aky_888

Excerpt from June VB: Demand for numbers, primarily by Citizenship and Immigration Services Offices for adjustment of status cases, is expected to bring the Employment Third preference category very close to the annual numerical limit in June. As a result, this category is likely to experience retrogressions or visa unavailability beginning in July. Such action would only be temporary, however, and a complete recovery of the cut-off dates would occur for October, the first month of the new fiscal year. Starting the fiscal year of October 2007 only EB1 and EB2 have been current. Which AOS applications does this mean?

The latest processing update for CALIFORNIA SERVICE CENTER under I-485 is October 18, 2007. Does that mean that they have already processed the JULY/AUGUST 2007 applications? So greencards have been issued?

The December VB is already out... maybe you're referring to the January VB.

IT would be really great if it was a fallacy...

Hi snoopyleader, Documents evaluated under CVS will no longer be re-evaluated under CP process. NO need to resubmitted for the documents they already have. You may need to submit other required documents. Also you have to pay for separate fees for the CGFNS certification. Same thing goes for the VISA SCREEN.

senate votes to increase fees for foreign skilled workers the siia blasts u.s. policymakers for increasing visa fees while their eu counterparts try to make it easier for skilled workers to enter. [color=#646469]by [color=#0f4692]k.c. jones[color=#0f4692]informationweek [color=#646469]october 29, 2007 11:14 am as the european union cracked open its doors for skilled workers, the u.s. senate voted to approve a $3,500 fee increase for u.s. companies bringing them to america. the senate approved the measure last week, the same day the european union announced a new "blue card" plan to issue temporary work visas to well educated foreign professionals. software & information industry association president ken wasch said the u.s. action was "gravely disconcerting." "with the drastic shortage of h-1b visas for temporary high-skilled workers and the backlog of employment-based green cards, the u.s. is already competing in the global talent competition with its hands tied behind its back," he said in a prepared statement. "this additional fee to hire specialized talent -- which often comes out of american universities -- sends yet another signal that our nation is not serious about being a world leader in technology and innovation." the eu plan, which must gain support from all member states, would make it easier for people with visas in one to three months. the process often takes several years in the united states. wasch said congress should match the european union's moves and ensure that american companies can compete for the best and brightest workers around the world. "specifically, congress should act expeditiously to increase the number of temporary h-1b visas for highly-skilled workers and provide long-overdue relief for the backlog of eb green cards," he said. several tech industry giants and [color=#0f4692]associations also want congress to raise caps on h-1b visas. they claim that they need foreign talent to cope with a shortage of americans with advanced level degrees in science and technologies. the fee increase has not been approved by the house and may not make it into law. the money is slated to fund annual scholarships for students in math, science, engineering, and computer science. source: http://www.informationweek.com/showarticle.jhtml;jsessionid=oebzvwfo3qfq2qsndloskh0cjunn2jvn?articleid=202602865&querytext=h-1b

Hi everyone, THere's an update in Hammond law blogspot titled: Bridge Amendment offered - two actually! Hope one gets approved. Link: http://hammondlawgroup.blogspot.com/

Hi eirn11, I suggest you consult a lawyer to have your stay extended as soon as possible. While you're waiting apply for licensure in texas as stated by suzanne. And complete all other requirements. There is a small chance that a law may be passed by congress to end the retrogression and you may be able to adjust status. Again it is only a small chance. Extend your stay and try to wait it out. What ever happens at least you will be here 'in status' to accompany your mom while she is undergoing treatment. Good luck!

Hi, I was actualy referring to field offices and/or district offices. This is what i read: Q4. Why are I-485 processing times for Service Centers different than processing times for district offices? A4. Service Centers processing times are specific for the centers only. District offices have their separate processing times. All employment based 485's are filed in Service Centers. For these cases you have to look to Service Center times only. Some cases then get referred to local offices. For these employment based cases you will need to look to district office times. Source: http://www.immigration.com/processing-times/processing_times_FAQ.html Of course regardless of the processing times it will still be affected by retrogression. I just wana clarify the processing dates. Thanks.

hi lawrence01, i read in another forum that the service centers usually forward other applications to field offices. and that this monthly update for processing time does not include the progress of the field offices. i was wondering if this is true? i was thinking that this might be possible since in the last few weeks there were dicrepancies between the monthly processing updates and the weekly update for the reciepting delay. the reciepting updates had more recent dates. i will try to look for the source and post it here. thanks for your inputs in advance!

If the new numbers for AOS filers is true, that is good news for us nurses...

Hi, this information may be helpful... http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=82b06a9fec745110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD

THe update for the weekly progress dated Sept. 28. is out: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=ace7ec20cfbd4110VgnVCM1000004718190aRCRD&vgnextchannel=a9243529fdb7e010VgnVCM1000000ecd190aRCRD Excerpt: "*California Service Center and Vermont Service Center are currently assisting in data entry of employment-based I-485 and related forms (I-140, I-765, and I-131) received at Texas Service Center between the dates of 7/28 and 8/8. As a result, some applicants may receive receipt notices from a service center different than the one they originally applied to."

Update on DREAM ACT... Senate temporarily sidelines immigration legalization bill Democrats vow to pass measure aiding 1 million youths By MICHELLE MITTELSTADT Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau WASHINGTON — The prospects for immediate Senate action on the DREAM Act, which would grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of young illegal immigrants, disappeared Wednesday amid Republican opposition. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., pledged that senators would vote on the the measure, which is strongly opposed by anti-illegal immigration groups, before the Senate finishes its work for the year in mid-November. "All who care about this matter should know that we will move to proceed to this matter before we leave here," he said. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., had sought to attach the DREAM Act to the defense authorization bill. But Reid announced Wednesday night that Democrats were shelving the effort because of difficulties getting past legislative roadblocks. "Unfortunately, some Republicans are opposed to this proposal and are unwilling to let us move forward on this bill," Reid said. 'Issue doesn't stop here' Durbin and immigrant rights advocates were dismayed by the setback but vowed to find other means to pass the legislation, which they have sought since 2001. "There is no question that this issue doesn't stop here," said Cecilia Muñoz, senior vice president of the National Council of La Raza. "The longer we wait, the more talented young people we close the door of opportunity to." The bill — officially the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act — would allow illegal immigrants who entered the U.S. before the age of 16, and who have lived here at least five years, to receive conditional legal status if they have graduated from high school and have a clean record. After six years, they could become permanent legal residents if they serve in the U.S. military for at least two years or complete at least two years of college. As with most green card holders, they could apply for citizenship after five years. The nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute estimates that slightly more than 1 million high school graduates and children still in class could gain legal status under the legislation. 60 votes needed With conservatives being barraged with calls, faxes and e-mails from anti-illegal immigration groups that view the DREAM Act as amnesty, some Republicans who supported the measure in the past have been reluctant to do so now. Durbin needed 60 votes to surmount an expected filibuster. Some Senate Republicans, including Texans Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn, objected to the measure being brought up on a defense bill. "Putting extraneous things on this bill isn't helpful," Hutchison said. Other Republicans aren't ready to revisit a debate that imploded in June when the Senate scuttled an overhaul endorsed by the White House that would have given most illegal immigrants a chance for legal status. "People, I think, want to let the immigration thing cool off a bit before we jump back in," said Sen. Jeff Sessions, an Alabama Republican who helped derail the comprehensive immigration bill. Josh Bernstein, federal policy director for the National Immigration Law Center, predicted DREAM Act supporters eventually will prevail. "The politics is right and the commitment is there," Bernstein said. "We're not giving up." SOURCE: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/5168101.html

The update is for the initial data entry and issuing of receipt notices for applications and petitions received. All other processing updates and status of applications will have to be checked individually.