When can I apply for U.S. citizenship?
Individuals who satisfy the residence, physical presence and other requirements are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship after they have been permanent residents (green card holders) for five years. If you are married to a U.S. citizen, you are eligible to apply for citizenship after three years of marriage as long as residence, physical presence and other requirements are met.
An applicant for U.S. citizenship must demonstrate good moral character, English literacy, and knowledge of U.S. history. In addition, there are U.S. residence and physical presence requirements that must be met. In brief, the applicant for naturalization must have been physically present in the United States for at least half of the qualifying period (five or three years as described above) and must have maintained his or her primary place of abode in the country for the entire qualifying period. Extended absences from the U.S. may interrupt the qualifying period.
If I choose to change my current employer, will this affect my visa status in process?
The E, H, L, TN and O nonimmigrant visas are employer-specific. Therefore, if you leave your current employer and wish to remain in the U.S., you will need to immediately find another U.S. employer who will sponsor you. The permanent residence process requires that you intend to work with the petitioning employer on a permanent at-will basis. However, a permanent resident application can become “portable” to another employer six months after filing the adjustment-of-status application if any new employment is substantially similar to the labor certification/visa petition employment.
How do I obtain a visa stamp in my passport?
An initial visa stamp for a given nonimmigrant classification must be applied for at a U.S. consulate in your home country. Some U.S. consulates may accept nonimmigrant visa applications by third-country nationals (individuals who are not citizens of the country in which the consulate is located) as a courtesy to visitors to those countries. U.S. consulates are not required to accept applications by third-country nationals, and visa issuance is at the sole discretion of the consular officers at the post. You should contact the appropriate American consulate or embassy in advance to determine its application process and the current application fee. You may also check the Department of State website at http://travel.state.gov/links.html. Most consulates have instructive web pages.
If I have a valid nonimmigrant visa in my passport, what do I need in order to reenter the U.S. after traveling internationally?
Your valid visa stamp in your passport should be sufficient, but you may wish to also carry a copy of the Notice of Action (Form I-797). The visa stamp shows that the U.S. State Department has determined that you may be admitted to the U.S. in a particular visa status, and the USCIS approval notice (Form I-797) is evidence of the maximum period for which you may be admitted.
All foreign nationals are issued a new I-94 card at each entry to the United States (with the exception of entries after visits to Canada or Mexico for periods of less than 30 days or for Canadian nationals entering the U.S.) The USCIS officer who admits you to the U.S. will stamp your I-94 card with entry and expiration dates. Please take a moment to check the dates on the I-94 card issued to you upon each readmission to the U.S. The expiration date on the I-94 card will govern your valid period of stay and employment authorization in the United States.
H-1B Cap Count (Updated January 7, 2011)
The USCIS updated its count of Fiscal Year 2011 cap-subject H-1B petitions and advanced degree cap-exempt petitions receipted. As of January 7, approximately 58,700 H-1B cap-subject petitions were receipted. The USCIS has receipted 20,000 H-1B petitions for aliens with advanced degrees.
VISA PREFERENCE NUMBERS FOR FEBRUARY 2011
FAMILY India Pakistan/Bangladesh
1st 01Jan05 01Jan05
2A 01Jan08 01Jan08
2B 15Apr03 15Apr03
3rd 01Jan01 01Jan01
4th 01Jan00 01Jan00
EMPLOYMENT India Pakistan/Bangladesh
1st Current Current
2nd 08May06 Current
3rd 22Feb02 01Apr05
Other 22Feb02 01May03
4th Current Current
5th Current CurrentEnjoyed reading Khabar magazine? Subscribe to Khabar and get a full digital copy of this Indian-American community magazine.
