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Employment Immigration, Immigration To The USA, USCIS

New Immigration Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

August 26, 2016

New Immigration Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

Author: New York Business Immigration Attorney Alena Shautsova

Good news: new regulations are being implemented for entrepreneurs and owners of successful start-ups. USCIS announced plans to allow business owners to be paroled into the United States in connection with their business activities. As always, the beneficiaries have to meet certain requirements and comply with certain restrictions. One may find the text of the new proposed rules here: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/USCIS/Laws/Articles/FR_2016-20663_793250_OFR.pdf.

First, the proposed rules will provide a parole, not a visa. A parole is a permission to come, stay and work, but it does not in itself give a right to apply for permanent residency or citizenship. The qualifying beneficiaries have to be owners with at least 15% interest share, and the start ups should be new enterprises (opened within the past 3 years), and the enterprises must be “ promising” in that they can create a substantial revenue or jobs.

Second, as always, the amount of money that a business should hold is quite substantial: $345K from qualifying U.S. investors (such as venture capital firms, angel investors, or start-up accelerators), or at least $100K coming from grants.

In addition, an enterprise has to demonstrate a potential for reliable growth, job creation and overall be in the U.S. national interests.

How would this work? Basically, a business person who actively participates in the development of the business will be allowed to come and stay in the US on a parole to oversee the development of the startup. (In most instances it means that a company also will be able to sponsor the person for permanent residency). Once the 2 years are over, the beneficiary may apply to be re-paroled for an additional 3 years. (DHS proposes that an applicant would generally be expected to demonstrate that the entity received at least $500,000 in additional qualifying funding during the initial parole period. A). The proposed rule will allow the entrepreneur’s spouse and children to apply for employment authorization.

The new proposed parole program may open the door to many entrepreneurs by allowing them to come to the US easier and avoid L1A/B requirements. It also is different from current non-immigrant visa regulations as it eliminates the need of an investment treaty between the country of origin and the US. It sets defined criteria for the amount of capital that the startup should attract to be considered successful.

Employment Immigration, Immigration To The USA, USCIS

HOW TO EXPEDITE EAD APPLICATION

November 19, 2015

HOW TO EXPEDITE EAD APPLICATION

Author: New York Immigration attorney Alena Shautsova

Generally, an employment authorization should be issued within 90 days of submission of the complete application package. An applicant with pending asylum application, should receive an EAD card within 30 days of filing I-765 form. An applicant for adjustment of status, usually receives an EAD within 45 days.

However, often, applicants experience delays. Delays maybe caused by the processing delays by USCIS, or by the applicant when he/she failed to submit all necessary evidence.

If an EAD application has been pending for more than 75 days, an applicant should call USCIS and inquire about the status of the case, and also make an info pass appointment and go to a local USCIS office.

It should be noted that USCIS does not issue Interim EADs anymore, and somebody without a valid employment authorization cannot accept/continue his/her employment. A person may file for a renewal of the EAD as soon as 120 days before its expiration.

The EAD clock will be reset if an applicant failed to attach initial evidence, and will be stopped if an applicant failed to attach evidence requested by USCIS. For example, if an applicant failed to attach initial evidence, and USCIS informed the applicant about it on the 30th day of the EAD application being pending, the clock will be reset to 0 once the evidence is received.

The instructions to the EAD application form and the form itself are available at http://www.uscis.gov/i-765.

Employment Immigration, Immigration To The USA, Uncategorized

NEW VISA BULLETIN PROVIDES FASTER VISAS AND AOS PROCEDURES

September 12, 2015

NEW VISA BULLETIN PROVIDES FASTER VISAS AND AOS PROCEDURES

Author: New York Immigration Lawyer Alena Shautsova

There are new changes to the most complicated and slowest immigration process in employment and family preferences categories : the Department of State and Immigration authorities are revising the way Immigrant visas are counted and the timing when one can file his/her applications for the visas.

From now on, the visa bulletin will provide for two different dates:

Dates for Filing Applications (earliest dates when applicants may be able to apply); and

Application Final Action Dates (dates when visas may finally be issued).

The significance of the new changes will primarily affect those who are in the U.S. waiting to file an application for adjustment of status. An applicant for adjustment of status may also submit (with no additional charge) an application for employment authorization. In addition, often such applicants may submit an application for a travel permit, and plus, when the adjustment of status application is pending , the applicant is considered to be “legal.”

Here is a reference to the USCIS clarifications regarding the new procedure: http://www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo.

Simple comparison of the charts of October 2015 visa bulletin reveals that in average an applicant in a preference family category will be able to apply for adjustment of status, approximately a year earlier than previously.

The most important issue here is the implementation of the new rule, and hopefully, absence of new lawsuits against its makers…

Deportation, Employment Immigration, Immigration To The USA, USCIS, Visas

CLAIMING US CITIZENSHIP ON I9 FORM WILL CAUSE PERMANENT INADMISSIBILITY

January 27, 2014

CLAIMING US CITIZENSHIP ON I9 FORM WILL CAUSE PERMANENT INADMISSIBILITY

Author: New York Immigration attorney Alena Shautsova

According to the laws of the US, when an employer is hiring an employee, the employee must fill out I-9 form: this form helps an employer to determine if the potential employee has a proper employment authorization and may accept employment in the US. The form consists of simple questions and check boxes and one of those check boxes asks the filler to answer if he/she is a US citizen or US national. Of course, answering YES or checking off this box will mean that the person who is filling out the form has the proper documentation to work in the US.

Many immigrants without employment authorization are tempted to check off that little square “Citizen or National of the US.” However, many of them ignore the drastic consequences.

This happened in the case of Nyabwari. She entered the US on a visa, overstayed it, and later married a US citizen. She though she would have no problem receiving her green card. Indeed, many with the same situations can got citizenship.

However, the government learned that at some point in time, while in the US, Mrs. Nyabwari was working illegally, and to make the situation worse, the government discovered that Mrs. Nyabwari submitted form I-9 to her employer stating she was a US citizen or US national.

Mrs. Nyabwari’s explanation that she did not understand who the national was, did not help her. Both, Immigration judge and the Board of Immigration Appeals said that checking off that one box caused Mrs. Nyabwari to be PERMANENTLY inadmissible into the US, as this was a violation of the US laws for which there is no waiver.

The end of Mrs. Nyabwari’s immigration saga is very sad: she will likely to have to leave the country permanently or to stay in the US illegally forever. This serves as a great lesson: if you in doubt, you must consult an attorney to avoid “deporting” yourself before your time.

Employment Immigration

What to do if employer hides your passport?

August 30, 2013

Author: New York Immigration attorney ALENA SHAUTSOVA

What to do if employer hides your passport?

Many undocumented workers have to be very careful and live in the constant fear of being ”picked up” by the ICE. That is why they are trying to stay “under the radar,” never complain to anyone about anything, and tolerate all sorts of abuse and crimes committed against them.

Unfortunately, some “employers” who would like to control an undocumented nanny or a domestic worker, scare her with “Immigration” and sometimes even take her identification documents, like a passport, and hide it. What shall a nanny do in such a situation?
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Employment Immigration

House Passes STEM Jobs Act

November 30, 2012

By a vote of 245 to 139 the House passed the STEM Jobs Act, which now will be moved to Senate for consideration. The Act is disfavored by the Obama administration as it does not provide long term solutions for the Immigration issues:

The Administration opposes House passage of H.R. 6429. This legislation, if enacted, would allocate immigrant visas for advanced graduates of a limited set of STEM degree programs, would offer a limited number of visas for families through the “V” nonimmigrant visa program, and would eliminate the long-standing Diversity Visa program that makes immigrant visas available to certain individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.
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Employment Immigration

May The Migrant Workers Apply For DACA Relief?

September 27, 2012

Author: Immigration attorney Alena Shautsova

While the USCIS accepting applications from hundreds of undocumented young people, many still will not qualify as they cannot produce proof of school attendance or being currently in school.

This is particularly true for migrant workers, those who come to work seasonally. In addition, this category of potential applicant may also face challenges proving continuous physical presence in the country.

Note that according to the DHS, school records act as the best evidence for both continuous presence and education requirements.

To satisfy school enrollment requirement, an applicant may enroll in Language School, as long as applicant’s job/job placement would be conditioned on completion of the language course, and applicant can demonstrate that with relevant documents (ex. letters from the hiring manager; supervisor at the job training program). Note that the USCIS also requires evidence that the “program is one of demonstrated effectiveness.”

If you have immigration concerns, consult a skilled New York immigration lawyer and find out about your options.

Criminal Law, Employment Immigration, Immigration To The USA, Other, USCIS

Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals

August 19, 2012

Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals

Author: New York Immigration lawyer Alena Shautsova

As the USCIS published instructions to the new deferred action program for young people (Form I-821D), many applicants should be aware of possible pitfalls.
First, the instructions specify that the deferred action will be available for those applicants who do not have a record of felony or serious misdemeanor convictions. It would be wise to consult with an Immigration attorney if you have a criminal record.
Second, many applicants struggle with background questions, such as “point of entry”: for obvious reasons, some of them do not have this information as were brought to the country as babies; and/or false documents were used to enter the country.
A potential applicant for deferred action must remember that the deferred action is a discretionary relief, and must prepare his/her application so that it will “stand out” out of the thousands poorly prepared applications.

If you are dealing with immigration issues, consult New York lawyer. Our law firm keeps its finger on the pulse of ever-changing immigration laws and a knowledgeable lawyer can help protect your rights.

The Law Office of Alena Shautsova is an Immigration law firm serving clients in Brooklyn, New York City, Long Island, Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx and surrounding communities.