STAmisha
03-27 06:31 PM
What documentation I need to convert from H1 to h4? Do I need to go outside US for this. I'm on H1 and I dont have paychecks since I'm on bench.
I want to convert back to H4 soon.
I want to convert back to H4 soon.
needhelp!
02-11 03:15 PM
Link is not working for me.
Green.Tech
09-11 11:36 AM
Are there any PERM approvals with priority date after DEC 08? I believe a lot of people on IV have already passed this stage (Many may have EAD by now) and there may not be many in this PERM queue. There are people like us who are still stuck with PERM and need to hear from fellow IVians if they are aware of the reasons for the PERM delays. It is taking more than 10 months to get the regular PERM approvals.
ivar,
From my passive reading about PERM on this forum and other forums, it seems like DOL is currently processing Nov 2008 PERM cases. So, I doubt you will see many people who have approved PERMs from after Dec 2008. But hang in tight, your time will come!
GT
ivar,
From my passive reading about PERM on this forum and other forums, it seems like DOL is currently processing Nov 2008 PERM cases. So, I doubt you will see many people who have approved PERMs from after Dec 2008. But hang in tight, your time will come!
GT
mohitb272
03-19 01:17 PM
No, I140 is not denied, its pending as per USCIS website. However, reason for I485 denial is that I140 is denied. Is this something to do with the RFE on I140? I dont see any logic in this...
more...
learning01
03-23 02:06 PM
As the discussion of immigration bills is heating up, we have a need for a format of email (preferably culled from immigration voice home page). We need to continue the media contact blitz because many of these media folks don't know the issues pertaining the legal immigrants; in particular GC and I-485 issues.
I have already emailed this idea to 'contact us' email of immigration voice.
I have attached a sample media format, that we can work today and finalize.
It starts:
..............
In my opinion, the immigration discussion that is currently going on and scheduled to come up for discussion at the Senate on Mar 27th, 2006, should alleviate the problems faced by legal immigrants who are in the country for a number of years., persons like me. They are facing many problems in their pursit of permanent residency. This discussion should specifically address the process of naturalization and obtaining a Green Card. This and its related issues are listed below:
(read the attachment for full write up)
...........................
Any ideas.
I have already emailed this idea to 'contact us' email of immigration voice.
I have attached a sample media format, that we can work today and finalize.
It starts:
..............
In my opinion, the immigration discussion that is currently going on and scheduled to come up for discussion at the Senate on Mar 27th, 2006, should alleviate the problems faced by legal immigrants who are in the country for a number of years., persons like me. They are facing many problems in their pursit of permanent residency. This discussion should specifically address the process of naturalization and obtaining a Green Card. This and its related issues are listed below:
(read the attachment for full write up)
...........................
Any ideas.
SherazKhan
12-05 06:57 PM
The RFE just asked for a copy of my NSEERS registration on the back of my I-94. Its been send by my lawyer
more...
anuh1
03-24 02:21 PM
I am also in the same boat. i have applied for PWD on second week of Feb but still waiting. it looks like it is taking around 6 to 7 months just for applying labor and after that approval will be one more year assuming no RFE.
gconmymind
10-04 03:53 PM
Yes, you have to submit your papers at least 5 business days I think before your interview date. It is a requirement for the Mumbai consulate. Mumbai consulate is like my second home :(.
Question.
When I check the website I see this Step 4:
Does this mean that I first need to pass the documents to the application centre and only then after 3 days can I go to the embassy?
Can't I just get the date and go to the embassy direct?
Question.
When I check the website I see this Step 4:
Does this mean that I first need to pass the documents to the application centre and only then after 3 days can I go to the embassy?
Can't I just get the date and go to the embassy direct?
more...
Ann Ruben
07-23 11:37 PM
The AC21 determination of whether a new job is in "the same or similar occupation" is made based on a comparison of the new job duties and those set forth on the original labor certification application. Job titles are not controlling. So, you need to have a copy of your original LC application and then compare the job description it contains to the duties of the new position.
USCIS has not provide much guidance on what will or will not qualify as the "same or similar" occupational classification. What little guidance exists comes from a 2005 memo to Service Centers from Michael Aytes:
"Question 3. What is “same or similar” occupational classification for purposes of I-140 portability?
Answer: When making a determination if the new employment is the “same or similar” occupational classification in comparison to the employment in the initial I-140, adjudicators should consider the following factors:
A. Description of the job duties contained in the ETA 750A or the initial I-140 and the job duties of the new employment to determine if they are the “same or similar” occupational classification.
B. The DOT code and/or SOC code assigned to the initial I-140 employment for petitions that have a certified ETA 750A or consider what DOT and/or SOC code is appropriate for the position for an initial I-140 that did not require a certified ETA 750A. Then consider the DOT code and/or SOC code, whichever is appropriate for the new position to make a determination of “same or similar” occupational classification.
C. A substantial discrepancy between the previous and the new wage. (See Question 5 of this section for further clarification).
Question 5. Should service centers or district officers use a difference in the wage offered on the approved labor certification and initial I-140, and the new employment as basis for denial in adjustment portability cases?
Answer: No. As noted above the relevant inquiry is if the new position is the same or similar occupational classification to the alien’s I-140 employment. A difference in the wage offered on the approved labor certification, initial I-140 and the new employment cannot be used as a basis of a denial. However, a substantial discrepancy between the previous and the new wage may be taken into consideration as a factor in determining if the new employment is 'same or similar.'"
The bottom line is that in order to establish that your new position is in the same or similar occupational classification, you must first compare the specific job duties described in the original application for labor certification to the specific job duties of the new position. Nothing from USCIS specifically addresses what percentage of identical job duties would be required, but the closer to 100% the better. Job titles do not matter, job duties do. Next, you need to find the DOT USDOL/Office of Administrative Law Judges Home Page and/or SOC Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System codes written on your original LC/I-140 and compare the occupational descriptions for those codes to the job duties of your new position. USCIS has never indicated what percentage of identical/similar job duties will suffice in either of the comparisons. Most likely it must be more than 50%, and the closer to 100% the better. Finally, a substantial difference in salary is not determinative, but, in a close case may lead to a denial. To combat this, reference can be made to the DOL's Online Wage Library FLCDataCenter.com current wage survey for the occupation. If the new salary is within the range indicated for the original SOC occupation, you can make a strong argument that the increase is due to the passage of time and not to a change in occupational classification.
USCIS has not provide much guidance on what will or will not qualify as the "same or similar" occupational classification. What little guidance exists comes from a 2005 memo to Service Centers from Michael Aytes:
"Question 3. What is “same or similar” occupational classification for purposes of I-140 portability?
Answer: When making a determination if the new employment is the “same or similar” occupational classification in comparison to the employment in the initial I-140, adjudicators should consider the following factors:
A. Description of the job duties contained in the ETA 750A or the initial I-140 and the job duties of the new employment to determine if they are the “same or similar” occupational classification.
B. The DOT code and/or SOC code assigned to the initial I-140 employment for petitions that have a certified ETA 750A or consider what DOT and/or SOC code is appropriate for the position for an initial I-140 that did not require a certified ETA 750A. Then consider the DOT code and/or SOC code, whichever is appropriate for the new position to make a determination of “same or similar” occupational classification.
C. A substantial discrepancy between the previous and the new wage. (See Question 5 of this section for further clarification).
Question 5. Should service centers or district officers use a difference in the wage offered on the approved labor certification and initial I-140, and the new employment as basis for denial in adjustment portability cases?
Answer: No. As noted above the relevant inquiry is if the new position is the same or similar occupational classification to the alien’s I-140 employment. A difference in the wage offered on the approved labor certification, initial I-140 and the new employment cannot be used as a basis of a denial. However, a substantial discrepancy between the previous and the new wage may be taken into consideration as a factor in determining if the new employment is 'same or similar.'"
The bottom line is that in order to establish that your new position is in the same or similar occupational classification, you must first compare the specific job duties described in the original application for labor certification to the specific job duties of the new position. Nothing from USCIS specifically addresses what percentage of identical job duties would be required, but the closer to 100% the better. Job titles do not matter, job duties do. Next, you need to find the DOT USDOL/Office of Administrative Law Judges Home Page and/or SOC Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) System codes written on your original LC/I-140 and compare the occupational descriptions for those codes to the job duties of your new position. USCIS has never indicated what percentage of identical/similar job duties will suffice in either of the comparisons. Most likely it must be more than 50%, and the closer to 100% the better. Finally, a substantial difference in salary is not determinative, but, in a close case may lead to a denial. To combat this, reference can be made to the DOL's Online Wage Library FLCDataCenter.com current wage survey for the occupation. If the new salary is within the range indicated for the original SOC occupation, you can make a strong argument that the increase is due to the passage of time and not to a change in occupational classification.
jayleno
08-28 11:48 AM
Be doubly sure that this is a standard response for SR or otherwise from USCIS. Customer service says the same. Sometimes infopass too.
more...
Simran21
10-01 05:35 AM
While taking a VISA appointment , there is a question which says "Are you applying for same visa class that expired in the last 12 months?"
Here are my doubts
1. I had a H1 B VISA which expired in May 2007 processed by my previous employer. As I am applying for the same VISA class , but though a differnt employer, should the answer be 'YES'?
2. Since my daughter will be appearing for the H4 VISA interview for the FIRST TIME, Is she also eligible to come along with me if I choose "YES" to the question "Are you applying for same visa class that expired in the last 12 months?".
Thanks in advance.
Here are my doubts
1. I had a H1 B VISA which expired in May 2007 processed by my previous employer. As I am applying for the same VISA class , but though a differnt employer, should the answer be 'YES'?
2. Since my daughter will be appearing for the H4 VISA interview for the FIRST TIME, Is she also eligible to come along with me if I choose "YES" to the question "Are you applying for same visa class that expired in the last 12 months?".
Thanks in advance.
boreal
02-08 12:38 PM
In a move that could ruffle a few feathers in the Barack Obama administration, American entertainment giant Warner Bros has said it will be outsourcing jobs to India.
I think this kind of a thing is going to happen more and more in the future. If you cut-off H1-b supply, choke green card process for legal immigrants (would-be), throw spanners into the wheels of a slowing economy by ill-thought restriction-ist policies, how are the companies going to survive (and rake in the moolah for the investors, get fat bonuses to the CEOs etc)? Its just not possible to hire some citizen who happens to be lying around without work, it just doesnt work that way. Skill-set counts. Otherwise, we would have seen a lot more citizens (whites specifically) around our work-places (software/hardware development). It is not pure coincidental and only to reduce wages that one finds tonnes and tonnes of Chinese/Indian folks slogging around in tech offices. Around 2005 when our company (big storage giant) was trying to hire for our Software development team, we couldnt find many candidates even to interview for regular Network programming (C/C++ types) jobs..so we had to go and hire an entry level graduate (MS), a white guy who had no programming skills (was a Project Mgr earlier, and looking for job) and another Developer from Canada. Ofcourse, I didnt even clear the guy with no programming skills but my manager took him anyway as we were not even finding folks to interview..and the guy left after a couple of months unable to cope with programming related challenges..Long story short, you need the right set of people to work the right set of jobs!
This is something that idiots like Grasslet/Sessions/King etc will never understand. All they are trying to do is pander to a particular vote base and thats what they will continue to do.
I think this kind of a thing is going to happen more and more in the future. If you cut-off H1-b supply, choke green card process for legal immigrants (would-be), throw spanners into the wheels of a slowing economy by ill-thought restriction-ist policies, how are the companies going to survive (and rake in the moolah for the investors, get fat bonuses to the CEOs etc)? Its just not possible to hire some citizen who happens to be lying around without work, it just doesnt work that way. Skill-set counts. Otherwise, we would have seen a lot more citizens (whites specifically) around our work-places (software/hardware development). It is not pure coincidental and only to reduce wages that one finds tonnes and tonnes of Chinese/Indian folks slogging around in tech offices. Around 2005 when our company (big storage giant) was trying to hire for our Software development team, we couldnt find many candidates even to interview for regular Network programming (C/C++ types) jobs..so we had to go and hire an entry level graduate (MS), a white guy who had no programming skills (was a Project Mgr earlier, and looking for job) and another Developer from Canada. Ofcourse, I didnt even clear the guy with no programming skills but my manager took him anyway as we were not even finding folks to interview..and the guy left after a couple of months unable to cope with programming related challenges..Long story short, you need the right set of people to work the right set of jobs!
This is something that idiots like Grasslet/Sessions/King etc will never understand. All they are trying to do is pander to a particular vote base and thats what they will continue to do.
more...
roseball
05-04 11:11 PM
Hi All,
Recently I received an RFE on my Wife's 485 application asking to prove that we both are still married. My lawyer is asking for around $400 to respond to this RFE, We have already paid the lawyer about $7500 until now for our GC process and she is no longer the preferred lawyer for the company that I am working for, but I had to keep my case with her as she has processed all of my applications until now. My questions are:
1. Can we ourselves respond to the RFE and save the $400.00,
2. If so, What's the process and what documents that we need to send to prove that we are still married.
Appreciate all of your help in this regard.
Thanks
Yes, you can reply to RFE directly. One of my friends recently got a similar RFE and the RFE included the type of documents to submit. The following is the text from the RFE:
"Submit evidence to demonstrate that your present marriage to XXXX is bonafide. This may be in the form of birth certificates for common children, documentary evidence of joint residence and/or ownership of property, joint income tax returns, joint financial accounts, spousal insurance coverage and other such documentation. If you fail to submit any evience or of you submit insufficient evidence, you application may be considered for denial"
His lawyer is charging him similar fee so mailed all the above mentioned documents directly with a cover letter and copy of the RFE. Hope this helps.
Recently I received an RFE on my Wife's 485 application asking to prove that we both are still married. My lawyer is asking for around $400 to respond to this RFE, We have already paid the lawyer about $7500 until now for our GC process and she is no longer the preferred lawyer for the company that I am working for, but I had to keep my case with her as she has processed all of my applications until now. My questions are:
1. Can we ourselves respond to the RFE and save the $400.00,
2. If so, What's the process and what documents that we need to send to prove that we are still married.
Appreciate all of your help in this regard.
Thanks
Yes, you can reply to RFE directly. One of my friends recently got a similar RFE and the RFE included the type of documents to submit. The following is the text from the RFE:
"Submit evidence to demonstrate that your present marriage to XXXX is bonafide. This may be in the form of birth certificates for common children, documentary evidence of joint residence and/or ownership of property, joint income tax returns, joint financial accounts, spousal insurance coverage and other such documentation. If you fail to submit any evience or of you submit insufficient evidence, you application may be considered for denial"
His lawyer is charging him similar fee so mailed all the above mentioned documents directly with a cover letter and copy of the RFE. Hope this helps.
Vishal2007
02-04 06:30 PM
definitely your entry should be deneid, you are not uncapale to solve your domestic problem, how come you are going to do good to this country by getting GC. (I agree these people are not good as you, but before they start domestic voilence there are on citizen/GC (either one of them),
more...
balimysore
08-06 11:29 AM
Hi Guys (and gals)
My application got approved today. The above posts shows what it was showing and everything. Hope you are in the same boat and your get approved as well. Good luck!
Now at least I know that they do process the cases that were transfered. aat0995: Can you please mention your USCIS receive date for I 140.
Mine was received by NSC on Mar 22, 2007 and transfered to TSC on Apr 29 2008. I am on EB3.
My application got approved today. The above posts shows what it was showing and everything. Hope you are in the same boat and your get approved as well. Good luck!
Now at least I know that they do process the cases that were transfered. aat0995: Can you please mention your USCIS receive date for I 140.
Mine was received by NSC on Mar 22, 2007 and transfered to TSC on Apr 29 2008. I am on EB3.
jiraprapaasa
04-13 11:47 AM
Did you 4 years old get a visa yet? How about your neice and nephew? The agent in Thailand called my niece mother and ask for money in order to prepare her paperwork for an interview. Do you think she should hire an agent there to make sure she got everything correctly.
I have no ideas about 12 years old going to the interview. Have no clue what kinds of question?
I have no ideas about 12 years old going to the interview. Have no clue what kinds of question?
more...
SunnySurya
08-04 10:09 AM
How about some green dots guys for sharing such a inspirational story...
140jibjab
01-11 12:24 PM
You wil need to Update your Biographic information(there is a form # for it) for your I485 application. It is not mandatory. But is adviced to do so. Why are you hesitating to update your I485 to drop your spouse?
US consulate in India will not have the information regarding I485.
Thanks So much for the Answers.
Can you please answer one more Question?
I m not updating the INS regarding the Divorce, when my new wife attaends the H4, she would show the Divorce and Remarried certficate to the Consulate is that good enough so that they would take care of evrything?
Thank you again
US consulate in India will not have the information regarding I485.
Thanks So much for the Answers.
Can you please answer one more Question?
I m not updating the INS regarding the Divorce, when my new wife attaends the H4, she would show the Divorce and Remarried certficate to the Consulate is that good enough so that they would take care of evrything?
Thank you again
sanjay
04-04 11:37 AM
For my son PIO ( applied in Chicago ) took 17 days to be delivered at my home address. I went to Indian Consulate in Chicago and asked them which way should I go. Visa or PIO and they told me to go for PIO as it is for 10 years and also had very less paper work involved.
If you can wait for another 20 days then go for PIO. Also, I don't know if PIO had any expedite services. Now a days, all processing are premium and ordinary.
If you can wait for another 20 days then go for PIO. Also, I don't know if PIO had any expedite services. Now a days, all processing are premium and ordinary.
pitha
01-21 12:12 AM
IV in good faith shared there plan about 485 provision with everybody. And it backfired spectacularly, though for no fault of IV. There were (and still are) a lot of bad apples who made a lot of noise not just here but also went on to other sites to carry there agenda. There agenda is to oppose 485. I am not against idea of opposite point of view but look at the extent these people went to push there agenda. They are calling IV all sorts of names and casting aspirations on IV team.
I personally support the filing of 485 provision. But whatever decision IV has about 485 issues may be it is better of that they not disclose it. Hind sight is 20-20 but it might have been better if IV pushed this idea without informing everybody.
I am not second guessing or doing Monday night quarterbacking but just saying with the lessons learned going forward not to disclose information. Democracy does not mean leadership has to run by each decision or explain each decision to everybody. IV is stuck between the devil and deep sea. Damned if the disclose damned if they do not disclose. Bottom line of what I am trying to say is we should get used to information blackouts. We are not getting any information but the important thing is our opposition is also not getting information about IV plans. It might be better that way. Now the difficult part is explaining that to people who want updates.
I personally support the filing of 485 provision. But whatever decision IV has about 485 issues may be it is better of that they not disclose it. Hind sight is 20-20 but it might have been better if IV pushed this idea without informing everybody.
I am not second guessing or doing Monday night quarterbacking but just saying with the lessons learned going forward not to disclose information. Democracy does not mean leadership has to run by each decision or explain each decision to everybody. IV is stuck between the devil and deep sea. Damned if the disclose damned if they do not disclose. Bottom line of what I am trying to say is we should get used to information blackouts. We are not getting any information but the important thing is our opposition is also not getting information about IV plans. It might be better that way. Now the difficult part is explaining that to people who want updates.
kaushik07
10-30 08:13 AM
Iam july 2nd filers for I-485, I-765 and I-131 at the Nebraska Service center. Haven't seen any activity yet. called the USCIS last evening and the answer I got is still not in the system. Is there anyone who is still in the same boat? please update!
