Immigration News  |
| Changes in immigration that impact your life. |
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| Application Fees for Non-Immigrant Visas to Go Up on January 1, 2008 |
| December 13, 2007 |
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| All U.S. non-immigrant visas are going to be dearer considering the fee increase. Effective January 1, 2008, the application fee for a U.S. non-immigrant visa will increase from $100 to $131. This increase allows the Department to recover the costs of security and other enhancements to the non-immigrant visa application process. |
| U.S. Ratifies the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption |
| December 12, 2007 |
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| The Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Maura Harty formalized the United States' ratification of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption at a ceremony at The Hague. The U.S. is now a full member of the Hague Convention, and its provisions will govern intercountry adoptions between the United States and other Convention member countries beginning April 1, 2008. |
| Second Passport Mega-Center in Tucson in Spring 2008 |
| December 06, 2007 |
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| Due to the rising American public’s need for passports the Department of State has announced its intention to open a new passport center in Tucson, Arizona. The Tucson Passport Center is scheduled to open in the spring of 2008. |
| DV-2008 Visa Lottery Results |
| November 30, 2007 |
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| The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky, has registered and notified the winners of the DV-2008 diversity lottery. The diversity lottery was conducted under the terms of section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and makes available *50,000 permanent resident visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Approximately 96,000 applicants have been registered and notified and may now make an application for an immigrant visa. Since it is likely that some of the first *50,000 persons registered will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, this larger figure should insure that all DV-2008 numbers will be used during fiscal year 2008 (October 1, 2007 until September 30, 2008). Click here for the statistical breakdown by foreign-state chargeability of those registered for the DV-2008 program. |
| I-130 no longer accepted at U.S. Consulates |
| January 27, 2007 |
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| Effective immediately, the immediate relative petition (I-130) must be filed with the USCIS office responsible for the petitioner's place of residence. Consular offices at U.S. embassies and consulates are no longer authorized to accept I-130s, although they will continue to provide guidance to American citizen petitioners and their family members. |
| Final rule on consular interviews for NIV Applicants |
| December 18, 2006 |
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| Effective December 18, 2006, the rule amends guidance to consular offices for the waiver of personal appearance of applicants for nonimmigrant visas. The regulations continue to permit exemptions from the interview requirements of persons in A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1, G-2, G-3 G-4, NATO- 1, NATO-2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, or NATO 6 classifications, and applicants for diplomatic or officials visas. |
| DOS update on green card lottery registrations |
| December 15, 2006 |
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| The U.S. Department of State announced that over 6.4 million entries for the 2008 Diversity Visa Lottery were received during the two-month electronic registration period, from October 4, 2006, through December 3, 2006. |
| DV-2007 lottery winners notified by DOS |
| July 21, 2006 |
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| The Kentucky Consular Center has registered and notified the winners of the DV-2007 diversity lottery. Since DOS has notified over 82,000 applicants and the law allows issuance of only 50,000 annually through DV lottery, it is better to consult an immigration attorney and move forward with your application quickly. |
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