The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is allocating an estimated amount of $5 million in funding for its program that aims at promoting top-level services for citizenship preparation and naturalization application. The availability of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program widens the range of services in the communities across the country in addressing [...]
Applying for a US Visa from India Got Easier… Or Did It?
A new website has been developed to facilitate payment and appointment schedules for the US embassy in India. For the first time, applicants can now schedule payments and appointments online or over the phone, as well as get their questions answered online or over the phone. What will be the results of this new system [...]
Canadian Model and Playboy Shera Berchard Gets O-1 Visa for US
Shera Bechard is not a nobel prize winning scientist. She is not a brilliant linguist. She’s also not a Pulitzer Prize winning writer. Still, Bechard, the Canadian-born former girlfriend of Hugh Hefner is by nonetheless considered to be a genius. Shera Berchard did it! Well, she is in terms of USCIS’s policy on issuing O [...]
How to apply for a B-1 Visa from Canada
B-1 Visa for Canada for US Business A B-1 Visa is required for Canadians to conduct business in the United States. It is usually considered rather informal because you do not usually get an actual visa, rather you would just get a stamp on your passport. A B-1 Visa is used for business-related activities in [...]
Preventing the Adverse Effects of US Visa Overstays
Any nonimmigrant that remains in the United States after an authorized stay has ended will be liable for overstaying. You can face the pain of loosing some privileges, benefits and opportunities if you choose to stay in the Unites States after the period of your authorized stay is over. Some of the consequences you could [...]
Why Was I Refused Entry to the US When I have a Valid Visa?
What does a visa mean to you? I remember in late 2009, a young Korean lady was held at John F. Kennedy airport in New York by a US Immigration Officer who was accusing the young lady of illegally using her valid tourist visa to enter into the United States to do temporary work. The officer began [...]
How to Remove Conditions on Resident Status if Marriage is Dissolved in 2 Years
While other spouses find it comfortable to file a joint petition in order to remove the conditions on one’s spouse Green Card, you could still be locked up in a situation where you feel it is too complicated to get your spouse collaborate with you in filing your petition. An immigrant based on a family [...]
Who Can Become a Financial Sponsor of an Intending US Immigrant?
A financial sponsor is needed by anyone looking to acquire a lawful permanent residence in the United States through a family based petition. When you file a petition for your relative to immigrate to the US, you are deemed to have accepted the responsibilities and agreed to sponsor your beneficiary by filing an Affidavit of [...]
Family Based Green Card: Where do I begin to Sponsor my Relative?
Based from the large quantity of applications received by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (UCSIS) in some countries, family based petitions have become one of the most sought after methods in bringing a relative into the United States. In certain countries like China, Philippines, and Mexico, the period of waiting could be very [...]
How do you obtain an H-1B visa?
An employer may file a petition for an H-1B visa six months in advance from the requested starting date in the following manner: Fill out the petition Form I-129 and all its sections and supplement pages completely and accurately becauseany insufficiency in the form could lead to a visa denial or a rejection of your [...]
President Obama’s US Immigration Reform Speech Highlights
US Immigration Reform United States President Barack Obama gave a speech at the National Council of La Raza this week, making several remarks on US immigration reform and gateways to United States Citizenship for illegal aliens living in the country. Obama also mentioned the DREAM Act, which was blocked in the Senate. The DREAM act [...]
New United States Visa Act introduced to Congress
Senators introduce new United States Visa Act to Congress The Act, called the StartUp Visa Act of 2011, provides a two-year United States Visa to entrepreneurs who find a United States investor to invest in their startup business if passed. “Every job-creating American business started as an idea in the mind of an entrepreneur. We [...]
Do Canadian Permanent Residents Require US Visitor Visas to Cross into the US?
If you are a Canadian Permanent resident and not a Canadian citizen, you may require a visa to enter the USA depending on what country you are from. For instance, if you are a Canadian PR from India, you will need to apply for a US Visitor Visa whereas if you are from, say, the [...]
US Business Visitors What you need to know about B-1 Visas to the USA
The B-1 Visa Category If you are planning to travel to the US as a business visitor, you may be admitted without having to apply for a formal US Work Permit. However, upon entry to the US, you have to demonstrate that your activities in the US fall under the B-1 visa category.
E2 Investor Visas to the US? Well, it depends…
E2 Visas to the US I had the opportunity to meet with a number of clients this week that want to live and work in the US as self employed individuals (I guess this week’s cold snap prompted much of these thoughts as a number of these individuals want to move to Florida). One of the [...]
