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MVP Law Group
News You Can Use
August 2016
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10632 Little Patuxent Parkway
Suite 406
Columbia, Maryland 21044
240-390-0600
1-800-447-0796
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Greetings,
"We become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams." -- Former President Carter
What's been happening in Immigration?
- August 1, 2016, Violations for I-9 non-compliance increase substantially. Now is the time to review your current policies and practices!
- August 18, 2016, Department of the Justice (DOJ) announced that it will be phasing out its use of private prisons.
- August 19, 2016, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced available
Immigration Relief
to Customers Affected by Severe Storms and Flooding in Louisiana
- August 23, 2016, USCIS conducted 16 Naturalization Ceremonies in celebration of the
National Park Service Centennial
at national parks throughout the country. Naturalization
ceremonies were held at Grand Canyon National Park, the World War II Memorial, Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine,
Biscayne National Park, Fort Smith National Historic Site, Big Thicket National Preserve and Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. A total of 450 people became U.S. Citizens.
- August 24, 2016,USCIS issued an alert reminding Customers that the USCIS does not accept fees by phone or email and to
report the scam
to the Federal Trade Commission
- August 26, 2016, USCIS proposed a
new rule
,
which would allow certain
international entrepreneurs
to be considered for parole (temporary permission to be in the United States) so that they may start or scale their businesses here in the United States. Once published in the Federal Register, the public will have 45 days to comment on the proposed rule.
"America's economy has long benefitted from the contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs, from Main Street to Silicon Valley," said Director León Rodríguez. "This proposed rule, when finalized, will help our economy grow by expanding immigration options for foreign entrepreneurs who meet certain criteria for creating jobs, attracting investment and generating revenue in the U.S."
- August 29, 2016, Department of State Secretary John Kerry issued a statement announcing that the United States has welcomed 10,000 refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria. A year ago, President Obama had set the goal of welcoming at least 10,000 of the most vulnerable fleeing the Syrian conflict to the United States.
- August 29, 2016, DOJ Secretary Jeh Johnson directed the Homeland Security Advisory Council to evaluate whether the
immigration detention operations
conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should move in the same direction as the Department of Justice regarding phasing out the use of private prisons.
- August 29, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) final rule
expanding eligibility for provisional unlawful presence waivers
to all individuals who are statutorily eligible for an unlawful presence waiver and who can establish extreme hardship to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (LPR) spouse or parent became effective.
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August 31, 2016, USCIS will reject any
improperly filed H1B
petitions. Beginning July 1, 2016 the USCIS transferred certain I-129 petitions to the Nebraska Service Center (NSC). Prior to 8/31/16, the Vermont Service Center (VSC) and California Service Center (CSC) continued to accept all H1B petitions. As of 8/31/16, certain
H1B petitions
are required to be filed with the NSC only and will be rejected if filed improperly.
In other immigration news, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) Visa Bulletin for September 2016 is now available. The cutoff date movement is consistent with earlier predictions. The cutoff date for the EB2 category for India moved from 11/15/04 to 2/22/05 and EB3 moved from 11/8/04 to 2/15/05. The cutoff date for the EB2 category for Chinese Nationals remained at 1/1/10 and the cutoff date for the EB3 category for Chinese Nationals remained at 1/1/10.
We hope you continue to read our newsletter as well as our blog in order to stay in touch and obtain important information concerning changes to the regulatory environment and new trends in the adjudication of petitions.
Kellie N. Lego, Esq.
MVP Law Group, P.A.
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USCIS News Alert Regarding Those Affected by Severe Storms in Louisiana
USCIS has alerted stakeholders that (Special Situations) immigration measures are available for unforeseen circumstances, such as the recent severe storms and flooding in Louisiana but they must request them. The News Alert details several specific measures that may be available and are listed below. When making any of these Special Situations requests, explain how the severe storms and flooding in Louisiana caused your need for relief. Immigration measures may be available upon request:Read more |
Transcript of USCIS-DOS-HHS Press Call on Syrian Refugee Processing
USCIS has published the transcript of the USCIS-DOS-HHS Press Call on Syrian Refugee Processing which took place on Friday, August 5, 2016. This Press Call (conference call) started off with statements by Assistant Secretary of State, The Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration, Anne C. Richard, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Leon Rodriguez, and Health and Human Services Director of Refugee Resettlement, Robert "(Bob)" Carey. The Question and Answer period start right after their opening statements. This transcript includes the opening statements and the Q&A period that followed.
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About Our Law Firm
MVP Law Group, P.A. offers Business Immigration Services to Employers and Individuals World Wide. We deal primarily with Business Immigration by assisting clients in obtaining Temporary Work Visas; Preparing and Filing Employment Based and Family Based Immigrant Petitions; Aiding Lawful Permanent Residents in Attaining Naturalization; and ensuring compliance with Immigration laws by conducting internal audits for businesses in all industries.
U.S. Immigration Law is federal in nature (i.e., No State or provincial law is involved), therefore, our firm is able to provide U.S. Immigration Law Services to clients ANYWHERE in the United States and around the World.
MVP Law Group, P.A. 10632 Little Patuxent Parkway
Suite 406
Columbia, Maryland 21044
240-390-0600 1-800-447-0796 Keep In Touch With Us!   
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| PERM Processing Priority Dates (As of 8/31/16)
| PROCESSING AREA |
MONTH |
CALENDAR YEAR |
| Analyst Reviews |
May |
2016 |
| Audits |
Dec. |
2015 |
| Requests for
Reconsideration |
May |
2016 |
| Gov't Error Appeals |
Current |
n/a |
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SEPT. 2016 VISA BULLETIN
The Department of State has released its latest Visa Bulletin.
The monthly Visa Bulletin has changed. The bulletin now summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during the reported month for: "Application Final Action Dates" (consistent with prior Visa Bulletins) and "Dates for Filing Applications," indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center using Consular Processing (outside of the US) or file on their own with USCIS Form I-485 (within the US).
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MVP LAW GROUP - Immigration Q&A Forum
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MVP Law Group, P.A. makes available the information and materials in this forum for informational purposes only. The information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice or any contractual obligations. Further, the use of this site, and the sending or receipt of this information, does not create an attorney-client relationship between us. Therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.
Question #1 - General
Are there any type of restrictions on a Conditional Green Card? Once I get my green card, can I travel out of the country?
Answer #1
A
conditional green card is only granted for a period of two years. Within 90 days of the expiration of the two year anniversary period, you must file to remove those conditions (Form I-751) with the USCIS, or risk losing conditional green card status and being deported. With a conditional green card, you may travel outside of the U.S.; however, you should limit your trips abroad to less than one (1) year to avoid any abandonment issues, unless you have applied for a re-entry permit.
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