Category: Immigration

Greencard Lottery – Requirements for DV Lottery 2012

The much awaited Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery entry dates for the year 2012 have been announced and the application can be given from October 5, Wednesday noon, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) (GMT -4) to November 3, Tuesday, Eastern Standard time (GMT -5).

The Department of State conducts the DV lottery annually by congressional mandate as stipulated in Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) which is actually the amended version of Section 131 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-649).

Specific requirements have to be met if an immigrant wishes to participate in the visa lottery program held this year. The details are as follows:

The applicant should belong to or be a native of countries that come under the list of ‘qualified countries’. The term Native of a country whose natives qualify usually refers to the country in which the applicant was born. However, there are other ways of qualification under this clause. If the person is born in a country whose natives are not eligible but his or her spouse belongs to a country whose natives are eligible then the applicant can enter the spouse’s country of birth. But, both of them should be issued with visas and should have entered the United States at the same time.

Another qualifying criterion is if the parents were born or resided in a country whose natives are eligible then the applicant qualifies even if the country he or she is born is not eligible for the visa lottery program.

The applicant should have some degree of education which should be a high school education or an equivalent one where the applicant should have completed study comprising of 12 years of both elementary and secondary level of education.

Or the applicant should possess two years experience in the past five years doing work which needs a training period of minimum two years or the experience to perform the work. The qualifying work experience is set and selected by the United States Labor Department based on the O*Net online information. If the educational or training criteria are not met the applicant should not consider applying as his entry will be rejected.

A latest color photo should be given in the form of an image file along with the filled visa lottery entry forms and uploaded.

Details like the name, date of birth, gender, city or place of birth, country of birth, mailing address, the country where you reside at present, phone number and e-mail address should be provided accurately.

Regarding the educational qualifications, details like the level of education received and the name of the institution or University if the candidate has finished the graduate degree course should be given.

The country name if nativity claim is on a country other than the place of birth of the candidate should be mentioned. Marital status, information of number of children with their photographs and other necessary details should be furnished. If any information you give is not proper then your visa application may be rejected. So take care to give appropriate details.

Immigration

Changes in the Australian New Skilled Occupations List 2010

The Australian government has recently announced new immigration reforms which come into effect from the 1st of July 2010. The reforms will apply to General Skilled Migration applications in the form of a new skilled occupation list (SOL). This new list has been specifically designed to better meet the skilled labour requirements of Australia for the future. It is part of a more targeted approach to migration in response to the changing needs of employers across the country. It is intended that the SOL list will be reviewed and updated on an annual basis.

The new list will see a reduction of the total number of occupations down to 181 from a previous number of 400. The new list will be much more focused on high skilled occupations and professions, requiring formal education and training, such as nursing and engineering. Occupations to be cut from the list will include lower skilled jobs, requiring little education and training, such as cookery and hairdressing. The list was developed by Skills Australia, an independent group, and now contains only higher valued occupations.

The changes, in part, are in response to previous government immigration policies which allowed a large influx of low skilled migrants. Previously and currently many people, completing short vocational courses, and at times with low English capabilities, are permitted to obtain permanent residence as a skilled migrant. The new rules will be put in place to attempt to address this problem, so that skills needs, as opposed to educational needs, will drive immigration policy and outcome for the future. It should put to an end an influx of foreign students, currently going to Australia to study for short vocational subjects and subsequently being granted permanent residency on the basis of that training or study.

Migrants to be most affected by the changes will include students who intend to study in Australia on a Subclass 572 visa. This visa is issued for persons wishing to study within the vocational education and training sector. Other students to be affected are those looking to study in higher education, Subclass 573, and those engaging in postgraduate research, Subclass 574. For students currently studying on one of these visas, and seeking visas under the General Skilled Migration Programme, there are however generous transition arrangements. The concessions set out will allow any potential migrant, holding one of the aforementioned visas, as of the 8thof February 2010, to apply for full residency, as their particular applications will not come under the new skilled occupation list. In order to comply with visa regulations for full residency, these students must first submit an application for a Subclass 485 visa, Temporary Residence Visa, by no later than the 31st of December 2012.

People not affected by this new list and regulations include applications for Subclass 457 visas, Temporary 4 Year Working Visa, and additionally international students, going to Australia in order to study and then return to their home country.

The new changes are seen by the government and industry as essential in radically overhauling the way skilled migrants are targeted. It is specifically designed to ensure that people entering Australia on the migration programme in the future have the skills required, including English skills, to meet the demands of Australia for the future. Further to this, Chris Evans, the current immigration minister, has said that the new changes will also help, “To restore integrity to the skilled migration programme.”

The major metropolitan areas of Australia, such as Sydney, are most likely to see the impact of this new legislation, and specifically migrants either currently studying or working, or intending to do so. Any potential migrant would be well advised to look carefully at the latest changes, as immigration regulations can be both difficult to understand and navigate. With this in mind, The Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship, have an informative and comprehensive website that offers useful information along with full lists and categories of all visas available. Alternatively, lists and further help, if needed, can be obtained from an immigration lawyer. Sydney has a large number of immigration lawyers, most with extensive experience. Immigration lawyers can easily be found through the usual local listings and internet searches.

Immigration

What Meg Whitman’s Housekeeper Controversy Tells Us About Real Immigration Issues

All of the contradictions and complexities of our nation’s immigration policy are being publicly exposed in the current contretemps between California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman and her former housekeeper, who voluntarily exposed herself this week as an illegal immigrant.

Opponents of immigration – including Whitman – tend to speak about immigration enforcement in shrill, impersonal terms: Take Whitman’s promise to be “tough as nails” on immigration policy. But in Whitman’s case as in others, the rhetoric and the reality are far apart.

Scratch the surface of any immigration controversy and you find the complex lives of people: immigrants who form relationships with their employers, their spouses and children, immigrants who are part of communities, who cannot be expunged from our lives with the wave of the Border Patrol’s wand.

“I was not going to make an example of Nicky,” Whitman said in explaining her reluctance to hasten the deportation of her former housekeeper by calling the authorities. The housekeeper, she said, was part of her “extended family.”

That is where the true difficulty in enforcing immigration policy lies: how do you separate families and communities in an effort to cleanse the country of illegal immigrants? In my opinion, the answer is you can’t. The price of getting rid of illegal immigrants is too high, not just on their lives, but on their families and communities.

Immigration opponents are already calling Whitman a hypocrite. I agree that she is hypocritical for supporting a crackdown on illegal immigrant employers while trying to hide her own, perhaps inadvertent, employment of one. But to me the actions of her and her husband in trying to avoid the potential immigration pitfalls of her housekeeper, even when they may have suspected something was wrong, are not hypocritical. They are human.

It is easy to be anti-immigrant in the abstract. It is much harder when that immigrant is your friend, your spouse, when it is the gardener, the butcher, the housekeeper, the caregiver that you rely on. This imbroglio, for all its political implications reveals the messiness of human relations that is at the heart of any discussion of immigration.

Immigration

Use Your Eb5 Investment Visa on the West Coast

If you would like to enter the United States within a year, you may be considering the eb5 investment visa. In particular, you might be thinking about investing in a regional center rather than opening a brand new business in this country. If so, know that one of the states with the most regional centers to choose from is California, home of the California Military Base, or CMB. This takes up several former military bases, and could be the perfect project for you to invest in.

This project takes care of the eb5 investment visa requirements for you. For example, if you join this project, you do not have to hire ten employees, as those in charge of the project will do so. You simply have to be approved for the eb5 visa, and invest your $500,000 at this regional center. You do not even have to live in the area or the state if you do not want to, though many immigrants choose to stay here due to the various things to do.

Once you apply for this project, your money will be placed in an escrow account until you are approved. If you are not approved for some reason, you will get your funds back quickly, which means that you have nothing to lose. Additionally, CMB tries to ensure that its investors get some return on their investment, which is perfect for those immigrants who wish to retire once they arrive in the United States. In many cases, you could live off the return on investment from the project that you select, so make sure that the one you choose seems likely to make a profit.

The USCIS has approved CMB, so those in charge of the project are aware of the requirements to keep you in the U.S., and strive to help you fulfill your side of the deal. This means that they ensure that at least ten employees get hired by them once you invest, and they also keep you aware of the status of the project. Even if you decide to live elsewhere and not take part in daily operations, you will be kept apprised of the situation so that you know what is going on with your investment. Clearly, this location is a good choice when it comes to using your eb5 investment visa.

Immigration

Immigrate To Canada – How To Start The Procedure And Not Spend All My Savings Before I Go There

Assume that you are prospective immigrant hoping that one day you will settle your family in Canada. Due to the fact that Canada is one of the most attractive immigration destinations you will be literally cross fired by different offers for immigration services that promise you to become Canadian citizen in no time. Yes it is possible for everyone to become Canadian Citizen because all humans are equal despite of their nationality, religion, financial situation, etc. In no time – IMPOSSIBLE. Usually using the services offered in those advertisements would cost you from $2000 to sometimes $15000 for every person in your family.

But lets stop accusing those consultants and agents, they will be out there getting those money for literally no work done by them unless people stop using their services. In order to stop using their services people must be informed so they get the knowledge of how to do it and how to complete the procedure for getting Canadian visa and eventually immigrate there. Below you will find out the first steps that have to be done to start the procedure.

Step 1. First of all you have to select your appropriate Immigration Class.

Immigration Classes are:

1. Federal Skilled Worker Class ( this class is divided into 4 subclasses )

a. Skilled Worker And Professionals Class

b. Canadian Experience Class

c. Provincial Nominees Class

d. Business Class

2. Family Class

3. Quebec Selected Immigration

4. Refugees Class

5. Others

So lets analyze those classes because it is of crucial importance and actually it is the foundation of success right from the beginning.

1. Federal Skilled Worker Class ( this class is divided into 4 subclasses )

a. Skilled Worker And Professionals Class

The cases of those applicants are proceeded on the basis of their individual skills and the likelihood to contribute to the Canadian economy. They have to meet the minimal work experience requirements, and prove that they have sufficient funds to settle in Canada.

b. Canadian Experience Class

This class is for temporary foreign workers and international graduates who want to become permanent residents.

c. Provincial Nominees Class

This class is for people that want to immigrate to specific province of Canada. First they have to apply to the Province authority. Those immigrants are usually selected based on their skills.

d. Business Class

Those are investors, businessman and self employed immigrants that will invest and help the improvement of the Canadian economy.

2. Family Class

Those immigrants must be sponsored by close family members ( parents or spouse ) that are Canadian citizens or already permanent residents

3. Quebec Selected Immigration

These are skilled workers and professionals that wish to settle in Montreal or another city in the Province of Quebec. They are selected to comply with the rules of the Province of Quebec and they have to prove that will be able to settle there.

4. Refugees Class

Those are immigrants that are admitted under special rules

5. Others

Those are Students, Permanent Workers, Visitors, Information Technology Workers, etc.

The above mentioned classes are all the categories that qualify for Canadian visa, so the first step for anyone who wants to immigrate there is to determine the class that suits him.

Immigration

The Quick and Easy Processing of Canadian Work Visa: By an Applicant Or by an Employer

Statistics regarding the reported number of foreign nationals who migrate to Canada, reported hundreds of thousands foreign nationals every year. The reasons in migrating to Canada vary: economic; family sponsorship; students or tourists; and refugees or those who lost their citizenship but are given the opportunity to have it again as long as they return and live in Canada.

Almost every foreign national who migrated and is migrating to Canada wanted to have a permanent residence upon reaching the country. An applicant’s purpose in processing his requirements is to avail the Canadian work visa. This type of visa permits the future immigrant worker to stay in Canada and have the possibility of obtaining the citizenship which is the dream of every immigrant.

One of the easiest ways to obtain a Canadian work visa is through the category of skilled worker visa. This does not need the employer’s offer of employment and the many processes an applicant needs to undergo before an application can be accepted. Just meet these basic requirements:

A minimum of one year’s paid work experience. A proof of employment is also needed during the application process.

Sufficient settlement funds to support the family and any dependents while waiting for the work to start.

A 67 point which is the passable mark in the assessment test. The evaluation test is needed so that the government is assured that the applicant has the basic knowledge on the new country he is going to adopt; about its history and policies, politics and social aspects, the rights and responsibilities of Canadian citizens.

An adequate knowledge of the official language of the country to be able to communicate; which is important so that the immigrant’s settlement will be easier.

In times the employer is in dire need of skilled workers, the processing of the applicant’s Canadian work visa and working permit are processed in just a short time through the employment authorization of Canada, a Canadian work visa sponsored by the employers”. The maximum length of time the employer spent in getting this type of Canadian work visa is 6 weeks.

This type of Canadian work visa is used by the employers to facilitate the entry of senior executives and managers to the country.

There are work categories of foreign nationals whose applications need not be validated and the facilitation of Canadian work visa is easier:

  • Executives who work for the same company and transferred to branch in Canada
  • Religious and charitable volunteers who will fill the positions offered in Canada
  • Foreign educators who are an exchange professor of Canada
  • Professionals who avail the Post-graduate and Doctoral studies.
  • Movie filming and other documentary shootings in Canada.
  • Singers or performers who has a contract show in Canada
Immigration

What Happens in the Fiancee Interview

The fiancee’s visa interview at the United States embassy or consulate is the final hurdle prior to actual issuance of the K-1 fiancee visa. We don’t want a nervous fiancee to trip going over that hurdle and fall on their face. The primary purpose of the fiancee interview is to determine whether a boda fide relationship exists and this determination is discretionary. It is not uncommon for a K-1 petition to be denied at this stage. In taking the preparation course for my bar exam, the written review materials contained sample questions that we might expect to see a version of. One of those actual questions appeared on the exam. I was able to write a 10 point answer on that question with my eyes closed. As many fiancee’s are nervous and tongue tied at interview time, it also operates in their best interests to give them an accurate idea of what to expect in their interview so they can also give 10 point answers.

A bona fide relationship with a genuine intent to marry and a well documented file will operate to ease the anxiety over the interview because the weight of the evidence of these three elements is already under the interviewer’s nose. Questions about the fiancee’s work or profession and educational background will be asked along with what his or her living arrangements are. Inquiries may be made into family relationships, including names. Fiancee should know the petitioner’s date of birth and where petitioner was born, their address and whether petitioner lives in a home, apartment or condominium.

Expect to be asked how, when and where you two met, how you communicate and how often you communicate. What is the petitioner’s age? Was he or she previously married? If so did the marriage end in divorce or death and when? If they have children, what are their names and ages and who do they live with? When and where to you plan to get married? Do they drink coffee or tea and how do they like it? What is the petitioner’s favorite food or color? How long since you last saw each other. How many times has petitioner visited you in your home country? Did petitioner meet your family. Did you have an engagement party? Do you plan on working in the United States. Are you planning on a family? Have you met any members of your fiancee’s family?

There is nothing mystical about these questions. Any couple with a bona fide relationship, a genuine intent to marry and a well documented file should be able to answer these questions with their eyes closed too.

Finally, the really stupid questions come. Are you a terrorist? Have you been or are you a drug addict or drug trafficker? Are you or have you ever been involved in prostitution? Yes, they will be asked questions of this nature. And then comes the dumbest question: Why do you want to marry your fiancee? Answer: Because I love my fiancee and want to be with him or her for the rest of my life.

The fiancee with a bona fide relationship, genuine intent to marry and well documented file should also be able to give 10 point answers with their eyes closed. As I always tell my clients, just tell the truth. Its the easiest thing to remember.

Immigration

Visa Application and Online Help

Visa is a sign that a person has the right to enter a specific country. Visa is given by the official Immigration Service who allows the access through an authorization which is a document which needs a stamp that you’ll discover on the applicant’s passport. Some countries do not need a visa in some circumstances, as the result of reciprocal contractual agreements. In some countries where visa is considered a necessary condition, the validity of this document has to cover the stay.

Some can issue visas on arrival or by prior request to the embassy or consulate, or sometimes through a special travel agency with rights of the issuing country of departure. If the countries have no embassy or consulate, then we could travel to a third country and obtain a visa issued there. If the applicant needs a visa or if he doesn’t, it depends on his nationality, the expected length of stay and the activities that the applicant can carry out in the countries he visited, which may set different formal categories visas with different issue conditions.

There are many restrictions and many details which some cannot understand so you have to take into account that some categories of people cannot go and apply for a visa. In that case there might be someone who can help them or just any one who can get them visa for the sake of some extra money. Following this process, somebody else gets the visa for you on your behalf. Such agencies are growing day by day in the world but there are very few of them which offer you such kind of service with a great quality, speed and at the pocket rates as well.

When we open our computer and navigate on the internet we can find many online visa service providers who help us to avoid the long lines of immigration offices and embassies. This kind of agencies offers you a visa to different part of the world: for example, they can offer you the USA esta, Indian visa, Thailand visa and some other kind of visa. And moreover application for visa at these sites is so simple that you just have to fill in some forms and submit the details and document they ask from you and once you have done they will mail you your visa and you can enjoy your trip with full enthusiasm and relief.

So if you are planning to go out from the country and want to avoid the long trails and procedures for visa application then you shouldn’t worry, just clicks on our site and submit your necessary details and your visa will be available to you with no headache.

Immigration

Canada Immigrant Investor Program

Canada Immigrant Investor Program – one of the fastest method to migrate to Canada especially for investors – has been established by the Government of Canada in 1986 to attract experienced business people and investors whom are able to invest CAD $800,000 into Canada’s economy over a 5-year period (interest-free) and interested to settle in Canada except the province of Quebec.

The applicant requires to provide proof of minimum two years of business management experience within the previous five years, minimum net worth of CAD $1,600,000 (legally obtained. Ex. properties, bank accounts, investments, stocks, bonds etc.), make and investment of CAD $800,000 (interest-free) which can be financed by an approved financial institution approved by the government of Canada and meet certain health and security requirements.

In return, the approved applicant and his/her family (dependents) will obtain permanent resident status upon arrival in Canada and can live, work, study, and conduct business in Canada and also can enter and leave Canada freely and of course applying for Canadian citizenship after minimum three years after landing in Canada.

Also, for those whom wants migrate to Canada and live in Quebec province, they have to apply through Quebec Immigrant Investor Program; the program have slightly different requirements. You still need to have at least two years management experience plus invest $800,000 and provide documents proofing net worth of CAD $1,600,000 (legally obtained) and meet certain health and security requirements.

In general both Canada Immigrant Investor Program and Quebec Immigrant Investor Program are among the fastest method to migrate to beautiful Canada.

Immigration

When You Need an Immigration Attorney

United States immigration law is a complex field requiring the complete understanding of regulations and laws from multiple government agencies. With those laws and regulations being federal in nature, U.S. immigration attorneys handle cases in all 50 states and represent clients before federal agencies and circuit courts. Persons with immigration related issues of any kind, whether personal or business, require competent counsel from an experienced attorney who specializes in immigration law to help ensure successful results.

Immigration attorneys assist individuals with such immigration issues as applications for work visas, marriage and fiance visas, family petitions, investor visas, deportation defense, asylum, citizenship, motions to reopen, appeals, and any other issue that involve immigration both directly and indirectly. The immigration attorney is able to assess each individual situation with the knowledge of all applicable laws and resources for available options to help resolve the issue or prepare an appeal.

Businesses benefit from representation of an expert immigration attorney when trying to establish a U.S. subsidiary or affiliate. Legal representation is strongly recommended when transferring employees to the U.S. to expedite work visas or legal permanent residence status. It is also recommended before investing in U.S. companies to protect the business interests.

Immigration law is too complex to trust to an inexperienced attorney, with errors or omissions having costly and potentially irreparable consequences. For competent representation, be sure that your immigration attorney is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Ask about similar cases to yours that the attorney has successfully represented so you will know that your attorney has the experience needed to offer you the very best available counsel.

Immigration