International Roundup

Due to the recent catastrophic disasters in Chile, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has implemented certain immigration benefits for eligible Chilean Nationals. Unlike the steps take for temporary protected status after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, no such protection has been created for Chilean Nationals.

The temporary relief measures currently available for Chilean nationals may include: (1) grant of change of status or extension of a nonimmigrant status even when the application is submitted after the applicant’s authorized stay has expired; (2) re-parole of individuals previously granted parole; (3) extensions of certain advance parole approvals and expedited processing of advance parole applications; (4) expedited and approval, if qualified, for off-campus employment authorization for F-1 students; (5) expedited processing of I-130 immigrant visa petitions for qualifying immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents; (6) expedited issuance of employment authorization; and (7) assistance to stranded green card holders without documents in conjunction with the Department of State.

It is important to note that these relief measures must be requested. At the Visa Lawyer Group, our attorneys always remain current on developing stories and their impact on immigration laws. We are an immigration law firm that provides legal assistance to clients around the world. Our immigration lawyers can be contacted to work on a variety of immigration related issues. For more information please ,schedule a free consultation, email us at info@visalawyergroup.com or call us at (845) 353-3500.

The registration period for temporary protected status (TPS) opened up on January 21, 2010 and will remain open until July 20, 2010. This designation only applies to Haitian nationals who were present in the United States on January 12, 2010. It is very important to note that temporary protected status will not apply to individuals who arrive in the United States after January 12, 2010. The TPS for Haitians designation went into effect on January 21, 2010 and will remain in effect until July 22, 2011. Haitian nationals who qualify for such protection should take advantage of the TPS designation. Additionally, if a Haitian national is in the United States on a valid visa, then he/she should also apply for an extension or change of status along with temporary protected status (TPS). For example, Haitian nationals on a valid B-1/B-2 visa who are unable to return home should apply for a six month extension of their visitor’s visa. The Department of Homeland Security has advised its immigration officers to exercise discretion when adjudicating a visa application where the applicant is a Haitian national. Therefore, it is important to contact a qualified U.S. visa lawyer to discuss all of your options. It is very possible that as a Haitian national in the United States, you may qualify for more than one immigration benefit.

If you would like to contact Visa Lawyer Group for more information or if you have any questions, please do so at 845-353-3500 or you can email us at info@visalawyergroup.com. Our website also offers an online chat feature where you can discuss your case and ask questions to one of our qualified and experienced Visa Lawyers. Simply click on the chat button at the bottom corner of your screen!

We also have additional information regarding TPS for Haitians here.

Visa Lawyer Group offers online services for those that are out of the New York area and in other countries. Visa Lawyer Group has offices in Nyack, New York and Manhattan, New York City.

Earlier this week, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook Haiti to it core. The epicenter of the earthquake was located just 10 miles away from Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The devastation and destruction of the tiny island has been shown around the world in horrifying details. The Red Cross estimates that over 50,000 people have died as result of this catastrophe. Over the past few days, nations around the world have mobilized in an effort to provide aid to the grief-stricken nation. The Department of Homeland Security has halted all deportations to Haiti until further notice. In an effort to help Haitian nationals here, Senators, Congressmen, immigration advocates and visa lawyers are pushing President Obama to designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The designation would allow thousands of Haitians, many of them undocumented, currently residing in the United States to live and work in the United States until conditions in Haiti improve and the status is revoked. Opponents argue that TPS for Haitians will exacerbate and overwhelm the already burden immigration system. TPS designation has been reserved for countries that have been devastated with civil and political unrest, natural disasters or extraordinary situations where the country in unable to handle the return of its citizens. Hopefully, the Obama administration will issue a statement granting temporary protected status (TPS) for Haitian Americans in the next few days or weeks.

As if holiday travel isn't a hassle enough; air travel turned into a real nightmare for hundreds of passengers aboard a Northwest Airliner on Christmas day. It is being alleged that, Umar Faruk Abdulutallab, a 23 year old Nigerian man, attempted to blow up a Northwest passenger airliner traveling from Amsterdam to Detroit. The accused bomber sewed 80 grams of explosive material into his underwear and attempted to detonate the bomb during the flights’ descent into Detroit. His attempt to detonate the bomb failed and he succeeded in setting himself on fire instead. He was ultimately subdued but this incident sheds a big spotlight on the current state of airport security measures and international communications. Since this incident, the U.S. government instituted tighter security measures for all airlines traveling inbound to the USA. New measures include extra pat downs before boarding, not getting up during the last hour of the flight and hand searches of carry-on luggage. Some Airlines have even told their crew to stop identifying landmarks during the flight route. Security measures will look different at every airport so travelers are being asked to arrive early and to cooperate with security officials. We wish everyone a safe holiday season and a prosperous new year.

The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India now has a new Consular Section. Ambassador Timothy J. Roemer inaugurated the new section on September 14, 2009. The new section is part of a $10 million dollar, multi-year expansion that will result in better and more efficient service to the Indian community. According to the press release issued by the U.S. Embassy, the new facility doubles the waiting area, triples customer seating, adds a modern queuing system to guide customers through the visa process and adds many new interviewing windows to ensure that visa applicants and American citizens can speak to an officer more quickly and in a convenient, modern environment. In keeping with the spirit of expansion and commitment to better service; expansions are in the works for the U.S. Consulates located in Chennai and Kolkata and a brand new construction is well under way in the northern suburbs in Mumbai.

Source: U.S. Embassy, New Delhi