Us Citizenship

Prez panel discusses EADs for those waiting for green card for over 5 yrs

A presidential advisory commission has discussed the possibility of issuing employment authorisation cards in early stages of green card application, a move if approved by the Biden administration would end the agonising wait for a green card. The recommendation proposes that the Department of Homeland Security's US Citizenship and Immigration Services (DHS-USCIS) grant employment authorisation documents (EADs) and travel documents to individuals who have approved I-140 employment-based visa petitions in the EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 categories, and who have been waiting in the visa backlog for five or more years regardless of whether they have filed applications for adjustment of status. Members of the President's Advisory Commissioner for Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander commission on Tuesday held a detailed discussion on the proposal moved by eminent Indian-American and its member Ajay Jain Bhutoria, who in his presentation highlighted the challenges faced by H1B visa ..

H-1B, EB-5 visa application fees to shoot up under proposed USCIS rule

H-1B visa petitioners would also need to pay $215 in pre-registration fees, up from the current $10 fee

TMS Ep327: Reliance FMCG, Byju's pains, Markets, EAGLE Act

Is FMCG the new battlefield between Ambani and Adani? Is Byju's experiencing growing pains? Will US Fed's hawkish pivot push Sensex to 58,000? How will EAGLE Act help Green Card seekers? Answers here

How will EAGLE Act help Green Card seekers?

Indians in the US, who have applied for the 'Green Card', have been facing long waiting periods. But, there is a silver lining on the horizon in the form of the EAGLE Act. What is the EAGLE Act?

US to issue 64,716 H2B visas for unskilled foreign workers for 2023

The move by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is unlikely to make any significant impact on Indians as most of them do not opt for it

Nearly one million immigrants gained US citizenship in FY22: Report

Nearly one million immigrants obtained US citizenship during 2022, the highest number of naturalized citizens in almost 15 years, according to a US Citizenship and Immigration Services report

The integrated circuit wars

US chip sanctions on China should be a wake-up call for India to quickly scale up and boost its capabilities in this critical arena

Indian applicants will likely have to wait longer for the US green card

A total of 369,322 applicants, who have approved employment visa petitions, are awaiting visa availability under the EB2 and EB3 categories

India among top five countries of birth for naturalised US citizens

The USCIS said it would celebrate Independence Day this year by welcoming more than 6,600 new citizens in more than 140 naturalisation ceremonies between July 1 and July 8

Market research analyst gets qualified as specialty occupation: H1B Update

The settlement approved by the federal district court in the Northern District of California would now let companies request that the USCIS reopen and re-adjudicate their denied H-1B petitions.

US citizenship agency eyes improved service without plan to pay

Less than a year after being on the verge of furloughing about 70 per cent of employees to plug a funding shortfall, the U.S. agency that grants citizenship, green cards and temporary visas wants to improve service without a detailed plan to pay for it, including granting waivers for those who can't afford to pay fees, according to a proposal obtained by The Associated Press. The Homeland Security Department sent its 14-page plan to enhance procedures for becoming a naturalised citizen to the White House for approval on April 21. It involves U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which is part of Homeland Security and has been operating entirely on fees, without funding from Congress. The plan describes short- and long-term changes that reflect a realistic assessment of our aspirations and limitations, including more video instead of in-person interviews with applicants, authorising employees to administer citizenship oaths instead of having to rely on federal judges, and ...

US: Biden administration reverts to 2008 version of citizenship test

On December 1 last year, USCIS implemented a revised naturalisation civics test, called the 2020 civics test, as part of a decennial test review and update process

Biden rolls back Trump-era citizenship test, reverts to 2008 version

The Biden administration has announced the reversal of the stringent Trump-era policy by reverting to the 2008 version of the naturalisation test module to make the path to US citizenship more accessible to all eligible individuals. US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Monday that it is reverting to the 2008 version of the naturalisation civics test beginning March 1, 2021. The previous Trump administration had introduced some changes to the naturalisation civics test, called the 2020 civics test, which increased the number of questions from 100 to 128 and the correct answers in the multiple-choice questions had political and ideological overtones. Announcing the reversal, the USCIS said the agency has determined that the revised civics test, applicable for individuals who had applied on or after December 1, 2020, "may inadvertently create potential barriers" to the naturalisation process. "This action is consistent with the framework of the Executive Order

Under President Trump, citizenship and visa agency focuses on fraud

The head of the agency handling citizenship and visa applications was surprised when he faced blowback for cutting a reference to the US being a nation of immigrants

Indian software engineer becomes US citizen in rare ceremony at White House

President Donald Trump has presided over a rare naturalisation ceremony at the White House where five immigrants, including a software developer from India, were sworn in as American citizens

Visa politics

New H1-B ban would also hurt US companies

Indians launch SOS campaign to fly home with minors having US citizenship

Travel to India by a non-Indian citizen, except for certain categories of those having Overseas Citizens of India card, is barred due to strict travel restrictions due to Covid-19

No relief for aged-out kids in US: F-1 visa, deportation their only option

In US, once the children of H-1B work visa holders turn 21, they can no longer continue with their H-4 visas, which are typically meant for dependents

'Seriously looking' to end US birthright citizenship, says Trump

During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump had said that he will end the birthright citizenship

Indian tries to obtain US citizenship by fraud, faces 10 years imprisonment

Harpal Singh charged with one count of attempted naturalization fraud, faces up to 10 years in prison. His sentencing is scheduled for August 5