossing card total about $595. Read more »

Criminal Inadmissibility and the “Petty Offense Exception”

Posted by on February 28, 2008 Comments Off

MYTH: If you have ever been convicted of a any criminal offense, you are automatically inadmissible to the United States and must apply for a waiver.

“Hello, Attorney Ortega, I need a waiver and I need it fast. I am booked on a flight to Miami that leaves in a week to attend a convention, and I just found out that I am inadmissible.”

“Have you already been refused entry to the United States?”

“No, but?”

“Then what makes you think you are inadmissible?”

“Well, I have a criminal conviction.”

“All right, we will get to that in a second; why do you think that you’re inadmissible?” Read more »

American Visas Shall Rise in Price Starting With 1 January, 2008

Posted by on February 28, 2008 Comments Off

According to the press service of the USA State Department in Washington, the consular fee paid at presentation of documents for receiving non-immigration visa to the USA rises in price starting with 1 January, 2008, from today’s 100 dollars to 131 dollars.

Among the reasons of increase in rates the State Department names inflation, the need for costs on new technologies and visa protection, as well as invoices issued by the FBI to the State Department for processing finger-prints of both hands taken at receipt of the visa documents. Read more »

US Immigration Visa Guide

Posted by on February 28, 2008 Comments Off

New US Immigration Visas are very flexible and available to the people living in other nations. The U.S. Immigration visa allows a person who desires to travel to the United States of America from any country as a non-immigrant or immigrant should apply for entry permission at a Consulate outside the United States.

Few years back the process of getting immigration visas are lengthy and requires substantial paperwork. Applications are submitted to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and then the foreign nations must attend an interview at an U.S. consulate. It takes so much time for processing and can take several months; mistakes in applications can result in even delays for years. Read more »

Green Card Lottery – Visa Not Guaranteed

Posted by on February 28, 2008 Comments Off

It’s called the diversity visa lottery program, but to most it’s known as the green card lottery. Chances of winning are slim, but still there’s a chance. Thousands join in each year to take a chance at the green card lottery. The program is open to many countries and many do win.

One fellow from Brazil won two years ago and brought his family to live in sunny Orlando, Florida. It happens probably more than you think, and is one legal and proper way to come into the united states. Read more »

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