Biyernes, Pebrero 15, 2013

Know 5 Forms Associated to Adjustment of Status


Know   5 Forms Associated to Adjustment of Status

                Just as you think of filing an application for Permanent Residency and get you most awaited green card, you have to make it appoint that all your documents are well provided plus you fill out the correct form that corresponds to   your type of application. What we are for you on this article is a list of the different forms which you may need to secure or accomplish so everything is in order upon submission. So if you are ready then you may start browsing through this article.

1.       FormI- 485This is the most important form to accomplish when someone files for Adjustment of Status.  Such form is also called Application form for Registering Permanent Residence or Adjustment of status. Once this form has been accomplished, the applicant needs to secure supporting documents to support the application.

2.       G-28 - Is also known as the Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative.  Such form is downloadable from the website of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) . The G-28 form is used to notify a lawyer or representative of religious sects, charitable or social institutions to show themselves before the office of USCIS on behalf of someone who has a business with the said department.

3.       I-485 Supplement A – This form is accomplished to support Form I-485. It aims to give additional data to USCIS about concerned individual who wishes to adjust his status under the listed conditions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

4.       I -765 -   Here’s another form that you may need to accomplish upon filing for Adjustment of status. This form is called the Application for Employment Authorization which aims to support your document when requesting for Employment Authorization Document (EAD)   from the concerned department. Such form is only accomplished by non US citizens who are temporarily residing at any   US territory.

5.       Form I94 - Is better known as the   Arrival-Departure   Record for Non Immigrant Visitors with a Visa for US. This form possesses two definite sections. First, the involved person must accomplish both of these sections upon setting foot on US. The second portion is the so called departure record which   indicates departure details of the person. This form is given back to the concerned personnel upon departure of the visitor.

6.        G-1145   or E- Notification of Application/ Petition Acceptance -   Is a form for the applicant or petitioner who is allowed to file his documents at any of the three lockbox facilities. This for someone who would want to be electrically notified if his application has already been handed to the   right department.

Linggo, Enero 27, 2013

Filling Out the CBP Form I-94



Learn the differences between Student and Exchange visas. 
Provides step-by-step information on the student visa and 
the exchange visa program for the United States. 



Form I-94, is the CBP form that contains information about your date of entry into the United States and the date of expiry of the period of your authorized stay in America. Non-
immigrants who enter into the United States, will have to fill out this form. Form I-94 contains two parts and you need to complete both the sections of this form. The upper portion of the form is the arrival record and the bottom section is the departure record and you will have to return this form to the CBP officials, while you leave the country.

Arrival Record

You need to enter your name, your family name, date of birth and other personal information, in this part. You must also enter your passport number and flight number. You should write the name of the country where you reside and the name of your home country, in the arrival record. You need to enter the name of the city where you boarded and where the visa was issued to you. Moreover, you must enter the address where you will reside, while in the United States. 

Departure Record

In the bottom part of Form I-94, you will have to write your first name and your family name. You must also enter your date of birth and the name of your home country.

After immigration inspection, a CBP officer will stamp your I-94 form and your passport. After stamping your arrival/departure record, the CBP official will retain the arrival record and return the departure record and your passport. You need to keep your departure record and your passport safe. However, the CBP officer will ask you few questions regarding the duration of stay and about the purpose of your trip, before stamping your passport and Form I-94. A non-immigrant in the United States can extend his stay, by filing Form I-539, while in America. If the USCIS approves the applicants petition, the non-immigrant will be granted a new I-94 form.

However, it is the responsibility of the non-immigrant to return the departure record to a CBP officer, when he leaves the country. Form I-94, must be returned into the airline or the shipping line, if you leave the United States by air or sea. If you leave the United States by land, you must hand over the departure record to a CBP officer. If you lose your departure record, while in the United States, you must apply for replacement by filing Form I-102.

If you take a short trip to Mexico or Canada, while in the United States on a non-immigrant visa, you may keep your departure record with you. You may then re-enter the United States and stay there until your authorized period of stay expires. This applies to exchange visitors and academic students, who hold J and F visas. For more information, you may get in touch with a CBP official at the port of departure and the CBP officer will provide information based on your circumstance.

What You Need to Know About a US Green Card?





Find out about the permanent resident green card process. Provides the different 
paths in obtaining a permanent resident green card for the United States.


United States Green Cards are issued to lawful permanent residents of the United States and a permanent resident is a person who is allowed to legally live and work in the United States. Such permanent residents are granted permanent resident cards, as a proof of their lawful status. Though the permanent resident cards, issued to the permanent residents are not actually green, these cards are commonly known as Green Cards, because the identity documents that were earlier issued to permanent residents were green in color. Foreign nationals may become permanent residents based on sponsorship, through the Green Card lottery program or by making an investment in a US business venture. People who are granted refugee or asylee status in America, may also become lawful permanent residents.
Before you could apply for a US Green Card, you need check whether you are eligible to immigrate to America. That is because, certain foreign nationals who are considered inadmissible into the country may not be granted lawful status. Hence it is recommended to make sure that your are eligible to enter into the United States. If you feel that you are eligible to immigrate to America, you will have to file the required forms. If your US citizen or permanent resident relative in the United States, is willing to sponsor you for lawful status in America, the sponsor must file an application on your behalf. If you are planning to immigrate to the United States based on a job offer, the US employer who is offering you a job must file a petition for you.
You may also go for the Green Card lottery program, that grants immigrant visas to the winners of the lottery program. However, you can take part in Green Card lottery only if you meet the eligibility requirements. Similarly, United States allows foreign nationals to invest in US businesses and the foreign investors who invest in America, will become eligible for lawful status in the country. Moreover, the eligible dependents of the foreign investor also may become eligible for lawful status in America. You may become eligible for a US Green Card through one of the above mentioned ways. But you need to retain the permanent resident card granted to you.
These permanent resident cards expire every ten years and you need to apply for Green Card renewal before your card could expire. These Green Cards will allow the permanent residents to live anywhere in America and travel freely within the country. Though the permanent residents are allowed to travel abroad, there are a few limitations. However, Green Card holders are granted a variety of rights and they can remain in the country, forever. The status granted to Green Card holders will be revoked only if they fail to follow the US immigration laws and if they violate the laws.

New USCIS Fee for Immigrants





Learn the Business Visa process.  Includes business visa categories, 
eligibility and the step-by-step process to come the United States for 
business travel
 

USCIS has announced that the foreign nationals who look forward to obtain Green Cards and become lawful permanent residents will be required to pay an immigrant fee of $165. Immigrants who receive their immigrant visas from the USCIS on or after the 1st of February, 2013, must pay this immigrant fee. USCIS and the US Department of State worked together and implemented this immigrant fees. USCIS spends a lot to process the immigrant visa applications and USCIS now will use this immigrant fees to recover that processing cost. This fee also covers the cost of producing Green Cards and delivering those cards to the applicants.

From February 1, 2013, immigrant visa applicants must pay the application processing fee and the immigrant fee. They must pay the application processing fee to the DOS and the immigrant fee to the USCIS. Foreign nationals, who receive their immigrant visas from an overseas US consulate or embassy, must pay this immigrant fee. However, individuals participating in the intercountry adoption programs may not be required to pay the USCIS immigrant fee. Residents of the United States, who adopt children from foreign countries, under the Orphan or Hague Adoptions Process, need not pay the immigrant fee.

You can pay this fee online and you need go directly in person to pay the immigrant fee. After the applicants receive their immigrant visa packages from the US Department of Homeland Security, they must pay these fees before they travel to the United States. While paying the fee online, applicants must answer few questions and they must provide information about their accounts or details about their credit or debit cards must be provided. If you cannot pay the immigrant fees, you can ask someone else to pay this fee on your behalf.
This fee is important and you will be issued a Green Card only after you pay the immigrant fee. However, this fee will not affect your lawful status in America and you will be granted entry into the United States, even if you do not pay the immigrant fee. The I-551 stamp on your passport will help you to demonstrate that you are a permanent resident and you may use this for one year as this stamp is valid for one year. However, it is mandatory to hold a valid Green Card and you must pay the immigrant fee as soon as possible and receive your Green Card.

Step by Step Instructions on Completing Form I-485



I-130 & I-485 Concurrent Filing Online



Step by Step Instructions on Completing Form I-485

Form I-485 must be filed by an immigrant who seeks to adjust his non-immigrant status to permanent resident status. You may download this form from the website or you can complete it online. This form contains 5 parts and you need to complete all the parts of this application.  You may go through the following instructions and complete your application.
Part 1
Personal information about yourself must be entered in the first part of this application and you must enter your name, family name, your birth date and your mailing address. Similarly, you need to enter the name of your home country, your social security and your alien registration numbers. Your current USCIS status, is the status that you are currently on and you must also provide the date on which your current status will expire.
Part 2
You need to check the appropriate box that applies to you, in the second part of Form I-485. If you are in the United States on a non-immigrant visa and if you are sponsored by your family member for lawful status and if you are filing Form I-485 to adjust your status, you need to check the first box. This form is self explanatory and you can just go through the form instructions and complete the form.
Part 3
This part of Form I-485, is also self explanatory and you need to enter the processing information in this part. This part contains three sections and you will have to provide details about the visa that you hold, names of your parents and your marital status, in Section A. You need to provide details about your spouse, children and your step-children, in Section B. You need to enter the names of all your eligible dependents, even if they are not immigrating along with you to the United States.
If you are affiliated with any organization or party, you will have to provide detailed explanation about your membership in those organizations and parties, in Section C. This section will help the USCIS officers to identify the terrorists and prevent them from entering into America.
Following that, you need to answer 18 questions.
Part 4
Part four is meant for the applicants with disabilities. If you are disabled and if you require spacial accommodations, while appearing for the interview, you need to complete this part. If you are not disabled, you need not complete this part.
Part 5
After completing all the parts of Form I-485, you need to affix your signature in the space that is provided. If your application was completed by someone else, the person who filled the form must sign your form.
After completing your application, go through the application again and make sure that your application is complete. Similarly, do not provide false information, as your application will be denied if the immigration officers find that the information provided by you is not true.