2015 Old Blog

On Sept. 30, Congress failed to renew Public Law 111-230 (the 50/50 fee). Enacted in August 2010, the 50/50 fee mandated companies with more than 50 employees based in the United States and more than 50 percent of workers employed under a nonimmigrant visa status to pay an additional fee — $2,000 for H-1B and $2,250 for L-1 applicants.

President Obama signed a Continuing Resolution that extended the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program (also called regional center program) and funded the government through Dec. 11. The program, which was scheduled to expire Sept. 30, allocates green cards for investors in regional centers designated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services based on proposals for promoting economic growth.

Note: The October Visa Bulletin was revised on Sept. 25 by the U.S. Department of State. As a result of this unforeseen change, some employment-based green card petitioners no longer have a "current" application filing date and can't file Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) in October. Review the "Dates for Filing of Employment-Based Visa Applications" table to view the changes, displayed in bold.

La creencia popular señala que los inmigrantes indocumentados no pueden postular a tarjetas verdes; sin embargo, eso no es cierto. Individuos seleccionados con estatus de ilegal pueden postular a una si cumplen los requisitos y completan el proceso de postulación con exactitud. Si usted es indocumentado, entérese de si califica para recibir residencia permanente legal, autorización de trabajo, derechos para viajar y otros beneficios asociados con una tarjeta verde que cambian la vida.

It’s widely believed that undocumented immigrants are unable to apply for green cards; however, that’s untrue. Select individuals with unlawful status can apply if they meet the requirements and complete the application process accurately. If you’re undocumented, learn if you qualify to receive legal permanent residency, work authorization, travel rights and the other life-changing benefits associated with a green card.

¡Feliz Día de la Ciudadanía! Hoy se celebra el 228o aniversario de la firma de la Constitución de Estados Unidos por padres fundadores. Al meditar de manera retroactiva en ese histórico día, las personas a lo largo y ancho del país se preparan para tomar el examen de naturalización y convertirse en nuevos ciudadanos estadounidenses.

Today is Citizenship Day! September 17 marks the 228th anniversary of our Founding Fathers signing the U.S. Constitution. As we look back to that historic occasion, people across the United States are preparing to take the naturalization test and become U.S. citizens.

Happy Citizenship Day! Today marks the 228th anniversary of our Founding Fathers signing the U.S. Constitution. As we look back to that historic day, people across the country are preparing to take the naturalization test and become new U.S. citizens.

Due to the long wait times faced by many foreign nationals seeking legal permanent residency, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has revised its procedure for determining visa availability. Beginning in October, USCIS will start accepting Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) from foreign nationals with an approved I-140 (Immigrant Petition) application to apply for their green card sooner than previously allowed.

The U.S. Department of State's (DOS) September 2015 Visa Bulletin has been released. For updated family and employment-based green card processing times, view the following charts.