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The
Congress adjourned earlier
this month without undertaking
any measures on comprehensive
immigration reform.
Nothing concrete was
expected though out
of the lame-duck session
and all eyes are on
Fiscal Year 2007.
| With
the festive mood
setting in, you
all must be gearing
up for all the
Christmas and
New Year shopping!
At VisaPro, we
are busy planning
new projects that
we are looking
forward to undertake
in order to live
up to your expectations!
VisaPro |
|
witnessed a lot
of new & exciting
happenings in
2006, starting
from the launch
of country-specific
websites like
www.VisaPro.in,
specifically for
our patrons in
India, our special
anniversary edition
in August, the
overwhelming response
during our immigration
events: |
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seminars
and workshops
in five cities
in India to the
addition of an
array of new services
into the |
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bouquet of services
we already offer.
Last month, I
informed you about
our foray into
the world of U.K.
Immigration.
The launch of
our new U.K. website
will undoubtedly
be a one-stop
immigration point
for all users
from Europe looking
for services related
to not only U.S.
Immigration but
also immigration
to other |
countries.
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Earlier this month,
VisaPro saw the
launch of Visa
Assessment,
a unique service
that enables you
to explore your
Visa
Options to enter
the U.S. on a
work visa and
check your eligibility
to qualify for
an appropriate
visa category.
The added advantage
here |
would be a written assessment
from a VisaPro attorney.
I can vouch for the
fact that this is a
“one-of-its-kind” service
which provides a graphical
analysis of your chances
to qualify for a U.S.
visa. So, what are you
waiting for? Do let
us know if you are
unable to find your
profession in the list.
I look forward to receiving
your feedback on our
new venture!
For nationals of treaty
countries, we have launched
“Full Service” packages
for E-1 and E-2 visas.
Our
“Full Service”
packages absolve you
the hassles involved
in incorporating a new
office in the U.S.,
looking for an appropriate
physical office space,
and then filing your
visa application. On
the lines of our L-1
Full Service package,
our E-1
Full Service and
E-2
Full Service packages
will release you from
the procedural formalities
of establishing a new
office and help you
concentrate on planning
the business and client
development in the U.S.
I received emails from
our dedicated readers
appreciating the excerpt
from our attorney's
experiences during his
visit to Delhi in connection
with our immigration
events in India. This
month's IN
FOCUS section will
yet again cover his
experiences in Pune.
Don't miss his amusing
ride to the airport!
In the forthcoming weeks,
you will continue to
have a detailed insight
into our attorney's
rendezvous with India-various
experiences in 5 different
cities, from the capital
Delhi to the royal city
of Hyderabad.
This month’s Immigration
Article brings to
you the aspiration for
better lives that makes
people come to the US.
At VisaPro, we help
you analyze your scenario
and suggest relevant
visa options. The Immigration
Article is from a writer
who presents an idea
on how some people have
seen their dreams come
to reality by making
the right choices.
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Congratulations
to Kim
Balmer
for winning last
month's Immigration
Quiz . Kim receives
a FREE online
consultation with
a VisaPro attorney.
Put on your thinking
caps for your
responses to this
month's question.
Also, keep watching
the |
Immigration
News of our website
for the latest updates
on the Congress action,
as and when it happens.
On behalf of the entire
VisaPro team, I
wish you Merry Christmas
and a Very Happy New
Year!
Enjoy your holidays!
Don't forget to view
the special greeting
card, just for you
from all of us at VisaPro.
If you liked this month's
newsletter design, kudos
to our entire Graphics
Design team at VisaPro
for making it more
c o
l o
r
f
u
l
for the holidays! Don't
forget to add our address
Immigration-Monitor@VisaPro.com
to the list of your
contacts so that you
remain abreast with
our upcoming services,
new websites bringing
you the latest in the
Immigration world!
See you in
the next edition in
the next year with a
lot more!
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DOS
update on Green Card Lottery registrations
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.
USCIS reaches H-2B cap for first
half of fiscal year 2007
USCIS has announced that
it has received a sufficient number
of petitions to reach the congressionally
mandated H-2B cap for the first
six months of Fiscal Year 2007.
USCIS
naturalization test redesign
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) is revising the
naturalization test to create a
test and testing process that is
standardized, fair and meaningful
in order to maintain consistency
between offices.
A
Rendezvous with India: Immigration
Seminar in Pune
Bringing to you the second article
from our attorney's diary on our
recent seminars and workshops in
various cities in India. This article
contains exciting anecdotes from
his travel experiences and stay
in Pune.
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| DOWNLOAD |
| Download
this Newsletter in PDF Format. |
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| IMMIGRATION
QUIZ |
Win
a FREE Online
Consultation!
Submit
your answer to
the query below.
The best response
will be published
in the next Immigration
Monitor
and the winner
will receive a
FREE
Online Consultation
from an Experienced
VisaPro Immigration
Attorney during
the month of
January 2007. |
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I
am currently
working with
a company on
L-1A visa. I
am planning
to apply for
Green Card,
but my employer
is not willing
to sponsor for
my Green card.
Do I have to
apply by myself?
If I find an
employer who
is ready to
sponsor my Green
Card, should
I work for them
right away?
I have a two
year contract
with my current
employer. |
| Submit
Your Answer |
|
| Winner
of the Immigration
Quiz - November
2006: |
Kim
Balmer
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| The
Question: |
| I
am Chinese citizen
working with a
Chinese company
as a Sales Executive
since past three
months. I hold
a 3-year bachelor's
degree in commerce
from a Chinese
University . My
company wants
me to work as
Business Development
Executive for
the U.S. office.
I am confused
whether I can
use an L-1 or
H-1B visa. Do
I qualify for
both? Which one
is the better
option? |
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| The
Winning Response: |
To
qualify for an
L-1 visa, you
should have worked
with the Chinese
company at least
for1 year in the
last three years.
Hence, I think
L-1 is not an
option for you.
For an H-1B visa,
you need to have
a four year bachelor's
degree or the
equivalent in
work experience.
You need to have
three years of
work experience
for each year
of missing university
education. If
you have any prior
experience other
than the 3 months
with the current
employer, you
may qualify for
H-1B. In addition
to that, H-1B
is subject to
annual cap. The
cap for FY 2007
is already reached.
So, your employer
can petition a
new H-1B for you
only in April,
2007 and you can
start work on
H-1B in October,
2007. |
|
| Kim
Balmer
receives a FREE
Online Consultation
from an Experienced
VisaPro Immigration
Attorney during
the month of December
2006. |
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Raj
becomes a successful consultant
in the USA
Raj
is a database architect whose
services are in great demand.
Raj is currently employed
by a small consulting firm
in the United States where
he works under a work visa
on projects that client companies
all over the US outsource
to his employer. Raj's work
is so well respected by the
project managers at client
companies that many of them
specifically ask that the
consulting firm assign Raj
to work on their projects.
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| QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS |
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| 1. |
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Hi
I am married to
a US citizen for
the last 3 yrs
and had entered
US on a K-1.
But I married
my fiancé after
6 months of entering
US. Can my spouse
still apply for
a green card?
Since you entered
the US legally
(even though you
have overstayed),
and you are married
to a US citizen,
you can file for
adjustment of
status in the
US and complete
the green card
process here (in
fact because you
have been out
of status for
over a year you
cannot leave the
US until you get
your green card
without becoming
subject to the
10 year bar).
You will be scheduled
for an interview,
at which time,
assuming your
file is complete,
you will be granted
your permanent
residence status.
Since you have
been married for
longer than 2
years you will
be granted an
'unrestricted'
green card (persons
married less than
2 years at the
time the green
card is granted
are give conditional
residence status
for 2 years and
must remove the
conditions at
the end of the
2 years).
|
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| GOT
A
QUESTION? |
If
you
have
a
short,
simple
query
on
immigration
to
the
U.S.,
send
your
questions
to
us.
We
will
select
and
answer
a
few
of
the
queries
in
every
issue.
Note:
Responses
posted
in
this
section
provide
only
general
information.
Since
immigration
law
is
a
complex
matter,
please
consult
an
immigration
attorney
before
acting
upon
any
responses
provided. |
| Ask
Your
Question |
|
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| 2. |
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I
am on visa waiver, can
I exchange my visa category
in J-1?
Thanks I will wait your
reply.
To stay in
the US on a J-1 visa,
you have to go through
one of the J-1 sponsoring
agencies. Each agency
has their own rules
for program participation.
Once you find a potential
employer, you would
then have to check with
the various agencies
to determine if they
would sponsor you for
that employer. The J-1
sponsor would then issue
you a form DS-2019 so
that you could get the
visa. The J-1 training/internship
visa is generally good
for up to 18 months.
Unfortunately, since
you entered the US on
the visa waiver, you
would not be able to
change status here in
the US. You would have
to return to Italy and
get the visa before
you could enter the
US and start working.
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"Hi
[VisaPro legal
team] and happy
holidays to you
and your staff.
I just wanted
you to know that
Visa Pro filed
an adjustment
of status
for my wife's
K-1 visa on November
7 and yesterday,
December 22 she
got her green
card in the mail.
Very fast and
we are going to
have the best
Christmas ever
thanks to your
organization.
We will contact
you again in a
year and a half
or so to file
for the removal
of conditions.
It just doesnt
get any better
than this."
Thanks again
Robert
and Aiesa Bergmann,
United States
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Your Feedback |
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| Do you have
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news to report? We will give
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to whoever provides us with
the best news story of the
month. Send
your story. |
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| "Immigration
Monitor" is published
monthly for users and clients of
VisaPro.com. Our goal is to help
keep you informed of the trends
and events related to US Immigration. |
| Copyright
© 2006 VisaPro.com - All rights
reserved. |
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