Various Immigration Topics

Various Immigration Topics

Visa Bulletin: The Department of State says that the Movement of Cutoff Dates Each Month Will be More Predictable The prior version of the monthly visa bulletin had only the usual one chart of cutoff dates.  This meant that the Department of State established cutoff dates based upon fairly limited information. This often resulted in inaccurate estimates and sometimes caused retrogression of cutoff dates.

Under the new system, the DOS will be able to determine visa number demand based on the I-485 applications submitted to the USCIS.  Thus, the DOS will have data to use in refining its calculations for visa number availability.  This should result in a far more predictable visa bulletin system and help to prevent the wild fluctuations of cutoff dates in the monthly visa bulletins. The movement should become much more predictable from month-to-month.

 

Third Parties May Now Pay USCIS Immigrant Fees Online

In response to customer feedback, USCIS has implemented new online payment procedures for the $160 Green Card fees for immigrants. Third parties may now pay immigrant fees online for any immigrant as long as they have the immigrant’s Alien Registration Number (A-Number) and State Department Case ID.    Any immigrant acquiring lawful permanent residence must pay the USCIS immigrant fee, which covers costs to process, produce, and deliver the Green Cards.

The US Consulate in Saigon usually suggests that people pay the Green Card fee before they leave Vietnam.    But according to the experience that California RMI staff has had, if the CIS fee is paid before leaving Vietnam, it will take 1 - 3 months to get the Green Card after arrival in the US.   But, if the fee is paid after arrival, it will be quicker because CIS will already have received the file.   In that case it will be probably just be a few weeks after arrival for processing the Green Card.

 

Of course, on arrival, the immigrant will have a CIS stamp placed in the passport, indicating admission as a legal permanent resident.  That will authorize the immigrant to accept employment, after the Social Security number is received.

 White House Announces that the U.S. Will Admit 10,000 Syrian Refugees

As Syrian refugees continue to flee violent civil conflict in their home country, the White House announced that the United States will welcome at least 10,000 more Syrian refugees.

Since the Syrian civil conflict began in 2011, more than half of the population of Syria has been displaced. Admitting 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States will start to relieve some of the pressure on Middle-Eastern and European countries.  

In total, the U.S. will accept 75,000 refugees from around the world in the new Fiscal Year beginning October 1st, though Secretary of State John Kerry said the administration will ask Congress to increase refugee admittances beyond the limit of 75,000 in order to accept more than 10,000 Syrian refugees. 

California Issues Half a Million Immigrant Driver Licenses

California has issued more than half a million driver's licenses to immigrants who are in the country illegally.   The Department of Motor Vehicles said that the half million mark  was reached in mid-September.    California expects to issue at least  1.4 million licenses to immigrants in the country illegally.   The program is aimed at making the roads safer and immigrants' lives easier.

U.S. Immigrant Population Hit a Record 42.4 Million in 2014

The nation's immigrant population (legal and illegal) grew by 2.4 million people since 2010 and is up one million from 2013 to 2014.    Growth in the immigrant population has rebounded following the Great Recession.    These latest statistics include naturalized citizens, legal permanent residents (green card holders), temporary workers, and foreign students.   

 

In the year 2,000, there were 988,000 Vietnamese immigrants in the US.    Ten years later, the number reached 1,240,000.    By 2014, there were 1,290,000 Vietnamese immigrants in the US.  This number does not include any children born to immigrants in the United States.     

This year, Vietnam is expected to receive between $13 billion and $14 billion dollars in overseas remittances from Viet Overseas worldwide.   More than half of this amount will come from Viet Overseas in the United States.

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Q.1.  The new system allows people in the US to file their Green Card Applications a year or more before their petitions become current.  Is this fair to immigrant visa applicants waiting for visas abroad?A.1.  People outside the US waiting for interviews and immigrant visas will receive their Green Cards within 2-3 months after arriving in the US.    People already in the US who file Green Card applications under the new system will have to wait much longer than 2-3 months to receive their Green Cards.

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Q.2.  My mother is a green card holder. She is 73. She has been a permanent resident for 13 years.   Does she have to be able to read and write English in order to apply for US citizenship? A.2.   Your mother will have to wait two more years. The ability to read and write English is waived for someone who is over 55 and has lived in the US as a Permanent Resident for at least 15 years. These applicants do not have to be able to read or write English. They still have to pass the civics exam, but the exam can be given in their native language.

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Q.3.   I have my 2-year conditional Green Card based on marriage. It has been 6 months since we married. Unfortunately, my spouse has been very abusive. Do I have to stay in this relationship anymore? If I do decide to get a divorce, will I lose my conditional Green Card? A.3.  There is no requirement to stay in a difficult marriage. If you file for divorce before the two years are up, you can have the condition removed from your green card as soon as the divorce is finalized.    You will have to provide proof that the marriage was real and that the marriage was just to get the green card.    

Also, if you were abused by your US citizen or permanent resident spouse, you can apply to have the condition removed even before your divorce is finalized.   You will need to show that the marriage was real and not entered into to get the green card, and you will also have to prove that you were abused.