bc_rp
12-11 02:08 PM
The reason for your delay is because of a new rule instituted by the consulates. Here is a extract from MURTHY.com on that topic.
PIMS Verification Required for Certain Nonimmigrant Visas
Posted Dec 07, 2007
�MurthyDotCom
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued a directive in November 2007 to the U.S. consular posts that the correct procedure for visa issuance in nonimmigrant categories H, L, O, P, and Q will now require consulting an electronic record. The purpose of the Petition Information Management Service, known as PIMS, is to verify that the employer's underlying petition has been approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Even if a beneficiary takes an original I-797 approval notice to the interview, previously sufficient basis for visa issuance, s/he now will have to wait until the information is confirmed through PIMS.
�MurthyDotCom
Not Fully in Place, but Verification May Be Effective Immediately
�MurthyDotCom
While nonimmigrant visa appointments can be scheduled on the basis of approved I-129 petitions and I-797 approval notices, per the DOS instructions now in place, no visas may be issued without verification through the PIMS system. Because no further guidance from the DOS has been issued as of this writing, some consular posts are taking the position that the new directive is effective immediately.
�MurthyDotCom
48 Hours for New Approvals to be Available in PIMS
�MurthyDotCom
Seeking clarification on the new electronic record visa issuance procedure, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) contacted DOS officials who indicated that, as of November 29, 2007, the data on approvals had not been electronically transferred. Where consular notification is requested, however, information on new approvals should be available in PIMS within 48 hours.
�MurthyDotCom
Domestic Clearinghouse Option for Verification
�MurthyDotCom
DOS has stated that, in the event that an overseas consular post cannot obtain verification of an approved petition through PIMS, it may submit a request through a domestic clearinghouse that can confirm with USCIS that a petition has been approved. The DOS, however, has failed to indicate the processing time for such a request or the number of cases it anticipates may not currently appear in PIMS.
�MurthyDotCom
Conclusion
�MurthyDotCom
How quickly or efficiently the new verification process through PIMS will work remains to be seen. Visa applicants who may be affected by this new process are encouraged to plan well in advance of their visa appointments so that they are prepared if the visa issuance takes longer than expected. We will continue to share updated information with MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers on developments regarding this new system.
PIMS Verification Required for Certain Nonimmigrant Visas
Posted Dec 07, 2007
�MurthyDotCom
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) issued a directive in November 2007 to the U.S. consular posts that the correct procedure for visa issuance in nonimmigrant categories H, L, O, P, and Q will now require consulting an electronic record. The purpose of the Petition Information Management Service, known as PIMS, is to verify that the employer's underlying petition has been approved by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Even if a beneficiary takes an original I-797 approval notice to the interview, previously sufficient basis for visa issuance, s/he now will have to wait until the information is confirmed through PIMS.
�MurthyDotCom
Not Fully in Place, but Verification May Be Effective Immediately
�MurthyDotCom
While nonimmigrant visa appointments can be scheduled on the basis of approved I-129 petitions and I-797 approval notices, per the DOS instructions now in place, no visas may be issued without verification through the PIMS system. Because no further guidance from the DOS has been issued as of this writing, some consular posts are taking the position that the new directive is effective immediately.
�MurthyDotCom
48 Hours for New Approvals to be Available in PIMS
�MurthyDotCom
Seeking clarification on the new electronic record visa issuance procedure, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) contacted DOS officials who indicated that, as of November 29, 2007, the data on approvals had not been electronically transferred. Where consular notification is requested, however, information on new approvals should be available in PIMS within 48 hours.
�MurthyDotCom
Domestic Clearinghouse Option for Verification
�MurthyDotCom
DOS has stated that, in the event that an overseas consular post cannot obtain verification of an approved petition through PIMS, it may submit a request through a domestic clearinghouse that can confirm with USCIS that a petition has been approved. The DOS, however, has failed to indicate the processing time for such a request or the number of cases it anticipates may not currently appear in PIMS.
�MurthyDotCom
Conclusion
�MurthyDotCom
How quickly or efficiently the new verification process through PIMS will work remains to be seen. Visa applicants who may be affected by this new process are encouraged to plan well in advance of their visa appointments so that they are prepared if the visa issuance takes longer than expected. We will continue to share updated information with MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers on developments regarding this new system.
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wawa
10-01 01:45 PM
Another intresting update...
I just checked the USCIS website and found out that the approved H1 which has been reopened has a Last Updated date of 09/30/2007....
09/30/2007 was a Sunday...why is USCIS working on the case on Sunday ???
I have the same update on 09/30/2007......
I just checked the USCIS website and found out that the approved H1 which has been reopened has a Last Updated date of 09/30/2007....
09/30/2007 was a Sunday...why is USCIS working on the case on Sunday ???
I have the same update on 09/30/2007......
pappu
11-02 01:01 PM
POJ method-
http://immigrationvoice.org/wiki/index.php/POJ_method
http://immigrationvoice.org/wiki/index.php/POJ_method
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santb1975
06-04 01:50 PM
?? :confused:
more...
georchen
07-19 10:00 AM
Signed by R.WILLIAMS at NSC For any one?
Signed by R.Williams
Signed by R.Williams
anzerraja
07-19 08:45 PM
There is a funding drive in this other thread towards reimbursing Aman's expenses.
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=10708
Could you please pledge an amount ?
Amanbhai,
Thank you so much, you got the leadeship skill, man go for it......
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=10708
Could you please pledge an amount ?
Amanbhai,
Thank you so much, you got the leadeship skill, man go for it......
more...
alisa
02-11 03:39 PM
And ofcourse, EB-3 ROW would oppose such a move.
Read the term "Not to exceed 28.6 percent plus"That plus means EB3 total can exceed 28.6%..
No.... USCIS is not dumb...They have interpreted the law in the way they think is appropriate....They are applying the over all 7% country cap to China/India EB2 and sending the overflow to EB3 ROW..... It is not fair but it is not exactly illegal...The law is open to interpretation and USCIS has chose to select this interpretation......You can take a crack at suing the USCIS.....I doubt that you would get anywhere......The EB2 India/China might benefit from the lawsuit....But as you know not all members would agree on IV spending resources on this lawsuit because this serves only a small section of member population.... At a personal level you can gather a few EB2 China India guys and have a crack at suing USCIS....
Read the term "Not to exceed 28.6 percent plus"That plus means EB3 total can exceed 28.6%..
No.... USCIS is not dumb...They have interpreted the law in the way they think is appropriate....They are applying the over all 7% country cap to China/India EB2 and sending the overflow to EB3 ROW..... It is not fair but it is not exactly illegal...The law is open to interpretation and USCIS has chose to select this interpretation......You can take a crack at suing the USCIS.....I doubt that you would get anywhere......The EB2 India/China might benefit from the lawsuit....But as you know not all members would agree on IV spending resources on this lawsuit because this serves only a small section of member population.... At a personal level you can gather a few EB2 China India guys and have a crack at suing USCIS....
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snhn
11-06 11:54 AM
I highly doubt that the White called Mr. Bradman abou this name check. white house has other things to worry about that then simply getting ones name check cleared. White has nothing to do with name checks. If it did, my mothers case would have been cleard a long time ago. She is stuck for the past 3 years. She is over 60. i contacted the white house last year. Not even a Thanks for writing form them.
So if it is true, then Bradman congrats, but if you are just pulling our leg, then not a good thing.
So if it is true, then Bradman congrats, but if you are just pulling our leg, then not a good thing.
more...
swamy
11-20 07:44 PM
I am still debating whether to call in or to write - but I will definitely do one of the two. I just read the other thread linked to by 'internet' above & thought I would say a couple of things to the losers at alipac who worship racists like tancredo and lou: Don't distort this thread's message - we not are trying to gag Mr.Lou however much I puke everytime I see him spewing venow on 'aliens' -and I sometimes even admire his constant state of outrage and complete lack of shame. He and his worshippers at alipac are a reminder that bigotry may have been outlawed offcially in the 60's but definitely wasn't completely eliminated for posterity -a lesson to all those who forget history and think we have always been 'civilized'; we are the nation we are today because of the tireless work of so many great leaders supported by so many forward thinking Americans of all colors -so lets be clear - we WANT LOU to spew his venom and unvarnished bigotry in Detroit - we WANT alipac to worship such hatemongers so when youngsters wonder how people could have been done horrible acts in the past we can point to you guys and say 'here you go - now know that every generation has its bigots and its the duty of decent folks to oppose them - its a constant never ending fight!'
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nobody
05-31 09:03 PM
Put it on a white background and I bet it'll look heaps better.
more...
jonty_11
02-01 02:25 PM
Esp the Mom Pop Desi consultancy shops whose main objective is to prey on H1Bs...They should be banned.
I agree that its the lopoholes or worse - Loose enforncement that encourages these consultancy firms to keep exploiting the system.
I agree that its the lopoholes or worse - Loose enforncement that encourages these consultancy firms to keep exploiting the system.
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wikipedia_fan
03-31 10:19 AM
More likely cause is that the letter from the applicant notifying his new job never reached/registered in CIS systems.
Did the person send the letter in time? Was there any intermediate change in status between NOID and actual denial status? This is crucial to know before jumping to conclusions.
Hello,
Here is my case trail
worked with employer A from June 2005 on h1b visa.
Employer A applied for GC under PERM EB2 with PD - March, 2nd 2006 - labor approved in a couple of weeks
Employer A applied for i 140 in June 2006 and got approved in July 2006
Filed for i 485 in July 2008 never received FP notices
Project got over in last week of February 2008 and unable to find new project.
I switched jobs in last week of April 2008 using EAD - using AC21
Sent AC21 letter to USCIS in July 2008 about job change.
Employer A requested 140 revoke in August 2008.
Spouse got FP notice in August 2008 whereas I (primary) got NOID asking for new employment details.
Responded to NOID in a timely manner and on August 25th, 2008 - my status changed to "Response received - case processing resumed"
In Jan 2009 I got my FP notice.
In Jan 2009 - I travelled using AP and got back fine.
In March 2009 - I got a denial notice saying "485 is denied because 140 was revoked on August 2008. No appeal only MTR" - thisletter comes from a different officer id than the one who sent the NOID.
My question to UN and other gurus. Does it have anything to do with a changed interpretation? My lawyer says "This is a training issue - the new officer did not know about AC21 and as soon as he/she saw 140 as revoked - just ignored your other details on the case and issued a denial notice. This is very common and can be resolved using MTR"
Did the person send the letter in time? Was there any intermediate change in status between NOID and actual denial status? This is crucial to know before jumping to conclusions.
Hello,
Here is my case trail
worked with employer A from June 2005 on h1b visa.
Employer A applied for GC under PERM EB2 with PD - March, 2nd 2006 - labor approved in a couple of weeks
Employer A applied for i 140 in June 2006 and got approved in July 2006
Filed for i 485 in July 2008 never received FP notices
Project got over in last week of February 2008 and unable to find new project.
I switched jobs in last week of April 2008 using EAD - using AC21
Sent AC21 letter to USCIS in July 2008 about job change.
Employer A requested 140 revoke in August 2008.
Spouse got FP notice in August 2008 whereas I (primary) got NOID asking for new employment details.
Responded to NOID in a timely manner and on August 25th, 2008 - my status changed to "Response received - case processing resumed"
In Jan 2009 I got my FP notice.
In Jan 2009 - I travelled using AP and got back fine.
In March 2009 - I got a denial notice saying "485 is denied because 140 was revoked on August 2008. No appeal only MTR" - thisletter comes from a different officer id than the one who sent the NOID.
My question to UN and other gurus. Does it have anything to do with a changed interpretation? My lawyer says "This is a training issue - the new officer did not know about AC21 and as soon as he/she saw 140 as revoked - just ignored your other details on the case and issued a denial notice. This is very common and can be resolved using MTR"
more...
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legal_alien_007
04-26 02:55 PM
You are right. L1s are paid shit and are not given proper insurance. Once L1 guy got sick and he went to Doctor and pharmacy, Pharmacy charged him $250 coz they wont take the shitty insurance (some Indian Insurance), L1s are being absued a lot
TNMan,
I feel sorry for your situation and you seem to be under a lot of stress. However lets show some civility in our discourse and not make this a blame game.
When an american loses his job, he feels exactly the same way as you do, except that he doesn't really distinguish a H1-B from an L1.
Replace 'L1' with 'H1-B' in your comments and see how they look,
""You are right. H1-Bs are paid shit and are not given proper insurance. Once H1-B guy got sick and he went to Doctor and pharmacy, Pharmacy charged him $250 coz they wont take the shitty insurance (some Indian Insurance), H1-Bs are being abused a lot""
Lets work together to stop the abuses in the system.
Remember that at the end, the solution should be fair to all the parties involved - immigrants, americans and the corporations.
TNMan,
I feel sorry for your situation and you seem to be under a lot of stress. However lets show some civility in our discourse and not make this a blame game.
When an american loses his job, he feels exactly the same way as you do, except that he doesn't really distinguish a H1-B from an L1.
Replace 'L1' with 'H1-B' in your comments and see how they look,
""You are right. H1-Bs are paid shit and are not given proper insurance. Once H1-B guy got sick and he went to Doctor and pharmacy, Pharmacy charged him $250 coz they wont take the shitty insurance (some Indian Insurance), H1-Bs are being abused a lot""
Lets work together to stop the abuses in the system.
Remember that at the end, the solution should be fair to all the parties involved - immigrants, americans and the corporations.
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reno_john
10-02 02:23 PM
GCTEST I dont know who you are but I can tell one thing about you. :rolleyes:
:DU R A SELFISH B*****D.:D
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vdlrao
06-11 03:24 AM
Sorry to hear that. But there would be options all the time. Can you please eloberate What happened?
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Almond
01-08 05:02 PM
They moved from 8/1/2002 to 9/22/2002.
According to the I485 inventory they published, there is what.. 400 cases between these two date, why only move 400 cases per month = 4800 per year when the annual quota for EB3 ROW is what.. around 30,000?
Never mind the spillover, can ROW just get its normal quota at least?
Yeah, exactly, that's what I don't get either. We know it's not a huge amount of cases they've got in that time frame, so what is the slowdown. This is maddening.
According to the I485 inventory they published, there is what.. 400 cases between these two date, why only move 400 cases per month = 4800 per year when the annual quota for EB3 ROW is what.. around 30,000?
Never mind the spillover, can ROW just get its normal quota at least?
Yeah, exactly, that's what I don't get either. We know it's not a huge amount of cases they've got in that time frame, so what is the slowdown. This is maddening.
more...
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pansworld
12-02 01:17 AM
Maybe I am being naive. But we are not a political organization. I sure do hope we are not. We should be open, clear and precise about our goals and our funding sources/drives. Frankly our opponents pump in millions of dollars into their effort. Maybe one of these days we can compete with them monetarily. But all I know is they can get millions of dollars but not 25000 committed members.
Also please consider that charging people for reading posts et al or instituting monthly payments will drive people away. People who cannot pay will not pay. All we lose is participation which is more important. You will agree that we want more participation not less.
Hence IMHO we disclose our goals. We disclose our costs up front. We have nothing to hide.
Also please consider that charging people for reading posts et al or instituting monthly payments will drive people away. People who cannot pay will not pay. All we lose is participation which is more important. You will agree that we want more participation not less.
Hence IMHO we disclose our goals. We disclose our costs up front. We have nothing to hide.
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sayantan76
05-24 12:02 AM
i think he may want to be the ceo of iv.
here are my 2 cents..
its nice to talk endlessly about what went wrong and bitch about it till the morning. one thing we all need to realise is this : we are going to have failures. period. just like we have had failures in the past. this is not going to be easy where you win every single legislation. 10% hit rate is success enough given the opposition and difficulties we face. so now, given that our batting average is going to be low, the question is this : everytime we have a failure, if people are going to sit on their butt, smoking their pipe dreams and doing monday morning quarterbacking about what part was wrong, then shouldn't they also volunteer to their local IV section to make it better? lets face it, if you really think something can be done better, then volunteer to the local IV branch and do it. everybody can benefit. but if all you are going to be doing is sitting here and posting negative messages, then you hurt everybody, starting with you. the opposition is much better organized, has more money and has great influences on the political inside. if you are not providing any constructive or organizational help, causing people to be distracted and causing IV core to lose their focus, and if you are not willing to volunteer to make it better, then in my opinion its best to step aside, be quiet and let the people in charge do it. again, if you are not helping, then you hurt everybody starting with you.
in this case, like paskal mentioned, if you think the phone calls were not important, then you haven't seen the victory message from numbersusa where they talked about the deluge of phone calls that were made by their supporters and how crucial it was in throwing out the visa recapture amendment. if anything, perhaps we could have gotten better organized with the calls. But I suspect things also moved much faster than anyone anticipated, including IV core.
lets focus our energies and support IV core and ourselves.
peace
just presenting a possible reason why what paskal proposed in his post does not work well in IV.......its not a question of whether phone calls are important or not....its a question of making a significant number of forum stakeholders (and not 1-2%) get to act on any initiative......fund raising/ calling efforts etc....
i genuinely believe that the core members go above and beyond whats expected to do what they are doing for IV - its truly remarkable...they all have busy lives and it takes great conviction and dedication to take the time out and do this...but why are the people still not responding despite the obvious pitfalls of not acting on GC related initiatives.......
maybe its lethargy, inaction, indifference etc.......but we should be open to considering that just maybe, a vast and silent majority of IVians do not feel a sense of representation in the organization and hence do not react as enthusiastically as they should........legitimacy among the constituents often comes with representation
why did most kingdoms around the world perish and give way to democracies......bcos the kings taxed the public based on their whims and fancies......elected govts may do the same but people still pay up and if they dont agree - they know they have a choice at the next elections.......
and no, i dont deserve to be the CEO - neither do i have a performance track record nor credibility here......should not stop me from voicing a contrarion view though
here are my 2 cents..
its nice to talk endlessly about what went wrong and bitch about it till the morning. one thing we all need to realise is this : we are going to have failures. period. just like we have had failures in the past. this is not going to be easy where you win every single legislation. 10% hit rate is success enough given the opposition and difficulties we face. so now, given that our batting average is going to be low, the question is this : everytime we have a failure, if people are going to sit on their butt, smoking their pipe dreams and doing monday morning quarterbacking about what part was wrong, then shouldn't they also volunteer to their local IV section to make it better? lets face it, if you really think something can be done better, then volunteer to the local IV branch and do it. everybody can benefit. but if all you are going to be doing is sitting here and posting negative messages, then you hurt everybody, starting with you. the opposition is much better organized, has more money and has great influences on the political inside. if you are not providing any constructive or organizational help, causing people to be distracted and causing IV core to lose their focus, and if you are not willing to volunteer to make it better, then in my opinion its best to step aside, be quiet and let the people in charge do it. again, if you are not helping, then you hurt everybody starting with you.
in this case, like paskal mentioned, if you think the phone calls were not important, then you haven't seen the victory message from numbersusa where they talked about the deluge of phone calls that were made by their supporters and how crucial it was in throwing out the visa recapture amendment. if anything, perhaps we could have gotten better organized with the calls. But I suspect things also moved much faster than anyone anticipated, including IV core.
lets focus our energies and support IV core and ourselves.
peace
just presenting a possible reason why what paskal proposed in his post does not work well in IV.......its not a question of whether phone calls are important or not....its a question of making a significant number of forum stakeholders (and not 1-2%) get to act on any initiative......fund raising/ calling efforts etc....
i genuinely believe that the core members go above and beyond whats expected to do what they are doing for IV - its truly remarkable...they all have busy lives and it takes great conviction and dedication to take the time out and do this...but why are the people still not responding despite the obvious pitfalls of not acting on GC related initiatives.......
maybe its lethargy, inaction, indifference etc.......but we should be open to considering that just maybe, a vast and silent majority of IVians do not feel a sense of representation in the organization and hence do not react as enthusiastically as they should........legitimacy among the constituents often comes with representation
why did most kingdoms around the world perish and give way to democracies......bcos the kings taxed the public based on their whims and fancies......elected govts may do the same but people still pay up and if they dont agree - they know they have a choice at the next elections.......
and no, i dont deserve to be the CEO - neither do i have a performance track record nor credibility here......should not stop me from voicing a contrarion view though
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wantMyGC
07-14 07:27 PM
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jul2007/db20070713_687551.htm?chan=top+news_top+news+index _businessweek+exclusives
The Gandhi Protests
Denied the permanent U.S. residency they'd been promised, high-skilled workers are taking to the streets in nonviolent protest
Engineers, computer programmers, and tech workers aren't known for outspoken collective action and political protest. But on July 14, up to 1,000 high-skilled, legal immigrants will gather in San Jose, Calif., to express their outrage at the U.S. government's failure to deliver on a promise to hasten the processing of their green-card applications. Many of these immigrants came to the U.S. from India on visas and have been stuck in what they say is an interminable wait for permanent residency and the freedoms it brings.
"We're stepping out to bring this issue to the attention of lawmakers and the public," says Ashish Sharma, 37, who has worked as a manager at a tech firm in Los Angeles for seven years, awaiting his green card. "The debate has been dominated by illegal immigration, but we want to put a spotlight on the hurdles we're facing as a hard-working and law-abiding group. It's time for corrective action."
Sharma says he spent $5,000 flying his wife and children to the U.S. from India to prepare green-card documents that the government originally said it would accept and then later decided not to accept. Tomorrow, he will drive more than five hours to San Jose to meet hundreds of others stuck in the green-card backlog who want to make a public statement about their frustrations.
Long Delays Spur Protests
The rally follows a symbolic action on July 10 in which hundreds of green-card applicants sent flowers to the director of U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services in a show of peaceful protest reminiscent of Mohandas Gandhi's nonviolent campaign against British rule before India gained independence in 1947. The idea for both the flower sending and the rally emerged from Immigration Voice, a group that advocates for high-tech immigrants in the U.S. on visas.
The Gandhi protests, though grounded in years of frustration and anger, were sparked by recent events. On June 12, the U.S. State Dept. issued a bulletin promising it was ready to move hundreds of thousands of green-card applicants into the final phase of processing, known as the Adjustment of Status. Visa workers rushed to complete their Adjustment of Status applications for July 2, the first day they could be submitted. Applicants scrambled to gather signatures, birth certificates, and immunization records, many taking off work and rearranging travel plans. But at the beginning of July, the State Dept. retracted the bulletin, explaining the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services had already fulfilled its quota and would not accept further applications. The immigrant community exploded, with critics saying they are the victims of bureaucratic incompetence and a broken immigration policy.
The green-card backlog has emerged because of a mismatch between the number of visa holders and the number of green cards available to them each year. Tens of thousands of foreign workers enter the U.S. on work visas each year, and many apply for green cards. But current government rules limit the number of people who can be admitted to the U.S. from any particular country to 9,800. The result is that for larger countries, including India and China, the wait for permanent U.S. residency now stretches for years. As they wait, visa workers are required to maintain the same job and salary, or they are bumped back to the long queue. That leaves many of the most educated and talented immigrants feeling stuck, sometimes to the point of hopelessness (see BusinessWeek.com, 6/21/07, "One Easy Fix for Immigration").
Joining the Chorus
Many American companies are concerned about the government's immigration policies. Tech companies, including IBM (IBM), Motorola (MOT), Oracle (ORCL), eBay (EBAY), and Intel (INTC), have pressured Congress to allow in more skilled workers on temporary and permanent visas. Google (GOOG), with many immigrants at the company including one of the founders, sent one of its top executives to make the case in Washington (see BusinessWeek.com, 6/7/07, "Immigration: Google Makes Its Case"). Bill Gates, Microsoft's (MSFT) co-founder, also made the trip to Congress to argue for a change in policy (see BusinessWeek.com, 3/8/07, "Gates to Senate: More Visas").
Immigration Voice has for several years been a forum for visa workers awaiting green cards, but it is now becoming a critical organizing tool through its Web site, volunteer leadership, and increased lobbying efforts. Immigration Voice President Aman Kapoor says green-card applicants are busy organizing a series of rallies to take place across the country on one day next month.
"This is not the usual population to go into the streets and protest; it's a group that has remained quiet and follows the rules," says Kapoor. "But people have lost faith in the system, and we have reached a tipping point in terms of frustration. There's an understanding that more dramatic action is needed."
The Gandhi Protests
Denied the permanent U.S. residency they'd been promised, high-skilled workers are taking to the streets in nonviolent protest
Engineers, computer programmers, and tech workers aren't known for outspoken collective action and political protest. But on July 14, up to 1,000 high-skilled, legal immigrants will gather in San Jose, Calif., to express their outrage at the U.S. government's failure to deliver on a promise to hasten the processing of their green-card applications. Many of these immigrants came to the U.S. from India on visas and have been stuck in what they say is an interminable wait for permanent residency and the freedoms it brings.
"We're stepping out to bring this issue to the attention of lawmakers and the public," says Ashish Sharma, 37, who has worked as a manager at a tech firm in Los Angeles for seven years, awaiting his green card. "The debate has been dominated by illegal immigration, but we want to put a spotlight on the hurdles we're facing as a hard-working and law-abiding group. It's time for corrective action."
Sharma says he spent $5,000 flying his wife and children to the U.S. from India to prepare green-card documents that the government originally said it would accept and then later decided not to accept. Tomorrow, he will drive more than five hours to San Jose to meet hundreds of others stuck in the green-card backlog who want to make a public statement about their frustrations.
Long Delays Spur Protests
The rally follows a symbolic action on July 10 in which hundreds of green-card applicants sent flowers to the director of U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services in a show of peaceful protest reminiscent of Mohandas Gandhi's nonviolent campaign against British rule before India gained independence in 1947. The idea for both the flower sending and the rally emerged from Immigration Voice, a group that advocates for high-tech immigrants in the U.S. on visas.
The Gandhi protests, though grounded in years of frustration and anger, were sparked by recent events. On June 12, the U.S. State Dept. issued a bulletin promising it was ready to move hundreds of thousands of green-card applicants into the final phase of processing, known as the Adjustment of Status. Visa workers rushed to complete their Adjustment of Status applications for July 2, the first day they could be submitted. Applicants scrambled to gather signatures, birth certificates, and immunization records, many taking off work and rearranging travel plans. But at the beginning of July, the State Dept. retracted the bulletin, explaining the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services had already fulfilled its quota and would not accept further applications. The immigrant community exploded, with critics saying they are the victims of bureaucratic incompetence and a broken immigration policy.
The green-card backlog has emerged because of a mismatch between the number of visa holders and the number of green cards available to them each year. Tens of thousands of foreign workers enter the U.S. on work visas each year, and many apply for green cards. But current government rules limit the number of people who can be admitted to the U.S. from any particular country to 9,800. The result is that for larger countries, including India and China, the wait for permanent U.S. residency now stretches for years. As they wait, visa workers are required to maintain the same job and salary, or they are bumped back to the long queue. That leaves many of the most educated and talented immigrants feeling stuck, sometimes to the point of hopelessness (see BusinessWeek.com, 6/21/07, "One Easy Fix for Immigration").
Joining the Chorus
Many American companies are concerned about the government's immigration policies. Tech companies, including IBM (IBM), Motorola (MOT), Oracle (ORCL), eBay (EBAY), and Intel (INTC), have pressured Congress to allow in more skilled workers on temporary and permanent visas. Google (GOOG), with many immigrants at the company including one of the founders, sent one of its top executives to make the case in Washington (see BusinessWeek.com, 6/7/07, "Immigration: Google Makes Its Case"). Bill Gates, Microsoft's (MSFT) co-founder, also made the trip to Congress to argue for a change in policy (see BusinessWeek.com, 3/8/07, "Gates to Senate: More Visas").
Immigration Voice has for several years been a forum for visa workers awaiting green cards, but it is now becoming a critical organizing tool through its Web site, volunteer leadership, and increased lobbying efforts. Immigration Voice President Aman Kapoor says green-card applicants are busy organizing a series of rallies to take place across the country on one day next month.
"This is not the usual population to go into the streets and protest; it's a group that has remained quiet and follows the rules," says Kapoor. "But people have lost faith in the system, and we have reached a tipping point in terms of frustration. There's an understanding that more dramatic action is needed."
sks_2002
07-17 10:45 PM
Great work IV for making this happen. But I agree with the concerns of backlogged EAD/AP. I think we should work with USCIS towards issuing interim EADs atleast . Else it will take 1-2 years just to get a receipt...That would defeat our purpose.
So what did we acheive? Just moved the backlog from "waiting to file I-485 to waiting for EAD" ? And I am not even talking about getting the GC .Who knows when we will get that?
I don't know if I should be happy or worried :eek: :eek:
So what did we acheive? Just moved the backlog from "waiting to file I-485 to waiting for EAD" ? And I am not even talking about getting the GC .Who knows when we will get that?
I don't know if I should be happy or worried :eek: :eek:
Bpositive
02-06 11:06 PM
How do we call DOS ? Is there any contact number for this Visa delays ?
Please let us know.
http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/contact.html
202-663-1225 extn 100
Please let us know.
http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/contact.html
202-663-1225 extn 100
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