India’s New Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) Program
Citizens of 43 countries, including the US, are now able to enter India and obtain a 30 day tourist visa upon arrival at the airport there. The sole purpose of visiting India must include recreation, sight-seeing, a casual visit to meet friends or relative, short duration medical treatment or casual business. An application must be filed on-line at least 4 days and no more than 30 days before the traveler is set to arrive in India. Their passport should have at least six months validity from the date of arrival in India, and should have at least two blank pages. … Read more
SEC and USCIS Issue Joint Investor Alert on EB-5 Scams
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have issued a joint fraud alert highlighting their awareness of multiple investment scams targeting foreign nationals who seek to become lawful permanent residents through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. To help avoid scams, the SEC and USCIS recommend person interested in the EB-5 program take the following steps: Confirm that the regional center has been designated by USCIS. Obtain copies of documents provided to USCIS. Request investment information in writing. Ask if promoters are being paid. Seek independent verification. Examine structural risk. Consider the developer’s incentives. Look for… Read more
DOS’s National Visa Center Now Handles Nonimmigrant Visa Inquiries
Effective January 12, 2015, the National Visa Center (NVC) responds to e-mail and telephonic inquiries from attorneys and the public on nonimmigrant visa cases. The NVC is now the single point of contact for all domestic inquiries regarding both immigrant and nonimmigrant visa cases that are pending at U.S. Embassies/Consulates. The NVC will only answer routine questions about case status and provide general information about the visa process. Consular posts will continue to accept inquiries on individual visa cases. Contact information for the U.S. Embassies/Consulates is available at www.usembassy.gov/. The e-mail address for the general public is askNVC@state.gov, and the telephone number… Read more
February 2015 Visa Bulletin – Big Move for EB-2 India – Expected to Continue
The Department of State’s recently issued Visa Bulletin for February 2015 shows welcome movement in several employment-based categories and disappointing movement in a couple of others. EB-2 India moves 6 ½ months to 01SEP05, while EB-2 China only moves 1 ½ months to 15MAR10. EB-3 Worldwide moves a healthy six months to 01JAN14, as does EB-3 China (01SEP11). However, EB-3 India only moves 1 week to 22DEC03. The Department of State also gives predictions for movements in the coming months. EB-2 China is expected to move at a pace of 304 weeks per month, and EB-2 India will move at… Read more
A Primer for the New Year on E-Verify – Should Your Company Use It?
E-Verify is an internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from Social Security Administration, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Department of State records to confirm employment eligibility. As is normally required, the employer and employee must first complete the I-9 form. The employer then enters the information into the E-Verify system, which compares the employee’s information against information in SSA and DHS databases. If the information matches, E-Verify returns an “Employment Authorized” result which confirms the employee is authorized to work. If there’s a mismatch, E-Verify returns a “Tentative Nonconfirmation”… Read more